Ukraine 2

[Hoodat]

Ukrainian Trapped at Azovstal Begs Elon Musk for Help: 'If Not You, Who?'

JAKE THOMAS ON 5/11/22 AT 10:07 PM EDT

The head of a Ukrainian Marine Brigade is appealing to tech mogul Elon Musk to help soldiers escape a steel plant besieged by Russian forces.

Major Serhiy Volyna, acting commander of the 36th Separate Marine Brigade, on Wednesday made his appeal to the world's richest man, via Twitter. Volyna is among Ukrainian forces holed up in the Azovstal, the last holdout against Russian forces in the southern port city of Mariupol. Volyna's plea comes as Ukrainian officials seek to reach a deal with Russia to remove their wounded soldiers.

"@elonmusk people say you come from another planet to teach people to believe in the impossible," wrote Volyna in his tweet. "Our planets are next to each other, as I live where it is nearly impossible to survive. Help us get out of Azovstal to a mediating country. If not you, then who? Give me a hint."  .  .

https://www.newsweek.com/ukrainian-trapped-azovstal-begs-elon-musk-help-if-not-you-who-1705851

[bilo]

Finland to apply for Nato membership 'without delay'

1 hour ago

Finland's president and prime minister have called for the country to apply for Nato membership "without delay".

Sauli Niinisto and Sanna Marin said in a joint statement they expected a decision in the next few days.

The move comes amid a surge in public support for Nato membership following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Moscow said Finland's move was a threat to Russia and the further expansion of Nato would make Europe less stable and secure.

Previously, Russia has threatened unspecified measures - and on this occasion too, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov did not say exactly how Russia would respond.

"Everything will depend on how this expansion process plays out, the extent to which military infrastructure moves closer to our borders," he said.

Finland shares a 1,300-km (810-mile) border with Russia. Until now, it has stayed out of Nato to avoid antagonising its eastern neighbour.  .  .

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-61420185

What a great example of how dictatorial regimes mess themselves up. Putin is surrounded by "yes" men. He did not calculate what the unintended consequences of an invasion of Ukraine might be.

[bilo]

Putin is demonstrating to all of Europe what happens to non-NATO members.

As well as countries who do not have nuclear weapons.

[bilo]

@Elderberry

Did this really happen,or is it just more Russian propaganda? I suspect it is because the Ukrainians HAVE to know they are getting so much international support because THEY were invaded,and that they would lose this support if they invaded Russia and attacked a village.

Who else is reporting it as fact?

I'm with you on this!

The only reason I can see any bombing in Russian territory would be to destroy a supply depot, or cut a supply line. In both cases it would be a clear military target, not civilian. It's Russian military doctrine that seeks to destroy civilian areas.

On a side note, it seems that Ukrainian artillery is incredibly accurate.

[DCPatriot]

I'm with you on this!

The only reason I can see any bombing in Russian territory would be to destroy a supply depot, or cut a supply line. In both cases it would be a clear military target, not civilian. It's Russian military doctrine that seeks to destroy civilian areas.

On a side note, it seems that Ukrainian artillery is incredibly accurate.

ROFL!  @bilo @Elderberry

My first thought was the swarm of drones attacking Jack Ryan and 'pres. Morgan Freeman in Olympus Has Fallen.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40JFxhhJEYk

[DCPatriot]

So you're not disputing the number, but the terminology.

Yeah...although I'm sure the number is skewed on the high side.

[Kamaji]

Dramatic new videos show Russian tanks being blown sky-high in Ukraine

By Lee Brown
May 12, 2022

Dramatic new videos show a column of Russian tanks being picked out and blown up — while another explodes in a massive ball of flames, with debris blown sky-high in front of watching motorists.

Ukraine’s 54th Mechanized Brigade, based in the Donbas region, shared footage Tuesday of a platoon getting destroyed — setting the clip to upbeat, patriotic music.

The clip shows the line of tanks driven by invading troops — whom the unit termed “tourists” — driven along an unidentified road as smoke from repeated airstrikes fills the sky.

Several of the military vehicles then suffer direct hits, bursting into balls of flame — including one where debris exploded high into the sky.

Similar devastation was caught in a graphic dashcam clip caught by a Chinese state TV reporter in Mariupol, according to his station, Phoenix TV.

*  *  *

Source:  https://nypost.com/2022/05/12/video-shows-russian-tanks-being-blown-up-in-ukraine/

[mountaineer]

Ukrainian Trapped at Azovstal Begs Elon Musk for Help: 'If Not You, Who?'

This is ridiculous.

[Kamaji]

Russia Suspends Most Offensive Operations in Reaction to Ukraine's Surprising Counteroffensive

By streiff
May 11, 2022

Tuesday, it became evident that the Russian Army was abandoning territory in Ukraine that it seized shortly after Putin’s War began on February 24 (Russian Troops Retreat From Ukraine to Russia: Planned Redeployment or the Beginning of Collapse?). That withdrawal opened the way for Ukrainian forces to recover previously occupied territory from north of Kharkiv to the border with Russia.

*  *  *

The news that was unconfirmed last night is pretty solid today.

As that was happening, an article appeared in the New York Times that attempted to create a narrative different from what can be seen developing in video and intelligence summaries (h/t to earl.m61 in the comments last night).

The New York Times offering is Ukraine War’s Geographic Reality: Russia Has Seized Much of the East.

Russia’s nearly three-month-old invasion of neighboring Ukraine has been punctuated by flawed planning, poor intelligence, barbarity and wanton destruction. But obscured in the daily fighting is the geographic reality that Russia has made gains on the ground.

The Russian Defense Ministry said Tuesday that its forces in eastern Ukraine had advanced to the border between Donetsk and Luhansk, the two Russian-speaking provinces where Moscow-backed separatists have been fighting Ukraine’s army for eight years.

The ministry’s assertion, if confirmed, strengthens the prospect that Russia could soon gain complete control over the region, known as the Donbas, compared with just a third of it before the Feb. 24 invasion.

I’m not going to take the time to “fisk” this line by line, but there are three points. First, Russia lost most of the area it grabbed in Ukraine during the initial stage of the invasion. Second. It controls more of Donbas now than before the war, but the war is not over. Third, Russia’s territorial gains will only survive if Ukraine agrees to give them up as part of a ceasefire, which seems unlikely (Ukraine President Zelensky Sets His Terms to End Russia’s Aggression in Ukraine and Vladimir Putin Isn’t Laughing).

The loss of the territory north of Kharkiv is more than symbolic.

*  *  *

Source:  https://redstate.com/streiff/2022/05/11/russia-suspends-most-offensive-operations-in-reaction-to-ukraines-surprising-counteroffensive-n563061

[Kamaji]

Putin's 'purge': Russia's top commander Valery Gerasimov 'is suspended' while a clutch of other generals 'have been sacked or arrested' over Ukraine invasion blunders, Kyiv claims

By CHRIS PLEASANCE FOR MAILONLINE
12 May 2022

Russia's top commander General Valery Gerasimov has been suspended, a top adviser to the Ukrainian president has claimed, while a clutch of other officers have been sacked or arrested amid a rumoured purge of top brass.

Oleksiy Arestovych, a veteran of military intelligence and one of President Zelensky's inner circle, claimed late Wednesday that Gerasimov - the chief of staff of the Russian army - has been suspended as Putin looks for senior commanders to blame over his blundering invasion of Ukraine.

Arestovych, speaking to dissident Russian lawyer and politician Mark Feygin on YouTube last night, said: 'According to preliminary information, Gerasimov has been de-facto suspended. They are deciding whether to give him time to fix things, or not.'

*  *  *

Source:  https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10809829/Ukraine-war-Putin-purges-army-brass-Gerasimov-suspended.html

[Kamaji]

Russian state TV warns of 'a new iron curtain' in furious response to Finland after Helsinki declared it wants to join NATO 'without delay' and alliance chief says it will be 'warmly welcomed'

By JACK NEWMAN FOR DAILYMAIL.COM and GEOFF EARLE, DEPUTY U.S. POLITICAL EDITOR FOR DAILYMAIL.COM IN ALLIANCE, OHIO
12 May 2022

Russian state TV has accused the US of erecting a 'new iron curtain' in Europe in a furious response to Finland announcing its intention to join NATO, as the Kremlin's spokesman it will make the world less 'stable.'

This morning, president Sauli Niinisto and prime minister Sanna Marin said they want to join the security alliance 'without delay', with Sweden set to follow suit within days, drastically ramping up tensions between Russia and the West.

A senior Russian leader and the Kremlin had previously threatened it would secure 'the entire destruction' of the country' and 'the most undesirable consequences', and today said it would 'be forced to take retaliatory steps', both 'military-technical and other' against the 'threat'.

*  *  *

Source:  https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10809669/Russian-state-TV-warns-new-iron-curtain-furious-response-Finlands-NATO-bid.html

[bilo]

Russian state TV warns of 'a new iron curtain' in furious response to Finland after Helsinki declared it wants to join NATO 'without delay' and alliance chief says it will be 'warmly welcomed'

By JACK NEWMAN FOR DAILYMAIL.COM and GEOFF EARLE, DEPUTY U.S. POLITICAL EDITOR FOR DAILYMAIL.COM IN ALLIANCE, OHIO
12 May 2022

Russian state TV has accused the US of erecting a 'new iron curtain' in Europe in a furious response to Finland announcing its intention to join NATO, as the Kremlin's spokesman it will make the world less 'stable.'

This morning, president Sauli Niinisto and prime minister Sanna Marin said they want to join the security alliance 'without delay', with Sweden set to follow suit within days, drastically ramping up tensions between Russia and the West.

A senior Russian leader and the Kremlin had previously threatened it would secure 'the entire destruction' of the country' and 'the most undesirable consequences', and today said it would 'be forced to take retaliatory steps', both 'military-technical and other' against the 'threat'.

*  *  *

Source:  https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10809669/Russian-state-TV-warns-new-iron-curtain-furious-response-Finlands-NATO-bid.html

Talk about being blind to the consequences of actions you take.

The only reason any nation wants to be in NATO is to protect themselves from Russian aggression.

If Russia didn't invade it's neighbors there would be no need for a defensive alliance.

[Cyber Liberty]

Talk about being blind to the consequences of actions you take.

The only reason any nation wants to be in NATO is to protect themselves from Russian aggression.

If Russia didn't invade it's neighbors there would be no need for a defensive alliance.

Exactly so.  I don't know why they would be surprised that Western Europe would pull together in the face of demonstrated aggression.

[Right_in_Virginia]

Ukrainian Trapped at Azovstal Begs Elon Musk for Help: 'If Not You, Who?'
JAKE THOMAS ON 5/11/22 AT 10:07 PM EDT

Russians With Attitude
@RWApodcast

I genuinely do not understand how anyone came up with the idea that fighters who are completely surrounded and who have refused evacuation without weapons into their own territory multiple times must be "rescued". Soldiers escape encirclement by victory, surrender or death.

8:07 PM · May 12, 2022   Twitter for Android

[bilo]

Exactly so.  I don't know why they would be surprised that Western Europe would pull together in the face of demonstrated aggression.

Lucky for us Zelenskyy didn't listen to Biden and flee. Russia will have destroyed themselves because of this. The war will end and Russia will be no more than a 3rd world country with nukes.

[DB]

Russians With Attitude
@RWApodcast

I genuinely do not understand how anyone came up with the idea that fighters who are completely surrounded and who have refused evacuation without weapons into their own territory multiple times must be "rescued". Soldiers escape encirclement by victory, surrender or death.

8:07 PM · May 12, 2022   Twitter for Android

Nuts.

[DB]

Lucky for us Zelenskyy didn't listen to Biden and flee. Russia will have destroyed themselves because of this. The war will end and Russia will be no more than a 3rd world country with nukes.

I'll be surprised if Zelenskyy lives through this regardless of the outcome.

[Hoodat]

This is ridiculous.

The Marine brigade commander thinks very highly of Elon Musk.

[sneakypete]

Lucky for us Zelenskyy didn't listen to Biden and flee. Russia will have destroyed themselves because of this. The war will end and Russia will be no more than a 3rd world country with nukes.

This is and was a damn shame,because almost every Russian I ever met craved to be more educated and practically worshiped the idea of accumulating knowledge. Being called "uncultured" was one of the biggest insults they could imagine.

@bilo
Russia has never been anything more than a 3rd world nation,without or without nukes. How could they be anything else when Russia has been so tightly controlled by a centuries old philosophy that was backwards when it was new,and the Russian Orthodox Church ruled Russia with a tight reign?

 Thing didn't get any better when Marxism took over with the Communists. Marx was a backwards idiot with no imagination at all,and wanted to rest of the world to be as backwards as he was.

Russia essentially changed from being a backwards nation controlled by religious fanatics,to a backwards nation controlled by clueless fools whose idea of good government was everything for them,and nothing but scraps for the peons they dominated. Basically,they  wanted the peons to be kept pregnant and barefooted so they were dependent on the state for everything,and incapable of providing for themselves.
 
Like the alleged Democratic governments of today,they wanted a nation of serfs,with ALL the power flowing from the top to the bottom. Nothing but royalty and peasants,with no troublesome middle class in-between the two.

[240B]

[Kamaji]

Hmmm, now all we need to do is to tweak some of the guided missiles in inventory to home in on active Russian mobile phone network transmissions.

[Elderberry]

Ukraine Artillery Gets A GPS Boost

https://www.battleswarmblog.com/?p=51416

The U.S. and other countries are sending M777 155mm howitzers to Ukraine.

    American M777 howitzers could prove a major factor in turning the tide against Russian forces in the ongoing invasion of Ukraine thanks to their precision and power.

    The howitzers are field artillery pieces that Ukrainian forces are already using to shell the Russians and represent an improvement on the equipment that the country’s military previously had.

    The U.S. has begun sending 90 M777 Howitzers, while Australia is sending six and Canada is providing four. The M777s are the towed howitzers currently used by the U.S. Army and Marine Corps. They have a maximum range of 15 miles and require a crew of eight to 10 people.

    Illia Ponomarenko, a defense reporter with The Kyiv Independent, tweeted on Tuesday: “M777s are already in Donbas, engaging Russian lines – confirmed!”

Snip.

    The M777 Howitzers generally fire precision-guided Excalibur rounds that use the Global Positioning System (GPS) to home in on targets and it is expected that Ukraine will have been provided with these rounds. Canada was reportedly providing Excalibur shells, according to an AFP report on April 25.

Here’s more background on the M777:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIhwO6TkhBs

A few brief takeaways:

•  Using aluminum and titanium, they weigh half what the M198 they’re replacing weighed. This means they’re fare more air-portable (at least for the U.S., slung from an Osprey).

•  Each costs about $4 million.

•  Contrary to the article above, the video asserts they only need a crew of five.

•  Fires seven rounds a minute.

•  Excalibur shells cost about $70,000 each. Pricey, but way cheaper than a Tomahawk cruise missile.

More at link.

[txradioguy]

Exactly so.  I don't know why they would be surprised that Western Europe would pull together in the face of demonstrated aggression.

Well in all honesty...since the end of the USSR and the wall coming down most of Western Europe up til now hadn't given him any reason to believe they would.

[Kamaji]

Putin's bridge too far: Russians mount a SECOND doomed attempt to cross river where Ukraine destroyed a whole battalion - forcing the survivors to swim for their lives following disaster

By CHRIS PLEASANCE FOR MAILONLINE
13 May 2022

Russia has made another failed attempt to cross a Donbas river where an entire battalion was wiped out by Ukrainian artillery - losing more men in the process with survivors forced to swim to safety.

Putin's troops were trying to rescue men and vehicles that had got stranded on the wrong side of the Donets River, near Biolhorivka, after the first attempt on May 8 ended with their pontoon bridges being sunk by an artillery barrage that destroyed dozens of armoured vehicles and may have killed more than 1,000 troops.

But their rescue mission was found out and subjected to the same fate. Fresh satellite images taken near Biolhorivka show yet another sunken pontoon bridge along with half a dozen destroyed or abandoned vehicles.

*  *  *

Source:  https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10812449/Ukraine-war-Russians-make-second-failed-attempt-crossing-river.html

[Kamaji]

Mutinous Russian soldiers are 'stripped, tied up and taken away in trucks by feared general who's been sent in to restore discipline in Ukraine'

By CHRIS JEWERS FOR MAILONLINE
13 May 2022

Mutinous Russian soldiers were stripped, tied up and taken away in trucks under the orders of a feared Russian general who has been sent in to restore discipline in Ukraine, according to a recording released by Kyiv's intelligence services.

Meanwhile, another audio clip was released in which a Russian soldier was overheard calling Vladimir Putin an 'old nutjob' and criticising his war in Ukraine.

The intercepted audio recordings are the latest evidence that morale is deteriorating among Moscow's forces as its faltering invasion of Ukraine entered its 12th week.

*  *  *

Source:  https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10812685/Mutinous-Russian-soldiers-stripped-tied-taken-away-trucks-feared-general.html