Here we go again-Ukraine once again

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by Dargo

Hundreds of old Merkava tanks on the way to Europe: all the details about the historic deal

years after they entered service in the IDF, hundreds of Merkava tanks of the 2nd and 3rd marks are expected to be sold to two foreign countries,

(...)

Did not heard this before. Good if the Merkavas end up in Ukraine, thats some very original kit and by desgn and idea maybe is exactly what they need: a heavy battle tank that can transport troops (though not as many as APCs, and only when deloading ammo first). Nobody else has something like that, AFAIK.

The latest version, IV, is one of the the heaviest tanks wordwide, and I think no toher tnaks leaves the assembly line with such default weight.



One disadvantage for the Ukrainians: Merkavas are not capable to cross deeper rivers like the Leopard can. In the desert the Israelis had no demand for that capability.

[Jimbuna]

Drones and missiles have been launched against Kyiv just as African leaders arrive in Ukraine on a peace mission.

Ukraine's defence minister says the missiles are a "message to Africa" showing that Putin wants "more war"

The seven African leaders, from countries including South Africa and Egypt, will meet President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv, before heading to Russia tomorrow.

The group has agreed to engage with Zelensky and Putin on a ceasefire and lasting peace.

But the initiative comes just as Kyiv launches its counter-offensive against the Russian invasion and fighting intensifies.

Meanwhile, a BBC investigation has found that at least 25,000 Russian soldiers have been killed in Ukraine - four times the official figure released by Moscow.

[Jimbuna]

[Jimbuna]

Putin humiliated by world leaders who boycott Russia's economic forum as ruble tumbles

Vladimir Putin's highly anticipated annual economic forum witnessed a notable absence of world leaders, signalling the increasing isolation of Russia's economy due to its ongoing conflict with Ukraine.

Previously renowned for attracting prominent figures like French President Emmanuel Macron and former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, this year's event failed to secure the presence of such influential figures on Wednesday (June 14).

According to Bloomberg reports, Western politicians were notably scarce, and even countries that were once part of the Soviet Union chose to skip the event entirely.

Chinese officials held the spotlight at the forum, with the presence of Zhang Hanhui, China's ambassador to Moscow, and Zhou Liqun, the chairman of the Union of Chinese Entrepreneurs in Russia, drawing attention.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/othe...75575b84f&ei=9

[Dargo]

How indispensable is Wagner boss Prigozhin? 'They still need him because things are not looking good for the Russian army'

Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin is once again kicking the Kremlin's shins as he refuses to sign a contract with the Russian defense ministry. He is also threatening to leave Ukraine for good. What does this mean for the situation on the battlefield and the political balance of power in Russia?

After Prigozhin made it clear last week that his Wagner fighters would not sign any contracts and that he does not want to cooperate with Sergei Shoygoe, Russia's defense minister, he is once again putting the Kremlin in a difficult position. Shoygoe hopes to gain more oversight and control over the dozens of militias fighting for Russia in Ukraine by getting all groups to sign a government contract. It is also a support for the Russian army, which could use all the help it can get in the fight against Ukraine. Prigozhin's refusal comes on top of the fierce criticism he has been spewing about the Russian military establishment for months. The question is what Moscow should do with enfant terrible Prigozhin. After all, how indispensable is Wagner really in Ukraine?

"To begin with, it is a right decision that Russia wants to bring together all the volunteer militias through a government contract," says Ukrainian military expert Oleksander Kovalenko on the phone from his home in Odessa. "Of all those militias, Wagner is the strongest and most independent one, although of course they depend on their weapons and ammunition from Russia."

Currently, Prigozhin himself is in Russia and the Wagner group is taking virtually no action in Ukraine. "When Prigozhin earlier threatened to leave Bakhmut with his Wagner fighters, he presented the Russian army with a big problem," Kovalenko continued. "For the Russians on the flanks of Bakhmut had great difficulty in holding their position. The Ministry of Defense also had to drum up four thousand troops to keep the city itself under control. That problem has since been solved by deploying soldiers from the Russian-occupied areas of Luhansk and Donetsk and from the 31st naval brigade. So at the moment, Russia does not need Wagner that badly in Ukraine, so it was the right timing to come up with a contract."

Conversely, Prigozhin does not really need it to stay in Ukraine either. The Wagner Group operates for Russia in many other countries such as Syria, Libya, Mali and other African countries. That gives the Wagner boss power in a way, because if he removes his troops from other countries, Russia loses a foothold there. Which means he can put considerable pressure on Shoygoe. On the other hand, Prigozhin hopes that a compromise can be reached with the Russian parliament and Putin so that his fighters have more social rights and are better protected. "Suppose he reaches a compromise and sends his men to the gaps in the front, they will become cannon fodder and there will be many deaths," Kovalenko thinks. "And Prigozhin will use that against the defense ministry by pointing out that this is the consequence of the signed contract. But chances are he will not sign anything."

Meanwhile, Prigozhin is on a 'promotional tour' in Russia, where he continues to criticize the Russian military system. His popularity is rising; all indications are that he wants to assert himself politically. "He is distancing himself from the sons and daughters of the oligarchs and ministers and officials friendly to Putin," says Russia expert and journalist Bruno Beeckman, who himself lived in Moscow for 10 years. "He has not yet been taken to task for this; for now, the Kremlin allows it. But the fact is that Prigozhin is increasingly becoming Putin's political rival. Hence, Putin's insistence on that contract, if all militias fall under the Kremlin umbrella and Wagner achieves success again, Putin can take credit for that instead of having to leave it to a political rival." On Russian state television, the Wagner boss is almost never shown, Beeckman knows. "He is popular because of Telegram, and opinion polls show that a lot of people look up to him because of his organizational talent and his guts." The Wagner leader would "rest" until 5 August anyway, he has revealed. Whether he will return to Ukraine after that is not certain, he added. "He did offer help in the Belgorod region," Beeckman said. "Not only does it show that the Russians are unable to defend their own subjects there, they also leave them to their own devices. The town of Shebekino of 40,000 inhabitants has to sort it out. Should Wagner be able to bring order there, that will be something for Putin to take advantage of in the upcoming election campaign."

That there are quiet thoughts of a successor to Putin has been known for some time. Russia Today's Margarita Simonyan suddenly called for an end to the war in Ukraine last week. She received masses of criticism, but it does say something about what is going on in Russia today. The fear of the Ukrainian counter-offensive is great, let alone that Russia will soon have to admit a final defeat. But we are still (far) from that point. To what extent Russia can do without the Wagner Group in Ukraine may already be evident this summer. "If he is a real threat to Putin politically, there is a good chance he will suddenly disappear from the face of the earth," Kovalenko thinks. "Also, they may ban him from Ukraine. But I suspect it won't come to that. They still need Prigozhin, because things are not looking good for the Russian army." https://www.demorgen.be/oorlog-in-oe...eger~b65b0bbe/

[Dargo]

Anti-tank missiles, night attacks and minefields: this is how Russians and Ukrainians fight each other

The Russians face the task of taking out as much heavy equipment as possible during the Ukrainian offensive. Conversely, the Ukrainians must deploy weapons to outwit the Russians. Some weapons and military equipment listed that are currently crucial in the offensive. Since tanks and armored vehicles play a crucial role in the offensive that Kyiv has launched, it is important for the Russian army to destroy as much of this heavy military equipment early as possible. In particular, the Russians are now deploying many anti-tank missiles, fired from the air, to bring Ukrainian operations to a halt. 'The enemy is doing everything possible to maintain their positions,' State Defense Minister Hana Maljar reported on Telegram. 'During the offensive, our troops encounter continuous minefields, which are combined with anti-tank trenches. There are constant counterattacks on armored vehicles and massive deployment of anti-tank missiles and kamikaze drones.' One such Russian anti-tank missile is the advanced Lmur, fired by the Mi-28 and Ka-52 combat helicopters. The Russian military possesses a selection of anti-tank missiles, the Lmur being one of the latest. At 15 kilometers, this missile has a longer range than other anti-tank missiles launched from helicopters. Exactly a year ago, videos appeared that the Russians had deployed the missile for the first time. At the time, however, the targets were different, such as warehouses and command centers. The footage, taken by the missile's viewfinder, then showed the Lmur racing towards its target and striking at lightning speed. Moscow is now expected to use the missile more to take out Western tanks, the Leopard and Challenger, from the air. However, it is unknown whether the Russians, hit hard by international sanctions, have enough Lmur missiles in their arsenal to stop the Ukrainian tank force.

The Ukrainian army has received thousands of night vision systems, mostly from the US, that enable soldiers to see at night. Ukrainian soldiers involved in the offensive are now exploiting this advantage. With the equipment, which is mounted in front of the soldier's eyes, the soldiers can approach Russian units relatively unseen. The Russians, in turn, do hear Ukrainian tanks and armored vehicles advancing, but have great difficulty targeting them with directed fire, such as with artillery. Unlike the US military, the Russian armed forces lag behind when it comes to spreading night vision systems among soldiers. Only special units, such as the commandos, now make widespread use of them. In large part, this is due to the high cost. One set, such as the US L3 Harris, costs around 38 thousand euros. Various reports indicate that the Ukrainians have been turning to night attacks since the offensive began, including on the front in the Zaporizhzhia region. A Russian military blogger reported that the Ukrainian military has "excellent" night vision equipment. According to an occupation official in Zaporizhzhia, Vladimir Rogov, Ukrainian units can use Western tanks and armored fighting vehicles more effectively because they are able to go on the offensive at night.

Ukrainian units are now getting a taste of their own medicine. Since the US started delivering thousands of Raam grenades last autumn, the Ukrainians have been bombarding the Russians with the weapon that can lay a minefield from a long distance. Using their howitzers, they fired the Raam, which is filled with nine anti-tank mines, to thwart attacks by Russian armored units. In a short time, this can render an area impassable. The Russian army now uses their own version, the Zemledeliye, to thwart the advance of Leopard tanks and Bradley combat vehicles. The Zemledeliye is a new weapon system and it has hardly been deployed in Ukraine so far. Noted Russian war journalist Alexander Kots, who does not hide his support for the army, published a video on Telegram on Sunday of the Zemledeliye in action. It shows how missiles - filled with anti-tank mines or mines aimed at military personnel - are fired at Ukrainian positions in short bursts. 'Wow!', said Kots. 'For the first time in 15 months, I see the use of the Zemledeliye. Impressive!' On Wednesday, a Zemledeliye was seen in action in the Donetsk region. One salvo from the multiple missile system would be enough to turn an area the size of several football fields into a minefield up to 15 kilometers away. If the Russians start using the Zemledeliye on a larger scale, the Ukrainians will have to start watching out. In March, Kyiv reportedly did manage to destroy a Zemledeliye with a drone for the first time.

https://www.volkskrant.nl/nieuws-ach...kaar~b387b3d5/

[Catfish]

Ukraine is 'finding Russia's vulnerabilities' (Maj. Gen. Rupert Jones)

[Jimbuna]

[Jimbuna]

WARNING: SOME ADULT CONTENT.

[Jimbuna]

The Russian despot today confirmed that the first tactical nuclear weapons had arrived in Belarus stating they would only be used if Russia's territory or state was threatened.

[Skybird]

Ukraine is bringing forward mine-clearing equipment in large numbers (not just tanks with mine shovels mounted on their bows) in some key front sections. This could indicate that they have chosen their attack points for an actual breakthrough attempt and that a new phase of the offensive is imminent.

I read that Russian gunships are now firing new ATGMs with a range of 15-16 km. Russian gunships have air superiority in the frontline areas, the Urkaine apparently does not have the means to hold them down. Very bad news. That could cost dearly. Because I assume that Russian helicopters are also equipped with night-vision devices, so that they can also attack the Ukrainians during their preferred night operations.

A few reports on that the Ukraine already feels ammunition shortages. Not verified.

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

The Russian despot today confirmed that the first tactical nuclear weapons had arrived in Belarus stating they would only be used if Russia's territory or state was threatened.

Maybe we should send him a telegram that the first cruise missiles equipped with nuclear warheads have been programmed to the coordinates of his secret loo.

[Skybird]

Colonel Reisner's latest assessment of the current situation does not sound optimistic. The Russian have now air superiority. The Russians now conduct mobile warfare, what nobody expected them to be capable of. The Russians have learned and adapted.



https://www-t--online-de.translate.g...x_tr_hist=true

[Jimbuna]

"With the start of Ukrainian counteroffensive operations in the south of Ukraine, Russia has strengthened its attack helicopter forces in the region. The pictures show that more than 20 additional Russian helicopters have been transferred to the Berdyansk airport, which is approximately 100 km behind the front line," the department said.

British intelligence suggests that thanks to this, Russia gained a temporary advantage in the south of Ukraine.

This is stated in a British intelligence report published by the Ministry of Defence of the United Kingdom, Source: https://censor.net/en/n3425265

[Exocet25fr]

Yes!, many upgraded russian Gator (Ka-52) choppers are involved in the battlefield again now...!