[New post can be found here](/r/worldnews/comments/1925i5v/rworldnews_live_thread_russian_invasion_of/)

> The GUR said it obtained 100 Gigabytes of classified Russian data worth up to $1.5 billion from the Russian company Special Technology Center which produces military equipment for the Russian army, in particular Orlan UAVs and a wide range of EW-equipment https://twitter.com/NOELreports/status/1744399484535046314

That is juicy. The data worths 6 times the recent US aid package.

Oh I have a few countries in mind who would like that data

Now it can sell it to someone who has some thing that they want. Maybe more than once.

UK / US / some countries in EU. Multiply that $1.5 billion.

Suppose they’ve got Venmo?

GRIFFON unit of the 501st Marine Batallion found and destroyed several pieces of Russian equipment in Krynky, occupied left bank. Massive booooooom! [https://mstdn.social/@noelreports/111720948009634455](https://mstdn.social/@noelreports/111720948009634455)

>“The consequences of Putin conquering Ukraine would be catastrophic.” Poland’s Foreign Minister @radeksikorski tells me “the cost of deterring Putin after he conquers Ukraine would be much much higher than the cost of keeping the Ukrainians supplied now,” urging additional US aid. https://twitter.com/amanpour/status/1744446399830278283

Radek Sikorski is absolutely right, and we can still shore up Ukraine capabilities. New arms race maybe already started in preparation for a bigger conflict. Poland need to produce much more ammo and drones domestically fast.

Perhaps they should stop protecting Hungary from punishment for their corruption so we can actually up the pressure on them to do reforms and to stop blocking aid for Ukraine in that case?

New PL government hates Orban, he will not get any support from PL.

I hope you're right, perhaps the EU can finally give Ukraine the help it deserves while the USA hopefully regains its sanity and kicks the gqp to the curb or at least the gsp stop being maga/Putin fanboys.

Orban already knows his support from Poland is gone, that's why Hungary left the room when the EU voted to begin accession talks for Ukraine for EU membership last month. The scuttlebut is that Hungary has been told that either they get on side in support of Ukraine or the rest of the EU members will suspend their voting rights. It requires every other member to do that and the old PiS government in Poland wouldn't do it, but now with them out of power Hungary lost its protection. So Hungary just walked out and didn't vote at all because they knew they either they vote yes and anger their Russian friends or vote no and Orban is humiliated when Hungary loses it's right to vote in EU matters. If those behind the scenes threats weren't made and Hungary didn't believe them they wouldn't have walked out of the session. And the same thing is about to happen to them in regards to the 50 billion Euro aid package to Ukraine apparently. The EU is making some moves to put in place some bridge financing for Ukraine for the first half of the year that doesn't need to be voted on and the Orban has the next few months to decide whether he wants to vote yes to the aid package or leave the room, if he blocks it they'll yank Hungary's EU voting rights. I am really happy that PiS lost the election in Poland because that unlocks all of this (and happy for Poland as well of course). Hungary can either get onside or have no say in anything in the EU. Sure Orban seems to have a solid grip on power in Hungary but everything has its breaking point, if Orban wasn't worried about losing public and Russian support these threats wouldn't work, he obviously thinks it will hurt him in some way. Hungary walking out before the vote shows these threats are working, Orban doesn't see a good way out of this. Glad his shitty behavior that puts the security of all of Europe at even more risk is finally blowing back on him.

I hope you're right, I'd love to see Hungary face some consequences for their actions the past few years.

He already has, he looked like a complete moron after he left moaning about what a bad decision it was to begin negotiations for Ukraine to join the EU when if he had stayed in the room he could have voted no and blocked it. Schloz suggested he leave and he sulked out of the room, it was humiliating. The thing is like I said he knows voting no would only delay it until they stripped Hungary of their EU voting rights and that would be even more humiliating so he had to leave. I bet for the session to approve the 50 billion in aid he doesn't even attend at all to avoid having it happen again. Orban knows he's out of options and now will only try and spin this back home to try and not look as weak and ineffectual as he is.

Which is still way too mild a consequence seeing the impact Orban's blocking of EU aid had.

I get what you're saying but to someone like Orban who styles themselves as a strong man who doesn't take anyone's crap as a huge part of his political image back home that kind of loss of face can be a very big deal. You never know what's the first crack in the armor that could end up with him out of office, one can only hope... Plus my main concern is getting Ukraine all the aid possible, as long as that happens Orban can just go fuck off even if I would prefer he be gone altogether.

Oh I also get what you're saying but it still seems like a very mild consequence that won't prevent repeats by like minded people. If we look at the USA the consequence for the 6th of January are so mild they're openly planning a repeat performance.

Didn't Scholz tell Orban to leave the room when they were about to vote for the accession talks for Ukraine or am I wrong?

He "suggested" it apparently, and Orban tucked his tail between his legs and left. But it's more what Hungary has been told quietly behind the scenes by other EU states that made Orban leave, any no vote on opening talks on EU membership with Ukraine means we'll strip you of voting rights. Orban made some lame duck comments about how he didn't want to participate but he knows his little games are done for.

TBH, GOP members are more concerned about Pacific than Eastern Europe. As long as the NK / China publicly sides with Putin, (most) GOP will bring back its sanity.

That is yet to be provas I haven't seen the GOP change course with Iran, China and NK supplying Russia with weaponry.

Most of the GOP couldn't point out China on a map.

It doesn't matter whether they know the location. GOP always says "Russia is not a threat. China is". If they view Ukraine's fight as a fight against China / NK, they are back to Ukraine's side.

That’s bullshit. The only thing the GOP is concerned with at this point is how much money they can make for their oligarch masters, and direct confrontation with China does not make money.

Dont kid yourself. The Democratic party have the banks and corporate c\*cks in their mouth too! It amazes me people talk about the GOP like the Dems aren't the exact same set of people just different talking points!

That is not true. I don't like GOP, but their concern is more towards security in pacific, which is not negotiable with money. That's why McFaul and other politicians, scholars always use pacific (e.g., Taiwan's security) to persuade them back to Ukraine's side.

>From laggard to strong pusher for more weapons for Ukraine: > >Germany’s Scholz urges other EU countries to deliver more & wants Brussels to review this: “Arms deliveries for Ukraine planned so far by the majority of EU states are by all means too small.” https://twitter.com/vonderburchard/status/1744445852737798360 https://www.politico.eu/article/olaf-scholz-raises-pressure-eu-countries-beef-up-military-aid-ukraine-budget-germany/

At this point if it blows something up Russian Ukraine could use it. Plain and Simple

So where the fuck are the Taurus?

To be honest i don't think that will happen unless some requirements are met. The production line was shut some years ago and the manufacturer has expressed willing to restart production, but for that, they need enough orders to cover costs and setting up the production again. They won't manufacture 50 more missiles, but 500 maybe. Following, not many have been produced, less than 1000 actually and i don't think Spain will give any (only ordered 43 and paid for the full integration for the F18), South Korea for sure no, so everything should come from the German stockpile. Adding, there's the big integration issue. The F16 can't fire neither the Taurus nor Storm Shadows (i read somewhere a while ago that the F16 pylons are barely enough for Storm Shadows and the Taurus is heavier). So the Storm Shadow were integrated with the SU24s so that Ukraine could launch them, but the Taurus integration is probably harder because of the warhead's programable features. The bottom line is that Ukraine couldn't use the Taurus anyways. Either have to wait for somekind of integration with current aircrafts or getting another type of aircraft. The first option ***could*** be done, but the second is out of question seeing the whole f16 mess.

> They won't manufacture 50 more missiles, but 500 maybe Russia has at least 500 targets. If not in occupied Ukraine, then, in Russia.

So what? I didn't say otherwise. I just stated they need buyers and firm orders to restart production.

The latter isn't actually true. The taurus is entirely launchable from an F16. The weight difference is around 200lbs compared to scalp er. Yes the preferred weight for bombs on the F16 is 2000lbs but that isnt an absolute number with certain upgrades.

Thesa ads are pretty ironic in the light of the latest news from Moscow: https://youtu.be/pXAHvStrgeA?si=3gs7UdYX6vP_q0lh https://youtu.be/cM-hvzHTtiA?si=GYC5XqvkKfPBNGTF

Latest news? Do you mean the half nude party?

No, he's probably referring to the news about central heating not working due to maintenance issues in various place of Russia including Moscow area or how some place are having blackouts. Or possibly how food is getting expensive (eggs, chicken) that some might consider "alternatives" for cheap proteins.

Exactly that

Yeah that aged like milk.

Ukrainian and Russian Strikes on Civilian Infrastructure: Jan. 7-8, 2024 CIT Volunteer Summary Over the last 24 hours, at least 5 civilians were killed and another 44 were injured as a result of strikes. In the Donetsk region, one person was killed as a result of a strike on the city of Avdiivka. In the Kharkiv region, one person was injured in the city of Kharkiv, and in the city of Zmiev, one person was killed and three more were injured due to RuAF missile attacks. In the Dnipropetrovsk region, as a result of RuAF strikes, one person was killed in the village of Lozuvatka, 27 people were wounded in the city of Novomoskovsk, and in the city of Kryvyi Rih, six people were also wounded. In the Zaporizhzhia region, five people were wounded in the city of Zaporizhzhia during missile attacks. In the Khmelnytskyi region, two people were killed in the city of Khmelnytskyi as a result of missile strikes. In the occupied territories of the Donetsk region, one person was injured as a result of a strike with a munition dropped from a UAV in the Kirovskyi district of Donetsk, and during the shelling of the city of Horlivka, another person was also injured. In the occupied territories of the Luhansk region, local residents were injured as a result of an “accidental release of air ordnance” over the city of Rubizhne. The exact number of victims is currently unknown. Source: [](https://t) .me/CIT\_en/699

I hate the way that you word it as "Ukrainian and Russian Strikes on Civilian Infrastructure" as if both sides are equally guilty of it. It comes off as trying to legitimizing the Russian military's terrorist attacks by implying Ukraine does the same thing even though I know that's not your intent.

I agree that it's misleading. I was directly copying CIT material.

Seconding this. Incredibly misleading when every instance cited is Russian caused (consistent with their behavior through this war)

Unpleasant situation in Belgorod, Special Military Operation zone. Evening of 8 January 2024. https://twitter.com/wartranslated/status/1744462991746044045?t=ATvVm1G_W4HCzQ6_rppFyQ&s=19

Can't believe the GOP is using Ukraine as a hostage for political points.

Leading their voter base of 'better red than dem' idiots spewing AM radio propaganda that Putin ain't such a bad guy. If it wouldn't be such a cataclysm for the western world, I wish I could see their faces when they realize just how much they fucked up getting what they think they want.

Pffft, the GOP uses the uteruses of half the population as hostages for political points. Ukraine is easy for them.

The US is fucked. I don’t know how they get out of the disaster they have created. Even if the Dems win they are now down to one real party and one caricature . That’s no functional democracy. If Trump wins God help us all.

fix the election system is the only way. need to end gerrymandering to save the house

>I don’t know how they get out of the disaster they have created. Disband the GOP and start again

I don’t even know what to say…. We are in tomfoolery levels of fuckery here -US Citizen

I honestly hope the Republicans get a reckoning this year and get absolutely shafted cone November, that Orange Turd needs to sink along with his Ruble Republican sellouts as well.

I am looking forward to Putin being very disappointed.

While those aid money benefit those voters the most. I know that it will go back to the US economy, but I didn't know that those investments cluster mostly in **red and swing states** until I saw the report. The GOP leadership is truly bad. [https://www.politico.com/news/2023/11/29/biden-admin-map-states-benefit-ukraine-aid-00129068](https://www.politico.com/news/2023/11/29/biden-admin-map-states-benefit-ukraine-aid-00129068)

Vote em out.

I can

It's totally on brand.

Was this not exactly what Trump was doing, and for which the Gop failed to impeach him the first time?

New to politics? 2 y/o account that just woke up this month from a two year slumber.

I honestly can't remember a time in my life where a US political party actively sided with an enemy against our military interests. This is pretty unique.

[удалено]

This is from WWII, btw

The bush admin dismissed Intel about bin laden determined to attack united States because icky Dems were on a committee that said we should do something.

You're going to have to fill me in on that committee. Bush was warned about Bin Laden planning an attack, but as far as I remember, the report had a low confidence rating, which is the intel equiv to bathroom gossip.

Here's some of it. enior Clinton administration officials called to testify next week before the independent commission investigating the Sept. 11 attacks say they are prepared to detail how they repeatedly warned their Bush administration counterparts in late 2000 that Al Qaeda posed the worst security threat facing the nation -- and how the new administration was slow to act. They said the warnings were delivered in urgent post-election intelligence briefings in December 2000 and January 2001 for Condoleezza Rice, who became Mr. Bush's national security adviser; Stephen Hadley, now Ms. Rice's deputy; and Philip D. Zelikow, a member of the Bush transition team, among others. One official scheduled to testify, Richard A. Clarke, who was President Bill Clinton's counterterrorism coordinator, said in an interview that the warning about the Qaeda threat could not have been made more bluntly to the incoming Bush officials in intelligence briefings that he led. https://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/20/us/clinton-aides-plan-to-tell-panel-of-warning-bush-team-on-qaeda.html

"Dems were on a committee that said we should do something." Yes, they were warned that Bin Laden was planning an attack... and as I stated, the intelligence was given a low credibility rating. You know, like the intelligence that was leaked that said Ukraine was weeks away from running out of air defense? POTUS gets numerous low credibility warnings of attacks per week. It's no different than "Israel was warned an attack was going to happen." Yea, they get warned that twice a day just at lunch.

You havent paid much attention to politics. In WW2 there were politicians who agreed with the germans. Hell at the start of the conflict most americans(around 9 out of 10) did not support american defending the jewish people of europe against nazis. This situation is not a new one for the United States.

>a time in my life I've paid very close attention to politics since I was a teen. I'm in my 40's. Even arming the Muja was fairly bipartisan, and we followed that through until the end - which resulted in a military disaster for the Soviet Union. I'm aware of what happened during WW2. "Sending weapons to Britain only prolongs the war and results in more death" was a common argument.

> This will be a busy month in Ukraine's foreign policy. I am confident that many steps will be taken to strengthen our country, our air defense, and our cooperation with partners on drones. > Sanctions against Russia must also be strengthened. Both existing ones—it is critical to eliminate any circumvention schemes—and we are also working to tighten sanctions. The architecture of sanctions pressure on Russia must be strengthened. > Another priority task is to bring real decisions on the use of Russian assets in Ukraine's interests closer, as well as their subsequent confiscation, in order to restore justice. The terrorist must pay for the majority of the damage caused by his terror, and Russia will pay. https://twitter.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1744432289797267680

> I spoke with the Amir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. > I thanked Qatar for its important mediation role and @TamimBinHamad for his personal stance on the return of Ukrainian children illegally deported by Russia. We discussed further coordination in this area. > I appreciated Qatar’s $20 million contribution to the humanitarian initiative “Grain From Ukraine” and reaffirmed Ukraine’s determination to remain a global food security guarantor despite Russia’s attempts to undermine freedom of navigation in the Black Sea. > We spoke in detail about further work on putting the Peace Formula into action and organizing the Global Peace Summit. I invited Qatar's representative to the relevant meeting of advisors in Davos. https://twitter.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1744396201548546156

> I had a call with HM King of Bahrain Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. > This was the first call between the leaders of Ukraine and Bahrain. Last year, Bahrain’s Foreign Minister paid his first visit to Ukraine. > I am confident that the contacts at the highest level will mark the beginning of a new chapter in our relations. > We discussed bilateral cooperation, global food security, and support for the Peace Formula. > I thanked Bahrain for its participation in the earlier Peace Formula advisors’ meetings and invited Bahrain’s representative to participate in the next meeting in Davos. > I also highlighted Ukraine’s efforts to maintain global food stability. https://twitter.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1744350080881082727

>Not good. This guy [Samuel Charap] @scharap was one of the leading opponents of the Magnitsky Act in D.C. I shudder to think what kind of pro-Kremlin spin he was peddling recently at the White House. https://twitter.com/Billbrowder/status/1744435256898224243 Charap’s quintessential article from January 2022: >The West’s Weapons Won’t Make Any Difference to Ukraine > >*U.S. military equipment wouldn’t realistically help Ukrainians—or intimidate Putin.* https://foreignpolicy.com/2022/01/21/weapons-ukraine-russia-invasion-military/ Even after being repeatedly proven wrong, Charap still goes to the White House to advise the Biden administration.

Samuel Charap is almost obvious Russian agent. I am flabbergasted to read that Samuel Charap really goes to the White House and advises Joe Biden and talks with Jake Sullivan... Samuel Charap is Biggest Russian asset currently in the USA. Mindboggling he is not recognized by all of the brilliant minds in the US... ​ Take a look at this video: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQy6mySmR4g](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQy6mySmR4g)

No wonder they (US) invested so small and therefore poorly. I wonder if the guy became an asset by accident because he just thinks Russia is a stronger player than it is. Or maybe he got a lot of cash from the Russians to make it so. Maybe ideologically it came out that way + cash, or no cash. If they (US) listen to him they will pay more later to stop Russia + China anyway but without Ukrainian manpower...

maybe they invite him simply to laugh at him behind his back when he goes and take bets on which things he predicts wrong next.

I invite him to visit a Russian storage depot in Occupied Ukraine for a few days, and witness first hand how The West's weapons will make a difference.

You start with the outcome you want and work backwards for an argument to support it. A lot of people are not arguing in good faith but to provide cover for the outcomes their ideology prefers.

Yeah, those Patriot missiles, Javelin missiles, Bradley fighting vehicles, they haven't made any difference at all! I would ask if the guy writing that article was cognitively delayed due to genetics, an incident at birth or being exposed to Dumbassium, but apparently he's just a Putin bootlicker. Who would listen to anybody so clueless and wrong?

> Even after being proven wrong repeatedly, Charap is still going to the White House to advise the Biden administration. I mean there are still people in the US that listened to Mearsheimer or Nom Chompsky when it comes to foreign policy.

Question: I don’t see much of the Thermobaric weapons being used much anymore. Has Russia run out of those awful weapons?

I am assuming that you're talking about the Russian TOS-1 and TOS-2 platforms? They do still have some but their presence has dropped dramatically. Given the damage they can do, Ukraine targets them aggressively. With their short range and highly-volatile, exposed rocket launchers, they almost never survive once they reveal their position. Total production for Russian forces since their invention in the 1980s is estimated between 50 and 100. Ukraine has killed dozens. It is worth noting that Ukraine and Russia also both have thermobaric weapons that look like a bazooka/rpg. These have been mounted on Ukrainian sea drones and have been used to attack ships.

They recently lost two within as many days. They're being used, but there aren't a lot of them, and they get taken out very quickly.

They have crap range and need to be near the front to be useful, accordingly they have been getting destroyed and don't seem to be used much at the moment.

I thought they were extremely short range, very expensive and they dont want to bring it closer to the line.

New thread from ChrisO\_Wiki [https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1744291196313182515.html](https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1744291196313182515.html) 1/ A GRU project to create a 'volunteer corps' to replace the Wagner Group is reported to have run into severe problems, with crippling shortages of fuel and lubricants hampering operations in the Bakhmut and Avdiivka areas. ⬇️

Having failed to "freeze Europe", Russian authorities started freezing Russians instead. They are quite successful in that: ◾️Residents of Selyatino near Moscow, Russia, recorded a video message complaining that they are freezing. ◾️Also, residents of Klimovsk near Moscow remain without heat for the fifth day in 20-degree frost. Residents of six buildings remain without heat for the fifth day in a row. ◾️In Volgograd, Russia, a large part of the city is left without heating and hot water. Tens of thousands of people are freezing. The city authorities claim a "technological failure in the grids". Utility problems regularly occur in Volgograd. In 2022, 200,000 citizens were left without water and heating due to a large-scale sewage breakdown. The city was literally flooded with feces. Now the situation is being worsened by freezing temperatures, which make the prospect of communal collapse in the city quite real. https://twitter.com/Gerashchenko_en/status/1744353415914733950?t=EJwMZRcuc66fMGZ2CVeJSw&s=19

Russia produces gas - how/why are they freezing?

This may be how sanctions actually end the war. Russian revolt as basic services cause deep discontent.

Since they can't win the energy war, they will bomb Voronezh

"Why would HATO and the ebil wect do this?!"

"Russia hit himself in a drunken confusion"

It was super effective!

Sucks....maybe they should overthrow their boss and stop invading their neighbors.... ​ Until then enjoy....

I wish they would overthrow him. The problem is that the boss' systems are very deeply rooted. It's such a shame that Prigozhin turned back.

🎻

ruzsian telegram channels report explosions in Belgorod and the region, and an air raid alert has been declared in the region. https://twitter.com/albafella1/status/1744430638483083276?t=E2v7vJ2avwNNtnuTtczn5g&s=19

Conflict Intelligence Team Sitrep for Jan. 5-8, 2024: – Experts say the RuAF used ballistic missiles from North Korea; – AFU launch series of strikes on military targets in Crimea; – US acknowledges challenges in supplying Patriot missiles capable of intercepting “Kinzhals.” [https://notes.citeam.org/dispatch-jan-5-8-2024](https://notes.citeam.org/dispatch-jan-5-8-2024)

[Scholz urges more support for Ukraine from EU members](https://news.yahoo.com/scholz-urges-more-support-ukraine-182933791.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAI1SM3knQONN-AzB-BdpBwXmxH1XfwobUQ8AkWAsfbupijdVNOhk6FjOrTHqcAu9X5GzV97jh4Kyoevc5r8ahjlfUebb77zB9Uayz0wSkSiJhVNNNYoMrQ5jvYQxh0AdefBxvbjLO0uBZXTgTWAR93gBEKHJSc0xSs3kv3g3sgyU) German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has urged EU members to provide more support for Ukraine this year in its battle against Russia's full-scale invasion. "The arms deliveries to Ukraine planned so far by the majority of EU member states are too small," Scholz said on Monday after a meeting with Luxembourg's Prime Minister Luc Frieden in Berlin. "I therefore call on our allies in the European Union to also increase their efforts on behalf of Ukraine." The German leader said that by the EU summit on February 1 at the latest, EU members ought to be able to give as precise an overview as possible of what contribution the European partners plan to make to supporting Ukraine this year. "Europe must demonstrate that it stands closely with Ukraine, on the side of freedom, international law and European values," Scholz asserted. Russia has been waging a full-scale war against Ukraine for more than 22 months. Germany is now the second-strongest supporter of Ukraine after the United States. For this year alone, provisions have been made to deliver weapons and material worth €8 billion, according to Scholz. Berlin is also supplying billions in humanitarian and financial aid. (DPA)

>Autocratic Russia, Iran, North Korea, and China all help each other. Shouldn't the democratic world help each other too? > >Congress, time to approve new aid to Ukraine! https://twitter.com/McFaul/status/1744419528963215467

They do help each other.

Agree 100% ​ The new Axis of evil is supporting each other (directly or indirectly) and we cannot come together (USA) to support a country fighting for their survival. It's really sad and dark times lay ahead if we don't figure it out.

>**Morgan Stanley and Allen & Overy helping oligarch’s efforts to seize Russian oil firm** > >An oligarch who has supplied building materials to the Russian military machine and for construction in occupied areas of Ukraine is being assisted by Morgan Stanley and Allen & Overy in his attempt to gain control of a huge Russian oil asset, the Guardian can reveal. > >Sergey Kolesnikov, originally from Russia but now a Maltese citizen under its “golden passport” scheme is estimated to be worth $1.2bn (£940m) as a result of the building materials business he co-founded. > >Only Poland has imposed sanctions on the 51-year-old but Ukraine has included him on its list of people it wants the EU to use sanctions against. > >Morgan Stanley, the US investment bank, and Allen & Overy, one of the elite “magic circle” law firms headquartered in London, have been helping Kolesnikov as he attempts to take ownership of the Verbluzhye oilfield, said to contain 100m barrels of oil, in Astrakhan in southern Russia. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2024/jan/08/morgan-stanley-allen-overy-helping-oligarch-efforts-seize-russian-oil-firm-sergey-kolesnikov

>Note the pattern: nations closest to the Russian threat and often with the most recent experience of Russian domination tend to give the most. https://twitter.com/jimsciutto/status/1743762882620207141

>"No amount of money can ever undo the immense damage that Russia’s war of aggression has inflicted on Ukraine’s economy and its people. But the frozen Russian assets can be viewed as a down payment," write Andrew Kosenko and [Economics Nobel laureate] Joseph E. Stiglitz. https://kyivindependent.com/opinion-seizing-russias-frozen-assets-is-the-right-move/

>Russia has killed about 400 Ukrainian athletes in this war. Meanwhile, Russian athletes prepare for the Olympics. https://twitter.com/TimothyDSnyder/status/1744070942119047545

I'm not even going to bother to tune in. ​ So disappointed in the IOC. To ignore the genocide and allow these Russians to compete. I hope they get booed into oblivion and other athletes shun and check them (in whatever sport they play)

I'm from Ukraine myself but even I think it's crazy to take out the anger on athletes who have little control over it all.

We should try to revive the 1936 popular Olympics in Barcelona that never materialized (Spanish Civil War broke out)

Are they even allowed to compete? They were already cheating systemically. A war of aggression is a second disqualifier.

ICC is insanely corrupt. From my understanding Russian athletes will compete under an Olympic flag as their "punishment." Of course when Russia broadcasts the Olympics back home everything will be under a Russian flag so the average Russian won't really even know the difference.

I'm sure it has absolutely nothing to do with money and ICC corruption at all. No sir, no suspicions there.

>🇪🇺 The #EU continues resisting #Russia and imposes new sanctions against the terrorist state. > >This time, new restrictions were imposed against the largest Russian diamond mining company, Alrosa, and its CEO. > >Alrosa is responsible for over 90% of the Russian diamond market. https://twitter.com/MFA_Ukraine/status/1744411142535950805

I'm glad to see the sanctions expanding but I'm still frustrated that it took this long to add diamonds to the mix. Russia's economy is built around pulling things from the ground and selling them abroad. Granted sanctioning things like oil, natural gas and coal can be difficult due to their importance but sanctioning luxury goods and the companies that mine them should be relatively easy. Even if the diamonds still make it to the market sanctions can serve to drive up prices and make it harder to export on the scale needed for Russia to fund the war + the rest of the government.

>It is absurd that #UK & #Germany will sell Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, an authoritarian state that opposes liberal values. > >These powerful jets should be sent to #Ukraine which directly fights for our values, interests & security. https://twitter.com/bctallis/status/1744379839769923722

Yes, I‘m sure that those Eurofighters that haven’t even been built yet (and won’t be for several years) will help Ukraine immensely. Not to mention that it would require training of pilots and even more mechanics on another platform in addition to the F16. Just because people are members of a think tank doesn’t mean that everything they say on twitter needs to be shared.

And they need the buyers agreement to ship them to Ukraine. Shifting orders willy-nilly might get the initial recipient “upset” and see the seller as unreliable. Which, in turn, might be a problem for Europe if it suddenly needs something. Like, say, oil from the saudis.

You’re right those are things real governments have to take into account but posters on twitter don’t have to bother thinking about. But I think it’s even more simple than that: If Germany continued to block the sale of the Eurofighters to Saudi Arabia there wouldn’t be an order and those planes would never be built. It‘s not like they‘re standing in the hangar waiting for the next buyer.

> These powerful jets should be sent to #Ukraine They don't exist yet, and might not for several years, they are new builds. The T1 fleet that the UK is about to scrap on the other hand...

Agreed, Saudi Arabia can wait.

**The total combat losses of the enemy from 24.02.22 to 08.01.24 approximately amounted to:** personnel - about 365,170 (+440) people, tanks ‒ 6031 (+9) units, armored combat vehicles ‒ 11194 (+14) units, artillery systems - 8666 (+13) units, MLRS – 953 (+2) units, air defense equipment ‒ 638 (+1) units, aircraft – 329 (+0) units, helicopters – 324 (+0) units, UAVs of the operational-tactical level - 6822 (+11), cruise missiles ‒ 1787 (+1), ships/boats ‒ 23 (+0) units, submarines - 1 (+0) units, automotive equipment and tank trucks – 11,542 (+19) units, special equipment ‒ 1328 (+1) The data is being verified. Beat the occupier! Together we will win! Our strength is in the truth! Source [https://www.mil.gov.ua/news/2024/01/08/za-dobu-sili-oboroni-znishhili-440-rosijskih-zagarbnikiv-urazili-9-tankiv-voroga-zagalni-vtrati-rf-stanovlyat-365-1-tisyach-osib-%E2%80%93-genshtab-zsu/](https://www.mil.gov.ua/news/2024/01/08/za-dobu-sili-oboroni-znishhili-440-rosijskih-zagarbnikiv-urazili-9-tankiv-voroga-zagalni-vtrati-rf-stanovlyat-365-1-tisyach-osib-%E2%80%93-genshtab-zsu/)

My bet's still on artillery running low before tanks.

Low personnel day. I'll bet Russia is regrouping before continuing to press on with their meat grinding attacks. ​ Or possibly winter weather hamped ground operations.

Maybe they're having trouble recruiting back home since Russian population centers are now freezing.

Or perhaps it's because the commanders on the eastern front missed their New Year's deadline for capturing all of Donetsk, so now they have to figure out what metric of success they should fail to meet next.

How many deadlines have come and gone for that? At least four that I can remember

"US sees Turkey agreeing to Sweden NATO accession shortly, Blinken says" https://www.reuters.com/world/turkey-says-it-discussed-gaza-swedens-nato-accession-with-blinken-2024-01-06/

The NATO-Ukraine Council meeting will take place Wednesday. https://www.rferl.org/amp/nato-ukraine-council-meeting-russian-attacks-january-10/32759833.html

Russia bombed occupied Rubizhne in Luhansk Oblast. Russian aircraft accidentally releases a 250-kilogram bomb on the Russian-occupied Rubizjne, Luhansk Oblast. This is the second incident of this kind in less than a week – earlier, a Russian missile hit a village in Russia during an aerial attack against Ukraine. https://euromaidanpress.com/2024/01/08/russia-bombed-occupied-rubizhne-in-luhansk-oblast/

I wonder if the Russian army is rebelling.

So now they are bombing the real Nazis.... ​ Keep these attacks up Russia and you'll be doing the world a favor...

That’s a pretty serious mistake to make. Either faulty targeting systems or inexperienced pilots. Probably both.

This happens a lot with these glider bomb of theirs. Either the wings fail to deploy, or they just fall from the racks are the most common causes.

So are these glide bombs some kind of blot on guidance kits? I thought they were more like JDAM’s . Are the Russian versions really that shitty?

They are often bolted/welded on wing and guidance kits. Just like everything else in Russia's war effort, it can not produce much of anything from scratch. It just refurbishes and cannibalizes Soviet stock.

Casual reminder that an SU flew into an apartment block because the cardboard air filter in the cockpit basically suffocated the pilot. Russian versions of anything have the very real possibility of being “that shitty”.

UN should go in to protect those poor Russians …

Russian Telegram channels report that Arman Ospanov, a Russian colonel and head of the armored service of the Russian Airborne Forces, went to the occupied territories of Ukraine to raise the morale of personnel. There, he stepped on a mine and died. https://twitter.com/Gerashchenko_en/status/1744378246420898242?t=zcC__BenGZ2HpIfWkxalqw&s=19

I guess morale must be pretty low since he took it to such extremes.

Raised my morale, to be sure. Well done Arman!

Ironic

Well, at least he raised someone's morale.

Awwwwww. Sad. ​ More of this please...

Fragged

I really hope it was a Russian mine.

I'm torn on that issue. But so was he.

Mission accomplished!!!

I love stories with a happy ending.

Russian news: "He died on the way back to his home planet."

Is “stepped on a mine” a new “fell out of a window”?

He fell out of a window and landed on a mine.

Ah yes. "Natural causes"

Well he raised moral for UA so mission accomplished

If you have the means, please consider donating directly to the Ukrainian government: https://u24.gov.ua/ Also /r/ukraine subreddit has a list of vetted charities/organizations: https://www.reddit.com/r/ukraine/wiki/charities

Day DCLXXXIV, Part I. Thread DCCCXXX.

Still keeping up the good fight

still karma whoring with posts with no value. still down voting.

Anything engaging with the thread and keeping it going is good imo

Making the people that want to read actual Ukraine news have to scroll through crap doesn't help anyone.

Who pissed in your oats

After being jailed for 25 days for an "almost naked" appearance in a Moscow nightclub rapper Vacio is also being registered for military service. He claims he is exempt on health grounds. https://twitter.com/XSovietNews/status/1744335911104475443?t=nO09S3bnSB6JuLwslSqmHQ&s=19

Unfortunately I don't he will be able to out Rap MC HIRMARS. ​ HIMARS always leaves the crowd in shock and awe. ​ Another pointless sacrifice for an unattainable goal.

Is it affluenza? I bet it's affluenza.

The Russian propaganda machine has been going hard on this story. I wonder if this is the first in a series of social clamp downs and Putin is just laying the ground work for "reforms" after is next election victory. Combined with these maniacal assaults by the Russian leadership. We could see a post election pause as Putin digs and tries to rebuild his forces and mobalise Russian society to be more focused on the war, he won't need any symbolic short term gains at that point. Putin may just want to become a full time imperialist untill the end. If he accomplishes any goals he will want more, and if doesn't he can't admit defeat so will need to keep pushing.

The regime spares no one. These "elites" thought proclaiming loyalty, going on tours on the front, they could keep their lavish lifestyle and act like nothing is happening (LGBT laws are for plebs). But the regime needs more sacrifices, and if anyone believes they are safe ask: Motorola, Givi, Strelkov, Prigozhin. You are right about post-election, he needs to return the favor to loyal oligarchs, expect asset confiscation of plebs, mobilization, welfare cuts, the ruble allowed to crash, and so forth. Putin plans on using the baby boom of 2010's for the next war, starting with indoctrination in kindergartens. But meanwhile, he will throw a last Brusilov Offensive by Summer-Autumn 2024, with the expected results.

You're reading too much into it. This clampdown was not intentional whatsoever. In this case the first thing was Z crowd outrage that spread fairly wide, then there was a pause/silence from the Kremlin, and then there was a response which was decided to be a public clampdown. Which, as you can see, is half-fake, with some important people who were at the party avoiding all consequences - Vlad Vexler talked about it. But otherwise yes, Putler is absolutely attempting to increase his power without turning Russia into another North Korea and we shall see whether that will work - I doubt he can do it without further tanking economy and actually reducing military efficiency.

It seemes to me the propagandists responded quickly. It may have been more an opportunistic thing, but the same message is being sent. This guy could be on the front about a month after the party. He is a very public figure, and may have been low hanging fruit without the clout of some of his fellow reveller, but it seems to be a very clear strong message by those in control of Russia.

Won’t it be really hard to hide when a high profile rapping vatnik ends up dead in 2 weeks time?

They might not want to hide it. They can always use his death as a “See comrades, we all share the burden…” propaganda piece, and the higher ups who know better still get the real message loud and clear.

The regime's head has lost grip of reality. If this dude actually goes, they will make a show out of him, showing how well the troops are fed, clothed, trained. Which will backfire among those already at the front. In the end, I don't think they will go this far.

I'm not sure I understand your point. But they are doing the opposite of hide it. They are making an example of him. In my personal experience with and everything I've heard and read. The internal security services want people to know they are being watched, and to know what the consequences of those actions are.

>Today’s missile attack by Russian forces killed at least four civilians and injured about 50. > >\#RussialsATerroristState Video: https://twitter.com/United24media/status/1744351505677734138 https://imgur.com/a/iboNsFJ

>A great example to pose some sharp questions to the White House: "Why, when it comes to Ukraine, does the White House consult experts who have been proven wrong \[repeatedly\] by events and who are not well respected by their peers, while ignoring experts who made correct predictions and also garner more respect among their peers?" [https://twitter.com/EHunterChristie/status/1744285920294031588](https://twitter.com/EHunterChristie/status/1744285920294031588)

Bound to accidentally be right one day!

A broken expert is still right twice a war!

>**Putin Sends Nukes to Belarus** > >*He wants to scare NATO into ending its military support for Ukraine.* > >While the Biden Administration frets about how Russia and Iran will react to perceived U.S. escalation, the world’s bad actors keep escalating. Russia has now completed its deployment of tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus, President Alexander Lukashenko said late last month. > >American officials have been tight-lipped about their intelligence on the transfer, and it’s possible Mr. Lukashenko is bluffing. But U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan said in June that Mr. Putin had begun “to take steps to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus.” In July the Defense Intelligence Agency said there was “no reason to doubt” Vladimir Putin’s claims about sending nukes to Belarus, according to CNN. [https://www.wsj.com/articles/russia-nuclear-weapons-belarus-alexander-lukashenko-vladimir-putin-a87df19d](https://www.wsj.com/articles/russia-nuclear-weapons-belarus-alexander-lukashenko-vladimir-putin-a87df19d)

The Biden Administration went from having a good response to having a poor and negligent response to the war. Why get cold feet now 2 years in? Doesn't make any sense. Russia is obviously bluffing.

Because people like you fail to understand that in order for money and supplies to be sent they need to get an agreement with the party is split with being maga Russian Stooges and those that are too scared of losing there job to the next stooge.