War

Retired General Explains Why Ukraine’s Counteroffensive Is So Behind | WSJ

253,203 views Jul 10, 2023 #Ukraine #Russia #WSJ
The recent turmoil in Russia in the wake of Wagner Group's mutiny led by Yevgeny Prigozhin could provide opportunity for Ukraine's battlefield troops in their counteroffensive, particularly near Bakhmut, Zaporizhzhia and Vuhledar, where the bulk of the fighting is happening.

But why has there been little progress for Ukrainian soldiers breaking through the front lines?

Let's talk about statistics, Russia, and new techniques....

Crimean Bridge Under Attack! | Huge Ruzzian Armored Column Shot to Pieces! | Ukraine War Update

Cluster munitions will ‘drive the Russian forces out’ | Kurt Volker

50,234 views Jul 10, 2023 #TimesRadio
Former US Ambassador to Nato Kurt Volker tells #TimesRadio Nato should give Ukraine cluster munitions to ‘drive the Russian forces out.’

“I think it's long overdue. In fact, Russia is killing civilians intentionally as we speak.”

Why Vindman supports decision to send cluster munitions to Ukraine

149,715 views Jul 8, 2023 #CNN #News
President Joe Biden approved the transfer of cluster munitions to Ukraine, the latest instance of the US providing Kyiv with weapons it initially resisted sending into the war. Retired Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman explains why he supports the president's decision.

Russian Submarine Captain Assassinated | Breaking News With The Enforcer

164,634 views Jul 10, 2023
A Russian submarine captain was shot 4 times in Krasnodar, leading to his death. Not only was he the commander of the Krasnodar submarine, but he was a part of the city's conscription office. Who could have killed him? Meanwhile a Russian spy was arrested in Poland Today, as NATO draws up a response plan for Russian aggression. NATO will also be inviting Zelensky to the NATO summit in Brussels. Turkey also made an intreresting offer that the EU and NATO couldn't refuse.

Ukrainian forces fighting behind enemy lines | Stories of Our Times

15,619 views Jul 11, 2023 Stories of our Times | PODCAST
In Russian-occupied territory in Ukraine, men and women are working secretly, behind enemy lines. They're blowing up bridges, identifying targets for bombing raids and killing anyone caught collaborating with the enemy. So who are they? How are they recruited? And how has one man managed to infiltrate the Russian army itself?

DIY-HP-LED said:

Ukrainian forces fighting behind enemy lines | Stories of Our Times

15,619 views Jul 11, 2023 Stories of our Times | PODCAST
In Russian-occupied territory in Ukraine, men and women are working secretly, behind enemy lines. They're blowing up bridges, identifying targets for bombing raids and killing anyone caught collaborating with the enemy. So who are they? How are they recruited? And how has one man managed to infiltrate the Russian army itself?

Click to expand...

too bad we don't have people like that here to deal with the republican mafia.

Blinken: Ukraine would have been ‘defenseless’ without US cluster bombs
Secretary of State Antony Blinken defended President Biden’s decision to send cluster bombs to Ukraine in the country’s war with Russia, saying in an interview that Ukraine would have been “defenseless” without it.

During an appearance on MSNBC’s “Andrea Mitchell Reports,” Blinken, who was at the NATO summit in Lithuania, told host Andrea Mitchell that Ukraine’s stockpile of cluster bombs was running out and was “about to be” depleted.

“The stockpiles around the world and in Ukraine of the unitary munitions, not the cluster munitions, were running out, about to be depleted,” Blinken told Mitchell.

“And so, the hard but necessary choice to give them the cluster munitions amounted to this: If we didn’t do it, we don’t do it, then they will run out of ammunition. If they run out of ammunition, then they will be defenseless.”

Blinken also dismissed concerns that the cluster bombs provided by the U.S. would create a deadly hazard in Ukraine, noting that there’s already a great hazard concern in the country due to Russia’s use of the weapon, according to NBC News.

When asked if the U.S. was ceding the moral high ground by supplying Ukraine with weapons that the U.S. and its allies has criticized Russia for using in the war, Blinken responded by saying “every ally I’ve talked to has said they understand why we’re doing this when we’re doing it.”

Numerous NATO members have signed the Convention on Cluster Munitions treaty, which bans the use, production and sale of cluster bombs due to the risks they pose to civilians, NBC News reported. The U.S., Russia and Ukraine have not signed the treaty.

The Biden administration announced last week that it plans to provide Ukraine with cluster munitions, an explosive weapon that contains multiple explosive submunitions.

In a CNN interview, Biden defended his decision, saying that he believes Ukraine needed the weapon, while noting it was a “very difficult decision.”

Lawmakers are split on the administration’s decision to send the bombs to Ukraine, with some saying that the bombs will threaten civilians’ safety.

Western Allies Finalize Ukraine Security Assurances as NATO Meets
Ukraine's largest Western allies are still finalizing a joint framework that would pave the way for long-term security assurances for Kyiv, and may wait until the end of a NATO summit this week to announce them, European diplomats say.

The 31-member NATO alliance meets in Lithuania on Tuesday, aiming above all to give Ukraine some kind of path to membership, but still divided over how far to go.

Ukraine knows it will not get entry into the alliance while the war with Russia continues, given that NATO's Article 5 - which says that an attack on one member is an attack on all -could push the alliance into war with Russia. But it wants a firm commitment at the summit that it will be invited to join after the war.

In the meantime, it has sought assurances of current and long-term security commitments to help it defend itself now and deter renewed aggression from Moscow once the war ends.
NATO has assiduously abstained from giving military assistance to Ukraine as an organization, to avoid entering a direct conflict with Russia, and is keen to continue leaving that to member states and others.

Britain, France, Germany and the United States, known as the Quad, have been negotiating with Kyiv for weeks over a multilateral text that would create a broad framework for member states that want to provide, or keep providing, military aid including advanced weapons, as well as financial assistance.

The European Union, which would pursue its financing of weapons support through its Peace Facility, and Group of Seven (G7) powers including Japan, have also been privy to the discussions.

The multilateral framework makes it easier for countries to conclude detailed individual arrangements with Ukraine.
"The Americans do not want to mix discussions on NATO prospects with guarantees, so the guarantees may only be agreed after summit," said one European diplomat. A second Quad diplomat also said it was heading in that direction.
A French presidency official told reporters on Friday that the discussions were "very advanced." Two other diplomats said the hope was to complete them by the end of the summit.

A senior German official told reporters that there would be an agreement at the level of the G7, which comprises the United States, Germany, Japan, France, Canada, Italy and Britain, as well as the European Union.

U.S. President Joe Biden, who is en route to Lithuania, told CNN on Sunday that Washington was ready to provide security to Ukraine in the mould of what it provides to Israel: "the weaponry they need, the capacity to defend themselves."

The United States' military aid for Israel is worth about $3.5 billion a year, but the relationship also entails a great deal of political support.
"The possible difference with Ukraine is that the American support is results-driven," said an Israeli official.
"With Ukraine, the Americans will ask themselves 'What did we get for $100 bln' and whether this is sustainable in the long-term as this conflict may not end, may just stay frozen."

printer said:

Blinken: Ukraine would have been ‘defenseless’ without US cluster bombs
Secretary of State Antony Blinken defended President Biden’s decision to send cluster bombs to Ukraine in the country’s war with Russia, saying in an interview that Ukraine would have been “defenseless” without it.

During an appearance on MSNBC’s “Andrea Mitchell Reports,” Blinken, who was at the NATO summit in Lithuania, told host Andrea Mitchell that Ukraine’s stockpile of cluster bombs was running out and was “about to be” depleted.

“The stockpiles around the world and in Ukraine of the unitary munitions, not the cluster munitions, were running out, about to be depleted,” Blinken told Mitchell.

“And so, the hard but necessary choice to give them the cluster munitions amounted to this: If we didn’t do it, we don’t do it, then they will run out of ammunition. If they run out of ammunition, then they will be defenseless.”

Blinken also dismissed concerns that the cluster bombs provided by the U.S. would create a deadly hazard in Ukraine, noting that there’s already a great hazard concern in the country due to Russia’s use of the weapon, according to NBC News.

When asked if the U.S. was ceding the moral high ground by supplying Ukraine with weapons that the U.S. and its allies has criticized Russia for using in the war, Blinken responded by saying “every ally I’ve talked to has said they understand why we’re doing this when we’re doing it.”

Numerous NATO members have signed the Convention on Cluster Munitions treaty, which bans the use, production and sale of cluster bombs due to the risks they pose to civilians, NBC News reported. The U.S., Russia and Ukraine have not signed the treaty.

The Biden administration announced last week that it plans to provide Ukraine with cluster munitions, an explosive weapon that contains multiple explosive submunitions.

In a CNN interview, Biden defended his decision, saying that he believes Ukraine needed the weapon, while noting it was a “very difficult decision.”

Lawmakers are split on the administration’s decision to send the bombs to Ukraine, with some saying that the bombs will threaten civilians’ safety.

Blinken: Ukraine would have been ‘defenseless’ without US cluster bombs

Secretary of State Antony Blinken defended President Biden’s decision to send cluster bombs to Ukraine in the country’s war with Russia, saying in an interview that Ukraine would have been “defense…

thehill.com

Click to expand...

Knowing Pootin's penchant for one-upmanship it concerns me that he will use this as an excuse to start using more devastating weapons of mass destruction against civilian targets like chemical and/or biological weapons. You just know his response will cause more pain to more people.

Doesn't matter that he's already using cluster ammo but being the hypocrite he is he won't take this lying down.

OldMedUser said:

Knowing Pootin's penchant for one-upmanship it concerns me that he will use this as an excuse to start using more devastating weapons of mass destruction against civilian targets like chemical and/or biological weapons. You just know his response will cause more pain to more people.

Doesn't matter that he's already using cluster ammo but being the hypocrite he is he won't take this lying down.

Click to expand...

There was a Kyiv Post article a few days ago claiming the Russians had used Lewisite, a blistering and lung-injuring agent containing arsenic.

I find no confirmation or follow-up reports.

so no NATO right now, but it will be simplified for Ukraine to get in, after the war....hmmmm

OldMedUser said:

Knowing Pootin's penchant for one-upmanship it concerns me that he will use this as an excuse to start using more devastating weapons of mass destruction against civilian targets like chemical and/or biological weapons. You just know his response will cause more pain to more people.

Doesn't matter that he's already using cluster ammo but being the hypocrite he is he won't take this lying down.

Click to expand...

at this point, does it matter what his reasoning is? He already deserves ten thousand death sentences...But things being what they are, he'll only get one, and it will much more likely than not come from his own people.

BudmanTX said:

so no NATO right now, but it will be simplified for Ukraine to get in, after the war....hmmmm

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1678791871353569280

Click to expand...

They have some social issues to deal with before they qualify, i think...But then again, most of the current members have the same issues to varying degree.

Counterbattery successes