Day 1688 War in Ukraine

 Popular Georgian singer Nutsa Buzaladze was once proud to be considered a member of the Georgian Dream Party. Now if she's referred to as a member of that party, she threatens to sue!

Trump's latest phone call with Putin lasted one and a half hours. Trump excitedly announces that Russia may send us 300k tons of diesel oil. Ukrainians are less than pleased.

The oil is actually likely to come from South Korea. Russia will simply transfer it from those ships to theirs and then on to the US. Getting the oil to the US would require violating sanctions. If Europe intercepts the sanctioned oil tankers, the US Navy is all tied up around the Persian Gulf.

How long would it take the US to use up 300k tons of diesel oil? About 13 to 14 hours.

Blogger figures the real goal is just to get sanctions lifted.

“Montenegro has detained the head of the Russian Z-propaganda network RYBAR, Mikhail Zvinchuk, who has a whopping 1.5 million subscribers on Telegram alone.”

“A fire has destroyed humanitarian aid intended for Ukraine at a warehouse in Frankfurt, Germany.” Gee, who would have been motivated to do THAT?

Greece's PAC-3 Patriot air defense missiles are soon to expire and be useless. They won't give their at least 200 missiles to Ukraine.

September 2025, Trump thought it was silly for Europe to be fighting Russia AND to be importing oil from them. October 2026, that's now perfectly okay.

Three Democratic Senators condemn Trump's proposed oil purchase.

US-Ukrainian talks conclude earlier than anticipated.

Russia is now aiming drones at power lines.

Russian drones now have even more communications chips, so stronger countermeasures are needed.

Brave, brave Russians bravely take out a kindergarten with a drone. Oh, and cows too! They also bravely take out a herd of cows.

Ukraine strikes 20 Russian command posts, killing many Russian officers.

Ukraine disrupting Russian air traffic. Putin forced to land in St. Petersburg instead of Moscow.

Russian oil export terminal continues to burn. More refineries hit at 2,500 km.

Russian data centers being hit.

https://balloon-juice.com/2026/10/09/war-for-ukraine-day-1688-trump-has-announced-hes-subsidizing-putins-war-against-ukraine/

Day 1683 War in Ukraine

Anastasiia Mamotiuk is a disabled Ukrainian woman who was taken by the Russians in 2022. Authorities were in touch with her via secret communications (she consistently expressed the desire to be returned home to her friends and family) but about a half a month ago, communications from her have ceased.

Russia has warned all European embassies that it is no longer safe to remain in Kyiv. Realizing that their presence was helpful to Ukrainians, all of the embassies have elected to remain.

German Chancellor Merz arrives in Kyiv and signs several agreements.

Finland President Alexander Stubb refers to Ukraine as “a buffer zone and an impediment to potential Russian aggression." Not terribly complimentary. Kate from Kharkiv isn't very pleased about it, especially as NATO isn't supplying Ukraine all that well.

Trump apparently weighing applying tariffs against Russia. More likely, he'll use that authority to pressure other countries.

Zelenskyy says Starlink decision is up to Trump.

Ukraine suffered 15k civilian casualties in 2026 so far. Plenty of possible unknown ones, though

The Bars jet-drone interceptor has the highest effective rate at 30%.

Ukraine has disabled over 51% of Russian oil refinery capacity.

Russia attacks bridge, an emergency response vehicle and apartment buildings.

A Taiwanese part somehow ends up in a Russian drone.

Ukraine needs to export millions of tons of grain or there could be a global food crisis. Overland food routes via Poland and Romania appear to be blocked.

Food shipments making it into Oleshky.

Ukraine has now taken out 456 power facilities in occupied Ukraine and Russia.

Communist Party rally in Moscow broken up by police.

Ukrainian drones hit “a Su-35 fighter, a Su-34 fighter-bomber, and an ammunition depot at the airfield.”

https://balloon-juice.com/2026/10/04/war-for-ukraine-day-1683-friends-dont-cut-and-run/

Day 1682 War in Ukraine

 Small truck tries to carry a helicopter! The next scene is of a crane lifting the helicopter back onto the same vehicle.

A while ago, a right-winger compared Jared Kushner to Hunter Biden, with of course Biden coming off looking terrible. I dunno though. Biden never tried to exert a serious influence on negotiations. Kushner, on the other hand, has been taking a direct part in negotiations where he has close buddies who stand to gain enormous profits via Kushner's acts in diplomacy. The NY Times says that “There is no indication that Mr. Kushner or Mr. Witkoff themselves stand to profit.“ which seems credible, that outsiders wil not see just how Kushner and Witkoff will profit, but I don't doubt they WILL profit! What would Russia want out of a deal? The blogger says that if Russia can't get an outright surrender: “...or to end the war that would include enforced Ukrainian neutrality (read that as no EU or NATO membership), a limited military in both size and scope, things that would essentially force Ukraine to become a Russian vassal state.”

Georgian protesters just observed their 675^th consecutive day of protest.

“Five Russian drones and missiles violated Moldova's airspace” As Lenin was reported to have said: “Probe with bayonets. If you find mush, proceed. If you find steel, withdraw.” Russia has been probing Moldova and finding mush. Moldova and/or Romania needs to pour resources into their air defense.

Czech Ambassador refuses Russian warning that he should leave Kyiv and took his regular jog around a park there.

Russians using psy-ops against Finnish parliamentarians with tactics that were developed by East Germans during the 60s and 70s. They'd break into an apartment and just move a few things around without stealing any valuables.

Russians unleash the plague on their city by breaking a test tube within their biolab.

Ground robots are fighting aerial drones by throwing nets at them.

Damage caused by Ukrainian drones.

Russian FPV drone hits car in Kharkiv.

Russian drone strikes a pylon of a bridge n Kyiv.

Ukrainian P1-SUN interceptor drones are manufactured in a facility that's deep underground.

Mourning the loss of Dobropillia, a now-destroyed Ukrainian town.

“Russian air defence shot down drones, causing them to fall on cars, after which a fire broke out.”

Russian UAV launch base blown up.

https://balloon-juice.com/2026/10/03/war-for-ukraine-day-1682-quid-pro-quo/

Day 1678 War in Ukraine

Town of Oleshky, wher there have been no food deliveries since May, allegedly had a voter turnout of 70.03%. The vote in occupied Ukrainian territory has no legal status and will be disregarded when Ukraine re-takes its land.

“Donald Trump’s envoy to Eastern Europe came to the president with a new idea for breaking the deadlock in U.S. relations with Moscow.” The essential idea is called the “Capitalist Peace Theory,” which holds that nations that make deals with each other have an incentive to make peace. The idea goes back to the late 1700s. Trump has shown a complete disinterest in WHY Russia and Ukraine are fighting and just wants to make profitable deals with Russia. This again shows why “personalist rule” is a bad thing as the person in charge often pursues his own self-interests as opposed to what's good for the nation.

Iran moves closer to the Georgia Dream Party.

“At the Nations League match "Finland - Belarus" a banner with an owl attacking a cockroach with the face of Lukashenko was unfurled”

To eliminate the “spoiler” role that small countries like Hungary and Slovakia play, EU will eliminate unanimity requirement.

German Foreign Minister says that Europe must be part of negotiations between Ukraine and Russia.

Estonia has been providing Uncrewed Ground Vehicles (UGV) to Ukraine since 2022. That factory was hit with an arson attack. They accused Russia.

UK has offered a “nuclear umbrella” to Baltic and Nordic states.

The US warns...Canada?!?!! against election interference!

Putin's envoy meets with State and Treasury officials.

Ukraine has an “Asian Corps” among it's foreign fighters.

Strike on a Ukrainian animal shelter. Ukrainian school struck. Six people injured, including three children.

Ukrainian watch jet-powered drone splash into the river. They cheer.

Russian strategic bomber crashes. As they're irreplaceable, one down!

https://balloon-juice.com/2026/09/29/war-for-ukraine-day-1678-there-is-no-low-too-low/

 

Day 1674 War in Ukraine

There's a popular theme on Xitter right now, where people of various nationalities proclaim “Russia is not my enemy.” Here's the reality. A civilian was walking in the middle of the day on a Saturday was shot down by a Russian drone.

Zelenskyy was reportedly “irritated” when Trump suggested that he meet Putin in Moscow. Uh, one does not go to the capitol city of the enemy of your country to just have a chat. One goes there to surrender!

A boy was born while the maternity hospital was under attack. Zelenskyy visits the mother to see how she was doing.

Several crashed drones have been found in Moldova. If I were consulting for the government there, I'd recommend 24/7 combat air patrols (propeller-driven aircraft are probably fine) so that Russian drones crossing the border can be detected right away and dealt with before they get too far into their country.

Putin proclaims that no, he has no intention of spreading the war beyond Ukraine. Reminder: he said right before the 2022 escalation that he had no intention to escalate.

At the Hungary-Ukraine soccer match, a sign is raised reminding folks of Olesky, the 2k people under siege and are running out of food.

Poland suffers an attack on their Starlink station.

Ukraine is discussing licenses to build some variants on rockets, but not the ones need to reload Patriot anti-air rockets.

Very interesting examination of why Russia is at war, not just with Ukraine, but with other states since the first war in Chechnya. “Kushner and Witkoff are lifelong dealmakers, and, when all you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail.” But one simply can't make a deal with Russia.

14-year-old boy killed by a Russian attack, in the middle of the day, sitting at his desk, doing his homework.

Russia strikes an office building, a school, the warehouse for a chain of sushi restaurants, “the warehouse of McDonald's logistics partner,” cars and an electrical substation,

Russian refinery hit from 1,500 km away. Ukraine also hits a defense electronics plant.

https://balloon-juice.com/2026/09/25/war-for-ukraine-day-1674-there-is-no-upper-bound-to-the-ignoramusocracy/

Blogger for War for Ukraine referred to a 5k word essay by Putin, written seven months before the start of the full-scale war. The provided link doesn't work, but the Atlantic Council has a good piece on it.

https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/ukrainealert/putins-new-ukraine-essay-reflects-imperial-ambitions/

 

Day 1670 War in Ukraine

Most of these “issues” are complete BS. There was never any Russia “hoax,” for instance. I am curious though, about what the “Ukraine hoax” is.

Sigh! I really miss the old days when a president usually referred to real, actual things that they knew were really happening! Trump refers to potash from Belarus. Ordinarily, president would double-check before making a statement about it! Trump goes ahead about Belarus sending potash to the US, after which the head of the government there says that they don't have enough to send any to the US.

A potent, fortunately harmless lesson was taught. An American Bradley Fighting Vehicle had its hatch open. A Ukrainian drone dropped a tennis ball, it bounced off the driver's head and into the IFV's interior. The American quickly shut the hatch!

A Georgian man obtained evidence that police officers beat someone, filmed it and covered up the crime. His own mother arrested him on false drug charges!

Is the new Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar better than Viktor Orban? Yes, but only a few degrees better. Hungary is still a problem. Zelenskyy arranged the Carpathian 8 initiative, Hungary received an invitation, but will not participate.

Trump is upset that Ukraine will not stop striking Russian oil refineries. Ukraine is willing to stop, but does not wish to do so unilaterally. Zelenskyy would like an agreement that asks Russia to stop some actions in return.

Why does Trump support AI without restriction? He has a heavy financial investment in it. Which is why we have conflict-of-interest laws.

Two major things automation can do is to bring supplies to the front and to bring the wounded back.

Killings and damage caused by Russian drones.

“Elections” in Russia have some interesting number changes. 86 veterans of the “Special Military operation” won seats, but then only 49 won.

Heh! “Some voters were surprised to learn they already voted” Funny how that works!

Russian air defense systems placed right next to busy highways.

A Russian partisan group claims responsibility for blowing up a Russian train.

https://balloon-juice.com/2026/09/21/war-for-ukraine-day-1670-no-potash-for-you/

Day 1669 War in Ukraine

Aerial drones carry small land drones as the initial wave of an attack. This saves on manpower as the machines, as they're attacking, can keep a close eye on where the enemy weak and strong spots are before any personnel come under fire.

Trump is bragging about a deal with Greenland, but didn't the US just agree to the 1951 agreement that was already in force?

Turkey produces a deescalation plan to both Russia and Ukraine concerning shipping on the Black Sea.

Poland installs automatic air raid sirens.

Ukraine has destroyed about a third of Russia's refining capacity. If Russia wants to mess with Poland, it'll REALLY be in trouble!

Russia's attacks on civilians have increased support for Poland to increase its defense budget.

Ukrainians who live under Russian occupation have to put up with “concentration camps, the theft of children, forced conscription into the army, police terror, expropriation and a few other things.”

A Russian attack on Europe could be less than a year away, but we don't want people to get panicked too far in advance of when intelligence agencies say that an attack is imminent.

NATO has 4k pages of plans on all sorts of contingencies.

The new Ukrainian FP-7 ballistic missiles were used in the “massive overnight attack on Moscow.”

Attacks on Ukraine in just this week alone: 2k attack drones, 1,700 guided bombs and 19 missiles.

Russians hit a monastery, and an apartment building block, 2.1 million out of 5 million sq. meters of Ukrainian warehouse space destroyed,

Ukraine re-takes a lot of territory.

The road from Mariupol to Dzhankoy (right after getting into Crimea) is littered with the wreckage of vehicles trying to supply Crimea.

Oleshky is surrounded by Russian troops who are not allowing any electricity or gas in. Ukraine is tying to negotiate a humanitarian corridor.

Over 400 flights from Moscow delayed.

https://balloon-juice.com/2026/09/20/war-for-ukraine-day-1669-a-brief-sunday-night-update/