Day 979 war in Ukraine

Ramzan Kadyrov Spetsnaz university Ukrainian drone strike.

All out aerial assault on cities close to the front.

Zelenskyy answers the suggestion that Ukraine freeze its conflict with Russia. That would involve Russian troops remaining on Ukrainian soil.

With Zelenskyy’s “Victory Plan,” he might be seeking to blame the West if he ends up having to surrender territory and/or sign a temporary truce agreement. Zelenskyy wants a “non-nuclear deterrent” of Tomahawk missiles. They have a range 7 times that of ATACMS.

Illia Ponomarenko asks if Tomahawk missiles are unacceptable, then what is the alternative?

Talks between Ukraine and Russia on not striking each others energy facilities.

Russian military school bombed.

CSIS asserts that North Korean troops are poorly prepared for combat. “’The conclusion is clear — this war is becoming internationalised, extending beyond two countries,’ Zelenskyy said.”

US running low on air defense missiles. Israel’s need to defend against Iranian missiles is a drain on that resource. “The U.S. has not developed a defense industrial base intended for a large-scale war of attrition in both Europe and the Middle East, while meeting its own readiness standards.” As the blogger says: “We are now almost three years into Russia’s genocidal re-invasion of Ukraine and over a year into whatever it is we’re doing in the Middle East as a result of the Israel-Hamas war and no one has put the US defense industrial base on a war footing.”

https://balloon-juice.com/2024/10/29/war-for-ukraine-day-979-russia-drone-swarms-kyiv-kharkiv-krivyi-rih-kherson-more-ukrainian-civilian-targets/

 

Day 978 War in Ukraine

“The Derzhprom building or State Industry building in Kharkiv Completed in 1928, was one of the first skyscrapers in the Soviet Union and the largest construct made of reinforced concrete at the time.“

Zelenskyy: “This week alone, the occupiers have used over 1,100 guided aerial bombs, more than 560 strike drones, and approximately 20 missiles of various types against our country.”

Zelenskyy “participated in the 4th Ukraine-Nordic Summit where he gave remarks and then did a joint press conference. He also sat for an interview with the Times of India.”

North Korean troops in Ukraine is now 10k.

Croatia planning major tank/IFV transfer to Ukraine.

Georgian President (backed by the West) and Prime Minister (backed by Russia) take polar opposite positions on the recent election, with the President charging that te Prime Minister was cheating. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán visits to try and mediate, gets booed by citizens.

Elon Musk is an incedibly dangerous security risk. His technology is NOT is safe hands!

Fiona Hill sees the US drifting into an oligarchy. Putin, Trump and Musk see themselves as part of a group of peers. They care deeply what fellow members of the group think of them. Starlink could use satellite relay stations in Russia and china, which means he needs the friendship of Putin and Xi.

One of the participants in Trump’s electoral plots. “And they have huddled in private, weekly meetings, methodically laying the groundwork that could be used to contest a Trump defeat.”

What we’ve been seeing is Trump, high net worth individuals and hostile foreign powers all working together to overthrow the state.

Up near Kursk, we’ve got Bradley IFVs and Abrams tanks working together.

Drones are not like artillery shells, they can hover, examine the target and then hit a very specific point.

A look at how Vovchansk has fared under Russian shelling.

Kharkiv, Kherson and Nikopol suffering attacks.

A sewage line has burst in Moscow, producing a very tall, smelly brown geyser.

https://balloon-juice.com/2024/10/28/war-for-ukraine-day-978-russia-strikes-at-a-kharkiv-landmark-unesco-heritage-site/

Day 976 war in Ukraine

Georgia is having an election now, ruling party sees it as a choice between war and peace, opposition party sees it as choice between pro-Europe or pro-Russia path. Lots of violence and irregularities reported. Voting is finished, but isn’t clear who won. Blogger think ruling party has “become increasingly unpopular and, in response, increasingly tyrannical.”

Quickie list of Ukrainian civilians killed overnight indicates 6 killed, including a child and a 16-year old, 28 injured, one child lost an arm.

Zelenskyy: Lack of Western decisiveness encourages aggression from Russia.

Mother greets son after he spent 30 months as Russian POW.

North Korean troops have been deployed near Kursk, where Ukraine invaded Russian territory.

Israel destroys Iranian ability to produce ballistic missiles, which helps Ukraine.

EU preparing for effect of Donal Trump winning US election. If he cuts off flow of US weapons to Ukraine, that could have a terrible effect.

From September 202 to September 2024, Russia has launched an average of 23 missiles a day. Ukraine has intercepted almost 80% of them. 52 distinct models of missiles.

Russians still advancing near Vuhledar.

Russian oil refinery set ablaze. It processes 17 million ton per year.

https://balloon-juice.com/2024/10/26/war-for-ukraine-day-976-odesa-under-attack/

 

Day 975 war in Ukraine

 

120-year old Ukrainian Christmas Carol sung at Carnegie Hall.

Russia attacks with missiles and drones.

Ukrainians are hard at work, preparing for the heating season.

Worst of both worlds. Ukraine refrains from certain actions, but Russia does not respond with reciprocal restraint.

North Korea supplying about 60% of artillery shells used in Ukraine.

“Black Insurrectionist” was actually a white guy, was spreading “unverified information from dubious sources” and was a crook.

Elon Musk had secret conversations with Vladimir Putin. By the way, Musk purchased Twitter with financial help from “the children of sanctioned Russian oligarchs.”

ATACMS can reach 300 km, Ukraine’s “home grown” missile can reach 500 km.

Another BUK-M3 air defense system taken out by a heavy drone at night.

North Korean troops reported to where Ukraine made an incursion near Kursk.

Putin justifies the war in Ukraine by saying that Russia was taking defensive action over NATO expanding up to Russia’s borders. He ignores that Ukraine is not some lifeless chess piece, but actively does not wish to be to be occupied by Russia.

https://balloon-juice.com/2024/10/25/war-for-ukraine-day-975-russia-has-been-bombarding-central-northern-ukraine-for-hours/

Day 958 War in Ukraine

Russian oil tanks ignited in Feodosia. This is the second day of those oil tanks burning!

Wow! US spokespeople engage in serious delusions as to how well Ukrainian air defense works.

Zelenskyy (words to the effect of) “C’mon guys! Don’t keep your anti-aircraft weapons locked away in warehouses! WE need them!” Lots of military equipment the US has, but won’t give to Ukraine.

Russia bombed a children’s hospital two months ago. Russians have interpreted the lack of consequences as permission to keep doing that.

Slovak sends “over €4 million, which allowed the purchase of 122 tons of ammunition.”

France will get Mirage 2000 fighter jets in the first quarter of 2025.

Hungary has blocked the European Union from getting €35 billion that was promised to Ukraine. Did Trump and Putin agree on that during one of Trump’s private phone calls to Putin? There were at least seven such phone calls since Trump left office.

Fascinating detail on how Saudi Crown Prince bin Salman communicates with various Americans. Our blogger explains the significance of the method.

Biden thought Obama never took Putin seriously.

Good! VP Harris would refuse to engage in peace talks with Russia without Ukraine present. She also looks down on Trump’s “peace” proposal concerning Ukraine. European allies will be delighted if Harris wins in November!

Rise in Russian executions of Ukrainian prisoners of war.

https://balloon-juice.com/2024/10/08/war-for-ukraine-day-958-a-lot-to-cover-tonight/

 

Day 952 War in Ukraine

Vuhledar is gone. It’s now just rubble and occupied by Russia. Ukrainian troops had to depart as Russian troops were threatening to encircle them.

Bombing in Kharkiv of a residential building. Shahed drone strikes against Kyiv, Khmelnyskyi, Vinnytsia, and Rivne Oblasts.

From Zelenskyy’s daily speech today: “’Shahed’ drones targeted ordinary civilian infrastructure – a ferry terminal, cargo trucks, a warehouse with grain. The very thing that Russian terrorists always perceive as a target is the food security of the region and the world.”

Zelenskyy wishes a “Shanah Tovah to Jewish communities across Ukraine and around the world as they mark #RoshHashanah.”

A counting-up of the summer’s civilian casualties (1 Jun to 31 Aug): “At least 589 Ukrainian civilians were killed and another 2,685 injured”

Very interesting and lengthy thread on how the US and Europe view Ukraine and Russia.

Russians have improved their battlefield performance: “Enemy troops are storming the battlefields in small teams that minimize detection and make return fire difficult, backed by superior quantities of artillery and drones.”

Film clip of a glide bomb hitting Vovchansk.

More on the drones of Kherson chasing down civilian residents of the city. “Drones are now flying in groups and attacking everything that moves.” and “Under attack are people walking, driving, bicycling, going to work or standing by grocery stores.”

Okhmatdyt suffered a massive missile attack several months ago.

Russian crop-duster hit by friendly fire that thought he was a Ukrainian drone.

https://balloon-juice.com/2024/10/02/war-for-ukraine-day-952-kharkiv-under-attack-once-more/