NATO - The Ukraine

[Pelican]

Russia Sends 100-Year-Old Kommuna Salvage Ship to Recover Parts of the Moskva

Russia has launched an investigation and salvage mission to the recently sunk Russian flagship, the Moskva. The Russian Navy has reportedly sent their 100-year-old salvage ship named the “Kommuna” to recover some of the equipment that may still be functional from the Moskva from under the Black Sea waters. The Kommuna is part of an 8-unit salvage fleet sent to the wreckage. The Moskva lies about 80 miles off the coast of Crimea in less than 200 feet of water.

According to Ukrainian accounts of the attack, the Moskva, which was recently assigned to its “Special Underwater Operation,” was sunk by two Neptune anti-ship missiles last April 14th. However, the Russians, who have been trying to save face from the incident, have claimed that a “fire” had started on board that resulted in a cook-off due to ammunition that would cripple the Moskva. She would then be taken under tow and then sink in rough weather.

Short photos and videos of the Moskva being badly damaged and on fire had emerged on social media platforms last week. In these photos, the Russian guided-missile cruiser was seen to have holes and puncture marks on its port side. These holes had large plumes of black smoke rising from the ship. According to military analysts, all photographic and video evidence is consistent with an anti-ship cruise missile attack.

Continues at - https://sofrep.com/news/russia-sends-10 ... _HXnk24R90

[Pelican]

Trained Russian Navy Dolphins are Protecting Black Sea Naval Base, Satellite Photos Show

Russia has deployed trained dolphins during its invasion of Ukraine to protect a Black Sea naval base, USNI News has learned.

The Russian Navy has placed two dolphin pens at the entrance to Sevastopol harbor, sheltered just inside a sea wall. The pens were moved there in February, around the time of the invasion of Ukraine, according to a review of satellite imagery.

Sevastopol is the Russian Navy’s most significant naval base in the Black Sea. The dolphins may be tasked with counter-diver operations — a traditional role both the U.S. and Russia have trained marine mammals for. This could prevent Ukrainian special operations forces from infiltrating the harbor underwater to sabotage warships.

Inside the port, many high-value Russian Navy ships are arranged out of range of Ukrainian missiles but vulnerable to undersea sabotage, according to satellite photos. During the Cold War the Soviet Navy developed several marine mammal programs, including dolphin training in the Black Sea. The unit was based at Kazachya Bukhta near Sevastopol, where it still is today.

With the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the unit transitioned to the Ukrainian military. Although there were attempts to keep it operational, it barely stayed open. With Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea, the unit came under Russian Navy control. Subsequently, the marine mammal programs have been expanded and returned to operational service.

Continues, with photos, at - https://news.usni.org/2022/04/27/traine ... oiqFXQO-SA

[Pelican]

UKRAINIAN TRACTORS

There has been a lot of news about tractors in the current war.
See - https://twitter.com/PfeifferCarsten/sta ... 3996874753
And attached.

"With all that various military equipment being donated and sent to Ukraine, there is one particular type of equipment that could potentially make a far bigger difference to the Ukrainian's advantage.
John Deere should develop a modern version of their World War II vintage 'War Tractor' and donate them to the Ukrainian farmers! They could and would certainly make good use of them."

[Pelican]

Six reasons why Ukraine is winning the war against Russia

Ukraine is winning and will win the war against Russia. The many problems afflicting the Russian army point to the failure of the just launched Donbas offensive.
Before Russia’s invasion, most Western experts held the same optimistic view as that of the Kremlin that Ukraine would quickly surrender and the capital city of Kyiv would fall within two days. They were proven wrong and many have egg on their faces.

The first factor is corruption. Although corruption in Ukraine is a regular feature in Western media it pales in comparison to that found in the kleptocratic, mafia state Putin has created over more than two decades in power.
The second factor is that Ukrainian officers have been trained in NATO military academies for over two decades since Ukraine joined the Partnership for Peace Programme (PfP) in 1994.
The third factor is Ukrainians have prevented Russia from dominating the air. Turkey has trained Ukrainians in the operation of Bayraktar drones.
The fourth factor is special forces. Ukraine’s military and SBU Security Service) special forces have been trained to NATO standards and equipped with state of the art equipment. This training has been augmented by eight years of experience fighting against Russian forces using different forms of hybrid warfare in eastern Ukraine. Ukrainian special forces and marines continue to hold the port of Mariupol.
The fifth factor is Ukraine, with decades of experience in cybernetics (important for Soviet nuclear weapons) and a large IT sector, has excelled at intercepting Russian military communications which have been exceptionally poor, sometimes relying on mobile phones. The SBU, military intelligence and volunteers hack Russian military communications and the intelligence is used to plan attacks. Ukrainian intelligence is augmented with intelligence provided by NATO and US satellites.
The sixth factor is NATO’s training and Ukraine’s democratisation has instilled a respect for soldiers that has never existed in the Soviet and Russian armies. Ukrainian morale is high. Russian soldiers are unsure why they are fighting in Ukraine, leading to low morale and criminality, such as widespread looting.

For details see - https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/six-rea ... mgOJAy2TDw

LASTEST - Biden announces $33bn to help Ukraine in war - See - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-61260511

[greendragon]

Stiff resistance - or better some counter offensive is the most required factor to keep Ukraine upper hand over the Russia.
Paired with economic sanction would (might be) force Russia to sit at a diplomatic table.
I do not expect Ukraine to agree on any new form of annexation of Ukraine , "corridors" etc.
They would be right and the cost the nation and state pay now in the war in citizens killed and economy destroyed is so high that a lot of Ukrainians would ask " was it worth it?" if any option the Russian gaining something would win.
USofA is pretty clear with its latest decision of unprecedented aid (military and civilian) to Ukraine.
I can see it a little bit like a message to Russians - "try me".
The worst scenario we know but even much worse would be step back and agree on Russian demands.
Some considered Putin very clever and smart politician but actually like most of the dictators he has made a huge mistakes.
One of them is that two Nordic countries are due to join NATO. So in attempt to turn down the NATO possible presence in Ukraine he will face 1500km additional frontier with the Alliance. Really this was not his aim and thus put him on the position of arrogant dictator.
He thought the Nordic folks would be so scared that they would sit numb . If they have been scared it has turned out in direction of seeking safety behind the NATO shield as the member.

Cutting gas supply to Poland is another stupid decision.
Poland for years ("we know what might be expected from Russia") worked on finishing supplies&delivery of gas, oil and coal from Russia.
A huge storage for gas were built, a gas port at Swinoujscie is operational and delivery of gas from Norway by a pipe is expected in Autumn.
Poland also heralded that at the end of this year no new contract on gas would be signed with Russia.
So what Putin wished to get with gas supply cut to Poland is only his knowledge.
I believe this is sort of his personal hate to Poland as he expressed this many times.

Just heard on radio Poland delivered to Ukraine 200ea T72s and number of AFVs plus other stuff worth 1.5 billion USD.

My folks who have created for our own use popular saying "the Pole is getting wise after harm has been done" this time predicted very well what would be Russian actions on economic field .
"We know them better and would never trust them".
The Germans on their way of patting Putin in naïve attempt to make them civilized European country apparently made grave mistake.
To touch the Brits - I am always happy hearing that the UK and your PM maintain firm stand on supporting Ukraine .
Apparently PM Johnston follows this bright leading light as created by PM Churchill in war against Nazism.
Good man he is.

gd

[greendragon]

We do not know in details as NATO/US intelligence sources know being in close cooperation with the UKR military but there are scarce information of Russian's second echelons and supply lines being struck by the UKR forces.
This is as important part of land combat as forward troops actions are and us such is important part of the NATO doctrine.
That is why variety of the missiles with the range of couple of hundreds kilometers have been designed by the leading NATO countries.
Without capabilities in quantity of striking Russian army well beyond ranges of artillery it will be hard to make them being really affected and planned operations spoiled.
Opposite to this the Russians do it against the Ukrainians at will.
Anyway, I believe the UKR command levels are experienced enough and know what they do within their capabilities.

A morale factor.
It should be known that fight against the Ukrainians has been risky in the aspect of their morale and in general "national character".
Mislead by brownoser's intelligence advisors Putin has started the war against them being sure it would be a nice short walk.
In fact Ukrainian state and its citizens since 2014 changed and their nation/state conscious has became hard.
Anyway the point is that Ukrainians being descendants of Cossacks in opinion of their neighbors like the Polish folks - we know them and have been living with them together on the same territories for hundreds of years - are pretty tough and in combat pretty much like die hard soldiers .
In past the Tzar's crack forces cavalry used to be sort of ruthless units in for example in fight against the Polish XIXC upraisings and in WW2 the best Soviet troops are said consisted of those who were drafted from Ukraine.
With their past time best combat traditions -some surrendered like this 1100 of aUKR Marine Bde who actually were run out of ammunition&supplies - many consciously choose to fight even to bitter end.

gd


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[Pelican]

Salvaging Moskva: Russia Deploys Its 100-Year Old Warship To Recover What It Can From Sunk Missile Cruiser — Reports

A 110-year-old Russian Navy rescue vessel named Kommuna, which was commissioned in 1915 is most likely taking part in the effort to salvage the wreckage of at least some equipment of the sunk flagship Moskva in the Black Sea.

Meet Panzerhaubitze 2000 – The “Heavy-Duty Monster” That Ukraine Could Get To Battle Invading Russian Forces
Moskva was seriously damaged in mid-April after being hit by Ukrainian Neptune shore-based anti-ship cruise missiles. The vessel then caught fire, necessitating a full-crew evacuation.

The flagship of Russia’s Black Sea fleet had been spearheading Moscow’s naval campaign in Ukraine for two months, serving as a crucial component in the siege of Mariupol’s port city.

According to HI Sutton, a submarine warfare expert, the Russian military is undertaking a salvage operation in the location where the cruiser Moskva sank, based on satellite picture analysis. The Kommuna, the world’s oldest operational navy ship, is one of the vehicles involved in the salvage effort.

Continues with other short reports and photos at - https://eurasiantimes.com/salvaging-mos ... cover/?amp

Link from Tim.

[Pelican]

Morale

Another aspect is conscripts v volunteers - See - https://fandom-grammar.livejournal.com/111651.html

[Pelican]

Brimstone Precision-Guided Missiles Are Headed To Ukraine Within Weeks

The missiles can be used to engage targets at sea and on land and are the latest British-supplied advanced weapons for Ukraine.
The United Kingdom has confirmed that it’s sending Brimstone precision-guided missiles to Ukraine, as part of a steadily expanding supply of weapons the country is providing to help resist the Russian invasion, which is now in its 64th day. Interestingly, accounts from British officials and media are currently at odds as to whether the missiles being supplied are intended as anti-ship weapons, for attacking ground targets, or perhaps even both. The Brimstone, produced by pan-European missile manufacturer MBDA, is available in air-launched and ground-launched versions and has also been offered in ship-based form.
What we do know is that a British government official, James Heappey, the U.K.’s armed forces minister, has confirmed that “hundreds” of Brimstone missiles will be sent to Ukraine, where the first examples should arrive in the “next few weeks.”

Continues, including photos and videos, at - https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/b ... thin-weeks

[Pelican]

Russian TV debating how long take a Russian nuke to strike London. Answer? About the same time it would take a UK Trident 2 D5 to strike Moscow. So, Russia, unless you are planning to commit nuclear suicide stop over Ukraine stop your nuke rattling. ALSO, our nukes work.

See - https://twitter.com/FrencLindley/status ... 1352150018 - and Tweets that followed.