Day 1185 War in Ukraine

Very good question. ARE we ready to pick up where Ukraine leaves off? Is Europe?

Serious questions about Putin’s rationality and ability to discern reality. He seems to think that Russia must prove its Great Power credentials just as Catherine the Great did back in the 1700s. Trump is also delusional in that he thought a prisoner swap was a “truce, ceasefire, armistice or anything else.”

Police in Georgia are preparing for their Independence Day celebration on May 26.

Georgian regime is getting more violent with opposition politicians.

Georgian opposition is engaging in “guerrilla social resistance”

The US Defence Intelligence Agency puts out an assessment that makes it clear that negotiating an end to the war in Ukraine is futile.

The Department of Defense Press Secretary presents this weird idea that there’s no reporting footage on the war in Ukraine. The Secretary has always been pro-Russian.

Looks like Kharkiv is the next big target for a Russian ground offensive.

Lots of stuff blowing up, on Ukraine’s side, civilian targets, on Russia’s side, military targets.

Russians aren’t concerned with Ukraine’s “Nazism” or with defending the Donbas. They’re annoyed because Ukraine rejects the "Russian vision of the future" and the "Russian world." Ukraine does NOT see the two countries as one. It see two separate countries and does not wish to bring them together. .

https://balloon-juice.com/2025/05/24/war-for-ukraine-day-1185-russia-continues-its-combo-drone-missile-attacks/

Day 1179 War in Ukraine

 

Russia launches 273 drones against Ukraine. Man mourns his wife, killed in that attack.

Soviets brutally suppressed Crimean Tatars in 1944. Wonder if that’s why Crimea chose to stay in Ukraine by a relatively thin margin?

Putin believes that he’s playing a very strong hand of cards. He thinks Trump is on his side and that the greater population of Russia will allow him to grind down Ukraine. Blogger feels as he did three+ years ago, give Ukraine what it needs to win! “Putin and Russia are either stopped in Ukraine and pushed back within Russia’s borders or he will threaten all of the former states of the Soviet Union and then the rest of Europe.”

Face-to-face diplomacy between Ukraine & Russia. “the talks proved to be more mirage than breakthrough”

“Day 172 of protests in Georgia—where police officers followed orders, dragged protesters into special minibuses, beat them brutally, and sent over 300 to the hospital.“

Georgia protesters remember homophobic attacks on this date in 2013. The ruling Georgia Dream Party is firmly n the side of the homophobes.

Romania votes decisively against Russia/Trump backed candidate.

Russia detains a Greek oil tanker that was following the agreed-upon route.

“Over 12,000 buildings in Kharkiv have suffered varying degrees of destruction as a result of attacks by russia”

Kharkiv schoolkids perform an elegant prom waltz.

Russian drones can now strike targets 30km deep.

https://balloon-juice.com/2025/05/18/war-for-ukraine-day-1179-putin-keeps-probing-for-mush/

Day 1170 War in Ukraine

Georgians celebrate Europe Day by blasting the EU anthem (“Ode To Joy,” part of Beethoven’s 9^th Symphony, 1823).

Putin’s ceasefire proposal was just that. A proposal. Fighting continued.

Leaders of France, Germany, Poland and the UK were able to meet in Kyiv safely.

Russia and China appear to be getting along fine.

Blogger relates Russia’s revisionist history of World War II. He explains the term pobiedobesie, which translates as victory mania or victory fervor, explains Russia’s fanatical celebration of World War II.

In addition to usual broadcast, Zelenskyy also addressed the Joint European Force’s (JEF) member state’s summit.

Hmm, Georgians claiming their ancient heritage? A fellow climbed the statue of Vakhtang Gorgasali, who founded Tbilisi in the 5^th Century. Georgia’s Independence Day is May 26^th. Expect an even bigger demonstration then!

Hungarian spy network uncovered in Ukraine. Seems Hungary was promised Zakarpattia Oblast (province) as a reward. Hungary’s official position is to obtain “peace” by tossing Ukraine to the Russian bear to be chewed up.

France attributes cyber attack to Russia.

Poland to give 100 Oncilla armored vehicles to Ukraine.

Unmanned drone carrier can take up to 3k kilograms (6,600 pounds) of various types of weapons.

European countries direct that €1 billion of money from Russia’s assets be used to pay Ukraine to buy weapons from Ukrainians.

A look at Kupyansk.

Ukraine continues to have small foothold in Russia’s Kursk province.

https://balloon-juice.com/2025/05/09/war-for-ukraine-day-1170-pobiedobesie/

 

Day 1167 War in Ukraine

A market where Russian consumers from Belgorod and Kursk came to shop is hit again, with much clothing and many toys destroyed.

Woo hoo! 205 more Ukrainian POWs brought home!

Georgians celebrate the passing of the MEGOBARI Act by marching to the US Embassy

“Friedrich Merz, who supports supplying Taurus missiles to Ukraine, has been elected Chancellor of Germany.”

Ukraine urged to accept US deportees. Ukraine has not done so.

Secretary of Defense Hegseth, in February, unilaterally and arbitrarily held back aid to Ukraine. After an Oval Office meeting at which a cut-off was not approved, aide to Hegseth urged him to cancel those shipments anyway. Blogger thinks the people behind this were “Koch natsec network and are genteel isolationists” and that likely caused them to be purged.

Ukrainians increasingly concerned about air defense as Russia increases pressure.

Three years into the war and the US is STILL not on a war footing!

Ukraine loses a fourth HIMARS launcher. Drone is guided by a miles-long optical cable.

Ukrainian has been compiling maps of Ukrainian drone assaults using Russian sources.Before, they were concentrate on Crimea, now Northwards.

“Tonight, Russia struck Zaporizhzhia with missiles. First responders are rescuing people from the rubble of their own homes” Kharkiv gets hit a number of times.

All four of Moscow’s main airports closed due to Ukrainian drone attack.

https://balloon-juice.com/2025/05/06/war-for-ukraine-day-1167-205-ukrainian-pows-were-returned-today/

 

Day 1164 War in Ukraine

 

This uncrewed vessel fired an air-to-air missile that took down a $50 million jet, but as the vessel was not a suicide craft (it survived instead of blowing up on contact with the target), I guess you’re better off comparing the hourly cost of flying the jet to that of sailing the vessel. Still, a hugely disproportionate cost! Hilarious: The jet had taken off “on a mission to search for and destroy naval drones.”

Putin wants a short truce to coincide with a “World War II commemorations on May 9.” Zelenskyy says he’s not playing Putin’s game. At least a 30-day ceasefire would be serious.

In Georgia, traffic goes around women who hold up a long banner.

Judges hold a conference at the High School of Justice. Picketers shout their defiance at them.

World Press Freedom Day was May 3^rd. Georgia had absolutely nothing to celebrate on that day.

“The Mtavari Channel, a critical TV station that has exposed the truth hidden by propaganda for 6 years, has gone off the air.”

Trump claims that the US “did more than any other Country (sic), by far, in producing” victory in World War II over Germany. Ehh, if the Western or Eastern Fronts had been fighting by themselves, it certainly would have taken MUCH longer and would have been MUCH more expensive! Nah, the world was far better off with both the Western Allies and the Soviet Union pressing Germany from both sides.

Many Ukrainian cities on fire from drone attacks and damaged by glide bombs.

“With the direct strike of a glide bomb, Russia destroyed the State Emergency Service building in Kupyansk.”

https://balloon-juice.com/2025/05/03/war-for-ukraine-day-1164-ukraine-establishes-a-another-first-in-the-annals-of-war/