NATO - The Ukraine

[greendragon]

Sure not NATO - The Ukraine or naval matters in particular but an official statistics from the PL Health Ministry says that Ukrainian refuge women gave birth to 2800 babies in the Polish hospitals .
The latest statistics say that number of refugees who crossed the boundary to Poland (27000) is almost the same number of those who returned to Ukraine.

gd

[greendragon]

Finland and Sweden to NATO.
Let's start with information I have heard about the Russians folks and their ranking of what are the factors they would like to be seen by foreign countries.
The research was made by an western group in Russia some years ago. The winner was (and described as shocking) : "we want other nations to be scared of us".
Other opinions like economic power, culture etc were far behind.
What Putin has done apparently reflect what is well embedded into Russian imperialistic mind - they expectations have not foreseen that countries like Finland and Sweden would do opposite way - seeking NATO umbrella.
Jokingly, people of these countries were so scared that instead of going straight to political mice hole of neutrality or so called "Finladization" and deeper political submission to Russia they changed by majority they thinking and want to be Alliance ranks. to have assurance of protection.

Both countries have been for years mentally, organizationally and practically (i.e. NATO led SFOR in former Yougoslavia) attached - though not formally - to NATO .
Their military organization , staff procedures, command, control etc are the same like in NATO.
Their officers and men are very well trained and equipment modern.
Certainly for both countries it would be just add NATO badges/labels where they should be put on.
In NATO led SFOR times they were part of so called NORDPOL BDE which consisted of Danish, Norway and Poland (NATO members) as well as a/m the Swedes and the Finns; the BDE being under operational control of the American Division and command and they were absolutely excellent professionals to serve with.
They were fully employed on the NORDPOL BDE level Staff and Command and performed excellent in accordance with the NATO staff procedures and Field Manuals.

Best wishes for them from GD !!!

[greendragon]

Had a look at M777 howitzer which due to the fact that they are delivered to Ukraine from USofA they are called "american" but actually it has been design by the British Vickers/BaE. Initially private initiative.
An American company was attached to allow to enter the gun to be sold on the US market.
Pretty smart "tube" and advanced technologies (titanium alloy) used for manufacture.

gd

[Pelican]

The War in the Black Sea — Ukrainians Hit Russian Patrol Boats, Landing Craft, and Possibly a Frigate

See - http://www.oldsaltblog.com/2022/05/the- ... more-59200

[Above possibly overtaken by subsequent updates.]

[Pelican]

Sweden joining Finland in Nato membership bid

Updates from BBC correspondents: Sarah Rainsford and James Waterhouse in Kyiv, Laura Bicker in Donbas, Lyse Doucet and Hugo Bachega in Dnipro, Joe Inwood and Sophie Williams in Lviv, Caroline Davies in Odesa, and Steve Rosenberg in Moscow

See - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-europe-61441664 - which also contains info about the Ukranian war.

[Pelican]

Unverified, but reasonably convincing video of frigate on fire circulating following reports of RFS Admiral Makarov struck by Ukrainian anti ship missiles.
See - https://twitter.com/NavyLookout/status/ ... 9669438466

[Pelican]

Ukraine

At the mouth of the Black Sea, a ship spotter watches for clues amid Ukraine war
Turkey’s ship watchers observe traffic in Turkey’s Bosphorus Strait to understand geopolitics — including the comings and goings of Russian ships amid war in Ukraine.

Continues at - https://theworld.org/stories/2022-04-26 ... kraine-war - keep scrolling down.

[Pelican]

Highly recommended podcast:

Mark J Grove and gjb70 discuss naval aspects of Ukraine war and the serious deficiencies with UK maritime power and strategy with I Ballantyn.
Go to - https://twitter.com/NavyLookout/status/ ... 6297806848 - to listen.

[Pelican]

Ukraine – The end of Russian power?


The latest in I-don’t-know-how-many Battles of Kyiv has ended in, thank heavens, Ukrainian victory. But, for Ukrainians, the joy of that triumph is mixed with profound sorrow and bitterness as Russian atrocities are exposed.
Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed his (and it really can be called ‘his’) invasion of Ukraine was to ‘de-Nazify’ that country. Well, while calling modern Russia ‘Nazi’ would be going too far, a good intellectual argument can be made that, in terms of his political, economic, ideological and social policies, Putin’s Russia is a 21st century fascist state, very reminiscent of Mussolini’s regime in Italy during the first half of the 20th century.

Continues at - https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/ukraine ... BZmZ0Npcdc

[Pelican]

British surveillance aircraft monitors Russian warships

An RC-135 Rivet Joint ‘signals intelligence’ surveillance aircraft has been monitoring the Russian fleet in the Black Sea.
The RC-135W Rivet Joint and its sensors are designed to undertake ‘signals intelligence’ missions, in other words, they ‘soak up’ electronic emissions from communications, radars and other systems.

Continues at - https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/british ... 8cU0tXkcsg