Putin's Invasion of Ukraine
Re: Putin's Invasion of Ukraine
Good on Ukraine. They really get robotic warfare. Makes me shudder to think about how easy it will be to kill anyone from any distance in 20 years.
Re: Putin's Invasion of Ukraine
In an unexpected move, Trump gave Ukraine permission to produce Patriot missiles for its own defense. Ukraine is reportedly partnering with Japan (Japan also has permission produce Patriot missiles, along with Germany)
But there's a lot of devil-in-the-details with this. Ukraine wouldn't be making them from scratch, just certain components, so Ukraine would have to import the rest of it. And producing these things takes many months. For reference, it takes the US about two years to make Patriot missiles from scratch. Also, Patriots missiles by themselves are useless without the whole system - the launcher, the radar, the antenna, the control station, and the mobile power plant powering the whole thing. So who's donating this non-missile stuff to Ukraine and how much are the willing to send?
War is frightfully complicated.
An important thing to note: Japan not only produces Patriot missiles, but sells them to the US, potentially indirectly supporting Ukraine (they're reluctant to send military aid to Ukraine, but sending weapons that the US already produces back to the US is no big deal. And whatever happens to them after that is none of Japan's business. *wink wink*)
Meanwhile, Ukraine is developing its own air defense system called Freya, equivalent to Patriot but expected to be cheaper and produced in larger numbers. This is being developed with the help of 8 unnamed European countries, which are part of an anti-ballistic coalition. Given the name Freya, it's safe to assume that at least one nordic country is a member.
Russia isn't taking any of this lying down, and spying on Ukrainian air defense is a top priority. Just last week, Italy arrested an alleged spy ring working for the Russians. And these weren't random Joe Schmoes, this was a former member of Italy’s secret service and a former Italian intelligence official paid off by the Russian military attaché at the Russian embassy in Rome.
Italy has told 2 Russian embassy staff that they must leave the country after being implicated in spying.
But there's a lot of devil-in-the-details with this. Ukraine wouldn't be making them from scratch, just certain components, so Ukraine would have to import the rest of it. And producing these things takes many months. For reference, it takes the US about two years to make Patriot missiles from scratch. Also, Patriots missiles by themselves are useless without the whole system - the launcher, the radar, the antenna, the control station, and the mobile power plant powering the whole thing. So who's donating this non-missile stuff to Ukraine and how much are the willing to send?
War is frightfully complicated.
An important thing to note: Japan not only produces Patriot missiles, but sells them to the US, potentially indirectly supporting Ukraine (they're reluctant to send military aid to Ukraine, but sending weapons that the US already produces back to the US is no big deal. And whatever happens to them after that is none of Japan's business. *wink wink*)
Meanwhile, Ukraine is developing its own air defense system called Freya, equivalent to Patriot but expected to be cheaper and produced in larger numbers. This is being developed with the help of 8 unnamed European countries, which are part of an anti-ballistic coalition. Given the name Freya, it's safe to assume that at least one nordic country is a member.
Russia isn't taking any of this lying down, and spying on Ukrainian air defense is a top priority. Just last week, Italy arrested an alleged spy ring working for the Russians. And these weren't random Joe Schmoes, this was a former member of Italy’s secret service and a former Italian intelligence official paid off by the Russian military attaché at the Russian embassy in Rome.
Italy has told 2 Russian embassy staff that they must leave the country after being implicated in spying.
Re: Putin's Invasion of Ukraine
Russians on last nerve about gasoline
Oof. The guy cutting grass with scissors while having a meltdown. Been there.
On telegram, I saw that video of the crowd of Russian civilians blocking a fuel truck and demanding gasoline. Borderline anarchic. Russia is pretty quickly becoming a lawless place where people are desperate and can't get what they want by normal means and therefore have to take what they want. It's like that old saying: "There are only nine meals between mankind and anarchy".
Oof. The guy cutting grass with scissors while having a meltdown. Been there.
On telegram, I saw that video of the crowd of Russian civilians blocking a fuel truck and demanding gasoline. Borderline anarchic. Russia is pretty quickly becoming a lawless place where people are desperate and can't get what they want by normal means and therefore have to take what they want. It's like that old saying: "There are only nine meals between mankind and anarchy".
Re: Putin's Invasion of Ukraine
Ukraine strikes 18 more ships lmao!
Ukraine also hit the Ilsky oil refinery in Russia’s Krasnodar region, an oil terminal in Taganrog and an oil depot in Azov, as well as 5 more electrical substations in Crimea.
I guess we really are in the "finding out" phase of the war.
Ukraine also hit the Ilsky oil refinery in Russia’s Krasnodar region, an oil terminal in Taganrog and an oil depot in Azov, as well as 5 more electrical substations in Crimea.
I guess we really are in the "finding out" phase of the war.
Re: Putin's Invasion of Ukraine
28 more ships! When Putin hears this - if he hears this - he's going to re-enact that Downfall scene lol
How many ships are there over there? Afaik, Ukraine has hit about half of them. Maybe some of them got hit multiple times on different days.
How many ships are there over there? Afaik, Ukraine has hit about half of them. Maybe some of them got hit multiple times on different days.
Re: Putin's Invasion of Ukraine
Like this?Hydra009 wrote: Sat Jul 11, 2026 2:31 pm 28 more ships! When Putin hears this - if he hears this - he's going to re-enact that Downfall scene lol
Re: Putin's Invasion of Ukraine
Pretty much. Putin had some kind of meeting and singled out one official as the guy who needs to solve the fuel crisis. "Fix it!" Putin yelled at him.
In dictatorships, only the dictator has power. So what is he supposed to do? I feel bad for these people because this isn't their fault, nor do they have the power to fix anything and it's a rotten system from the beginning. I hope they eventually get freed from their servitude, because living as a slug under a small man who fancies himself great must be unbearable. No wonder they're driven to drink.
In dictatorships, only the dictator has power. So what is he supposed to do? I feel bad for these people because this isn't their fault, nor do they have the power to fix anything and it's a rotten system from the beginning. I hope they eventually get freed from their servitude, because living as a slug under a small man who fancies himself great must be unbearable. No wonder they're driven to drink.
Re: Putin's Invasion of Ukraine
14 more ships (maybe 15)
What I presume to be an additional tanker was hit while entering the Azov-Black Sea canal.
Russia is getting trounced on the world stage. It's embarrassing. And this is causing serious harm to Putin's war effort. After the land routes to Crimea were cut, Putin thought sea routes would work and sent dozens of tankers. Iirc, everything headed to Crimea got hit and at least half of everything else got hit. Just one big turkey shoot.
Yesterday, Putin finally gave the order to no longer send ships into the Sea of Azov Corps. So expect the number of ships hit to fall sharply purely because of a lack of targets. Though of course, the Ukrainian drones can always visit a new area once one area has become depleted.
Russian naval power - military and commercial - is evaporating before our eyes and Russia's freshwater ports are now mostly deathtraps. It's ironic - Russia wanted to cut off Ukraine's access to the sea, but Russia is the one losing access to the sea.
-NoelReports on TelegramUkraine’s General Staff confirmed strikes on the Syzran refinery, 10 Russian tankers, 4 ferries, and a fuel train near Tokmak. Explosions and a fire were recorded at the refinery, while a locomotive was hit. Damage was also confirmed at NOVATEK Ust-Luga.
What I presume to be an additional tanker was hit while entering the Azov-Black Sea canal.
Russia is getting trounced on the world stage. It's embarrassing. And this is causing serious harm to Putin's war effort. After the land routes to Crimea were cut, Putin thought sea routes would work and sent dozens of tankers. Iirc, everything headed to Crimea got hit and at least half of everything else got hit. Just one big turkey shoot.
Yesterday, Putin finally gave the order to no longer send ships into the Sea of Azov Corps. So expect the number of ships hit to fall sharply purely because of a lack of targets. Though of course, the Ukrainian drones can always visit a new area once one area has become depleted.
Russian naval power - military and commercial - is evaporating before our eyes and Russia's freshwater ports are now mostly deathtraps. It's ironic - Russia wanted to cut off Ukraine's access to the sea, but Russia is the one losing access to the sea.