ORAC

Hmm, not exactly as if Russia is any position to do anything about it - and it would be another confusing factor in shaping operations before, or during, their counter-attack…

While in Moldova, Ukraine's President Zelensky warned Russian troops occupying Transnistria in Moldova to leave if they want to survive. A joint operation between Moldova and Ukraine to liberate the territory may be on the horizon.

​​​​​​​Assisting Moldova to liberate the Russian-occupied territory on Ukraine's western border might make strategic sense since the Transnistria/Ukraine border there controlled by Russia is 454km long. This would allow Ukraine to redeploy the troops defending this border.…

ORAC

In Poland, road signs began to be changed in connection with the renaming of Kaliningrad to Królewiec.




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ORAC

Dmitry Bykov, a Russian writer talks about his countrymen posing a question who they are ready or not ready to die for…

ORAC

Vote for re-export of weapons to Ukraine failed in Switzerland...

The National Council rejected the parliamentary motion of its Security Policy Committee (SIK-N) by 98 votes to 75, with two lawmakers abstaining.

​​​​​​​Thus, the initiative is now off the agenda, as the relevant committee of the other chamber of parliament, the Council of Cantons, has already rejected the idea in the past.

Beamr

Blinken says it as it is

Tartiflette Fan

Logically this makes no sense to me following the ground-breaking decision to allow Germany to re-export Swiss Gepard ammunition. Does anyone know if any reasoning behind this has appeared anywhere ?

NutLoose

It's looking like we are ground zero again... I hope not I just washed my car.

Lonewolf_50

Politics follows its own logic. The answer probably lies in the internal disagreements over policy within Switzerland.

Nutty, as regards the (possibly hyperbolic) nuke threat: your government can of course request a few port visits from the USN (Aegis-equipped destroyers and cruisers). Their presence might help mitigate the ballistic missile concern.
I get the idea that Patriot assets might need a more aggressive pol/mil deal to be cut...but I am so far out of the loop on stuff like that these days that I can only guess.
There may already be a deal being cut behind closed doors.

NutLoose

Reports of Bakhmut mine being used as an ammo dump, but I wonder if it is the Russians simply plundering the vast wine stocks in it.

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ORAC

Ukraine's plan to use Russian insurgents to create a "De-Putinized" zone of Russian government free territory adjacent to Ukraine under control of said insurgents is working.⬇️

Putin's dilemma is whether to weaken his hold on Occupied Ukraine or lose other Russian territory.

ORAC

Ukraine is now sending single drones out to kill single troops at the front.... and getting good at it.... they now have over 100,000 drones...
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think about i

ORAC

Lithuanian Pres. Nauseda says he has received “a very interesting proposal” from Polish Pres. Duda in the sphere of military cooperation.

Polish military experts believe Poland will offer to station a mech. brigade (3-5k soldiers) in Lithuania as Germany seems unwilling to do so..

NutLoose

Interesting facts on interrogation.

ORAC

So lots of reports of around 3-5 SU-34 aircraft being destroyed at Skhidny airfield near Kursk yesterday. First 2 links are videos with explosions in the background.

Seems confusion on the sort of attack - drone or SF, perhaps both.

ORAC

Wow. Russian MOD published a report on mobilisation in Russia and deleted it shortly after. But web archives still has it.
Key takeaways:

https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1...997352974.html
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ORAC

The Russian authorities reportedly believe that Tuesday's drone attack on Moscow was launched from within Russia. An operation to find vehicles carrying drones is said to have been launched across a wide area of western Russia.

The VChK-OGPU Telegram channel reports that "Moscow is confident that the drones that attacked the capital and several other regions were launched from Russian territory. As a result, from today, cars will be searched at checkpoints for UAVs."

The Russian Ministry of Defence is said to have launched Operation Anaconda to seach for 'UAV carriers' on a permanent basis. VChK-OGPU reports that "teams of operatives, district police officers and traffic police officers are now being set up to be deployed at key posts."

"Similar reinforcements have already been seen today in the north of the Moscow region. From tomorrow, officers will be deployed in the southern regions. Particular attention will be paid to foreign number plates, [and] any UAVs in the cabin or the trunk."

​​​​​​​ "The officers will also be directed to thoroughly check the documents of drivers and passengers, with the data from the scene to be sent to the Interior Ministry's Centre for Operational Information and Investigation (TsORI)." /end

ORAC

Ukraine trolling Russia….

Legion "Freedom of Russia" :

Given the threat to the civilian population, we agreed with the Ukrainian command to open humanitarian corridors for Belgorod residents who are suffering from shelling by the regime army.

​​​​​​​Therefore, everyone who needs help with voluntary consent can be evacuated deep into Ukraine to provide asylum and all the necessary basic needs.…

[email protected]

Saw this on Reddit - bound to be fake but made me laugh anyway

Low average

This was briefly on mainstream Russian media channels before being swiftly deleted/moved. I'm surprised it's not all over twitter. They're creating an electronic database of every Russian who can be conscripted, including email addresses, and once called up, cracking down on people leaving. They're preparing the ground for another mobilisation of the Russian youth, and making sure less escape this time round...

B Fraser

Their next batch of conscripts are to be found sitting on the beaches of the Med and Gulf states. You can spot them quite easily, the tacky jewellery, false nails and huge fake eyelashes on their womenfolk are a bit of a giveaway.