TheOldGuy @TheOldGuy@qoto.org

https://open.substack.com/pub/robertreich/p/the-real-fix-for-social-security?r=70k1h&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

It will be difficult

https://joycevance.substack.com/p/what-if-trump-tries-to-steal-the?publication_id=607357&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=email-share&triggerShare=true&r=70k1h

https://open.substack.com/pub/thomhartmann/p/are-the-morbidly-rich-sabotaging-b9c?r=70k1h&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email

⚔️ Operational information as of 08.00 on 15.08.2024 regarding the Russian invasion

❗️ The main summary:

🔵 In total, 165 combat clashes were recorded during the past day.

🔵 According to detailed information, yesterday the enemy launched five missile strikes against the positions of Ukrainian units and populated areas using five missiles, as well as 58 airstrikes, in particular, dropping 71 anti-aircraft missiles. In addition, he carried out 4365 attacks, of which 135 were from rocket salvo systems.

🔥 Yesterday, the aviation and missile forces and artillery of the Defense Forces carried out nine strikes on the areas of concentration of personnel and anti-aircraft defense of the enemy and the command post, and also hit four artillery systems, an air defense vehicle, an ammunition warehouse and another important object of the occupiers.

🔵 In the Kharkiv direction, four combat clashes took place in the areas of the settlements of Vovchansk and Sotnytskyi Kozachok.

🔵 Nine enemy attacks took place in the Kupyan direction during the day. The defense forces repelled enemy assaults near Synkivka, Petropavlivka, and Berestovo.

🔵 The enemy attacked 15 times in the Lyman direction. He tried to advance near Nevsky, Terni and Makiivka.

🔵 In the Siverskyi direction, Ukrainian defenders repelled 25 assaults by Russian invaders near Beilohorivka, Verkhnyokamyansky, Pereizny, Spirny, and Vyimka.

🔵 In the Kramatorsk direction, the occupiers attacked five times near Chasovoy Yar and Andriivka.

🔵 In the Toretsk direction, the enemy, with the support of aviation, carried out 24 attacks in the areas of Severnoy, Nelipivka, Zalizny, New York and Toretsk.

🔵 In the Pokrovsky direction, our defenders stopped 58 assault and offensive actions of the aggressor towards the settlements of Vozdvizhenka, Elizavetivka, Grodivka, Orlivka, Mykolaivka, Zhelanne, Skuchne, Yasnobrodivka and Ptyche. The greatest concentration of enemy attacks was near Vozdvizhenka and Grodivka, the enemy actively used assault and bombing aircraft.

🔵 In the Kurakhiv direction, the Defense Forces repelled eight attacks near Krasnohorivka, Kostyantynivka, and Georgiivka.

🔵 In the Vremivsk direction, according to detailed information, the enemy carried out seven assaults on our positions near Vodyanyi and Vugledar.

🔵 In the Orihiv direction, the occupiers tried to knock out units of the Defense Forces from their positions in the areas of Mala Tokmachka and Novodanilivka - in total, they conducted three assaults.

🔵 In the Dnieper direction, Russian invaders attacked our positions seven times. They were repulsed and suffered losses.

Join the Defense Forces!
Together we will win!🇺🇦

StratCom of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in social networks

RUSSIA EXTENDS GASOLINE & DIESEL EXPORT BAN

The Russian government has extended the ban on petroleum and diesel exports, along with aviation fuel.
The later is said to be in chronically short supply. The effect of the shortage is said to be causing shortages at air bases and has curtailed Russian air operations.
With harvest time due, diesel is in very high demand and imports are now essential to maintain supply.
It’s ridiculous that Russia has 44 massive refineries and a shortage of basic fuels. Clearly the Ukrainian drone strikes have had a career impact than anyone in Russia wants to admit. The general public are kept in the dark about the state of refineries - all they see is rising prices and a desperate effort to hide the realities.

The Analyst: MilStratOnX

From ‘The Analyst’ (Military & Strategic) X: MilStratOnX

BAD DAY FOR RUSSIA

In military history it’s not uncommon for a surprise attack to have an agonising set of rolling failures follow. Shock to the defender who is unprepared leads to a scramble to defend against what may be overwhelming momentum, nothing is where it needs to be, commanders can’t get a grip. Morale plummets and soldiers retreat under pressure when they know they cannot win. Things seem pointless. No matter what command does, it just won’t come together.
The other day I mentioned the need for the Russians to redeploy well away from the operating front. If they are to get any grip they have to concede the one thing have that’s truly plentiful - territory. Only when they are ready should they then engage - that’s how they realised they could stop the Nazi invasion in 1941. Sacrifice whatever they had to and defend what mattered. Then turn the tide at a place of your own choosing. Moscow in 1941, stymied the Nazis. From that point the war was lost even though the invasion carried on as far as Stalingrad, which turned the tide completely. The Nazis last stand that could have possibly led to talks if they had won - and Stalin was willing - happened to be of all places, Kursk. In mid 1943 the biggest tank battle in history resulted in a cascading defeat Germany never recovered from.
I mention this because you would think with this much history behind them and so much devastation that occurred, the Russians would look back and think ‘we know how to do this, we’ve been here before’.
Yet no. They are making catastrophic mistakes - the same mistakes they made in 1941 and in 1914. In 1914 they had open channel radios. No codes. The Germans just listened in, just as the Ukrainians are 110 years later, because they still use open channel radios. It’s mind boggling in its incompetence.
Yesterday a Russian convoy of vehicles and soldiers was headed north away from the advancing Ukrainian forces in a headlong retreat, using a major road. A Russian Mi-28 attack helicopter swooped in and proudly videoed itself decimating the convoy, destroying its vehicles and killing half its conscript troops.
And they posted it on their propaganda channels at the Russian MOD because they didn’t even know what they’d done - declaring the destruction to be Ukrainian forces they’d stopped.
Added to this is the innovation and imagination of Ukrainian forces. Using a simple deception tactic, they used the telephone to call Russian authorities in their path and, posing as Moscow or Kursk officials, ordered widespread evacuations.
This lead to panic and Russians fleeing in their cars - ordered to use both lanes of major roads to escape. This caused traffic mayhem and blocked up the roads the Russians needed to get close to the ‘front’ if it can be called that in such a mobile situation. Added to that the Ukrainians send lightly armoured units well ahead, this sows panic and they engage any forward troops they encounter often before they can deploy. A fire fight ensues and the Ukrainians call in supporting forces of drones and if possible ground and air strikes. The stunned Russians most often turn and run or surrender, having no command and no guidance as to what to do.
The stupidity of the regime goes even further, with TV broadcasting live troop movements on camera in easily identifiable places. The regime wants people to see it’s doing something while completely undermining any sense of operational security. HIMARS strikes are known to have completely destroyed at least one convoy. Images of dead and injured soldiers along with burned out vehicles were then live posted on telegram by escaping civilians.
Yet again the Russians were only too ready to send in Chechen Akhmat units to act as barrier troops to stop Russians retreating. As soon as the Chechens found the Ukrainians they fled and Ukraine captured several.
The Russians are also getting desperate - they’re using Iskander SRBM’s to hit moving targets and missing by a mile, and wondering why. CONTINUES…

CONTINUES..
The northern Ukrainian flank seems to be aiming for a major river line that would act as a stabilising defensive position, behind which they can dig in. Some of the charities that have funded diggers for Ukraine have seen them deployed in the region, suggesting defences are being readied in captured areas.
It’s not all gone the Ukrainians way. At least one advance group was badly mauled by Lancett-3 drones although most of the troops survived they lost their vehicles.
The Ukrainians managed to conduct a pincer movement to capture the remains of the key town of Sudzha - they had taken up to the river but crossed it north and south and captured the Russians by encircling them.
We know too, that Russian forces have seen the Ukrainians 30km deep into the south and west of the front. There remains no word on the Kolomikivka situation which is of concern in the wider scheme of things - it may only have been a distraction attack which is starting to make the Kursk offensive look like a negotiating tactic and nuisance.
I pray this is not the case. The Kursk salient they are occupying cannot expand indefinitely- Ukraine would never be able to defend it. The speed of advance and the constant pressure on the Russians is its greatest strength. As long as that can be sustained- because as soon as it stops the game changes dramatically. So this has to be turned south at some point, it has to start to threaten the northern front and the Kharkiv incursion at the very least and have a deeper purpose, surely? It can’t be as shallow as a simple land grab for negotiations?
Putin is a man mired in the ‘sunk return fallacy’. He has doubled and tripled down on this war he started even though the cost in men, material and treasure is driving his country to its doom.
As the fallacy implies, the effort is still made, the resources still ploughed in, even though it would be wiser, cheaper and easier to stop the whole thing and admit it’s a failure. He cannot, the expense to obtain victory is sinking his ship of state and there’s no getting the investment back. Putting in more will change nothing but he will persist anyway. If Ukraine can’t see that just taking Russian land won’t make him negotiate they too have their own problem.
This offensive has to be more than it looks right now. If it’s not, then I fear for its ultimate survival and value. I still worry this is a lot of short term joy for long term pain.
It could as I said at the start of it, be a massive folly, I prey it is not. We must not get carried away with the delight of seeing Russia humiliated and confused as flags are torn from admin buildings. This must serve a wider purpose and contribute significantly to victory.
Right now it goes well. Long may it continue.

‘The Analyst’ MilStratOnX
Slava Ukraini 🇺🇦!

RUSSIAN AIR BASES HAMMERED BY DRONES

Savaslieka air base was pretty much destroyed by a drone attack. These slow moving and quite large drones manage to fly huge distances and clearly have some kind of terminal image recognition system to hit their specified targets so accurately. They are often a seen manoeuvring into position. Mig-31’s are believed to have been destroyed and several damaged. One airfield is believed to have housed Mig-31K variants that carry Kinzhals to altitude. The destruction can be seen in this pre-post video.
The Russians claim they shoot down almost everything but they clearly don’t come close to doing so. The’ve even admitted the Pantsir systems are inadequate and have developed a smaller faster missile to attack drones. However it’s still limited by the system itself which can only sweep upwards 90 degrees and around 45 degrees of centre, let alone its reload time.
They have nothing like the Gepard which has proven to have a new lease of life in the anti drone role, and they certainly have nothing like the awesome Skynex system with its time detonator shells designed to fell multiple incoming.
The airfield destruction is particularly impressive and useful. The Russians are really feeling the consequences of the war in this aspect. Aviation is being steadily pushed back. Even more so as it was confirmed yesterday another Su-34 was downed by anti-air missiles. The Russians must be getting desperate as they used it in a close support role - something they rarely do these days.

‘The Analyst’ MilStratOnX
Slava Ukraine 🇺🇦!

🔥Moment of impact when the Russian Tu-22M3 strategic bomber crashed in the Cheremkhiv district of the Irkutsk region in russia.

There is not yet any information about the crew's condition.

The circumstances are not yet known.

Updates:

- The plane crashed 100 meters from the federal highway R-255.

- Local residents claim that they saw three parachutes, while there could have been four crew members on the plane. The fate of the crew is unknown.

- The plane crashed at approximately 22:11 local time.

After this, I can't believe any patriotic American would vote for him

https://www.palmerreport.com/analysis/donald-trumps-new-medal-of-honor-meltdown-is-one-of-his-most-disgustingly-cringe-worthy-yet/57741/

Good morning Resisters around the world.

"Putin is a bastard!"

A Russian elderly lady thanks a Ukrainian Warrior in Russia's Kursk region. The woman says she was abandoned in the village and had nothing to eat, but the Ukrainian military provided her with food.

After the events in Kursk region, it turned out that some locals understand and speak Ukrainian well.

For 2.5 years, Russia has been demanding that Ukraine recognise the “new territorial realities.” For some reason, they suddenly stopped saying this last week 🤷‍♂️

⚔️ Operational information as of 08.00 on 15.08.2024 regarding the Russian invasion

❗️ The main summary:

🔵 In total, 165 combat clashes were recorded during the past day.

🔵 According to detailed information, yesterday the enemy launched five missile strikes against the positions of Ukrainian units and populated areas using five missiles, as well as 58 airstrikes, in particular, dropping 71 anti-aircraft missiles. In addition, he carried out 4365 attacks, of which 135 were from rocket salvo systems.

🔥 Yesterday, the aviation and missile forces and artillery of the Defense Forces carried out nine strikes on the areas of concentration of personnel and anti-aircraft defense of the enemy and the command post, and also hit four artillery systems, an air defense vehicle, an ammunition warehouse and another important object of the occupiers.

🔵 In the Kharkiv direction, four combat clashes took place in the areas of the settlements of Vovchansk and Sotnytskyi Kozachok.

🔵 Nine enemy attacks took place in the Kupyan direction during the day. The defense forces repelled enemy assaults near Synkivka, Petropavlivka, and Berestovo.

🔵 The enemy attacked 15 times in the Lyman direction. He tried to advance near Nevsky, Terni and Makiivka.

🔵 In the Siverskyi direction, Ukrainian defenders repelled 25 assaults by Russian invaders near Beilohorivka, Verkhnyokamyansky, Pereizny, Spirny, and Vyimka.

🔵 In the Kramatorsk direction, the occupiers attacked five times near Chasovoy Yar and Andriivka.

🔵 In the Toretsk direction, the enemy, with the support of aviation, carried out 24 attacks in the areas of Severnoy, Nelipivka, Zalizny, New York and Toretsk.

🔵 In the Pokrovsky direction, our defenders stopped 58 assault and offensive actions of the aggressor towards the settlements of Vozdvizhenka, Elizavetivka, Grodivka, Orlivka, Mykolaivka, Zhelanne, Skuchne, Yasnobrodivka and Ptyche. The greatest concentration of enemy attacks was near Vozdvizhenka and Grodivka, the enemy actively used assault and bombing aircraft.

🔵 In the Kurakhiv direction, the Defense Forces repelled eight attacks near Krasnohorivka, Kostyantynivka, and Georgiivka.

🔵 In the Vremivsk direction, according to detailed information, the enemy carried out seven assaults on our positions near Vodyanyi and Vugledar.

🔵 In the Orihiv direction, the occupiers tried to knock out units of the Defense Forces from their positions in the areas of Mala Tokmachka and Novodanilivka - in total, they conducted three assaults.

🔵 In the Dnieper direction, Russian invaders attacked our positions seven times. They were repulsed and suffered losses.

Join the Defense Forces!
Together we will win!🇺🇦

StratCom of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in social networks

On the eve of the Polish Armed Forces Day, President Andrzej Duda honored 14,000 Ukrainian People’s Republic soldiers who fought alongside Poland against the Soviet Red Army in 1920.

🪐 Subscribe to Live: Ukraine

Ukrainian soldiers from the 3rd Assault Brigade saved a 900-year-old Polovtsian statue near the frontlines in Donetsk.

Amid artillery fire and under the watchful eyes of Russian drones, they managed to evacuate the statue to the Dnipro Historical Museum.

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🇩🇪German general says he "fully understands" why Ukraine started advancing in Kursk Oblast

German Major General Christian Freuding, head of the Bundeswehr's Situation Center Ukraine at the German Ministry of Defence, has praised the decision of Ukrainian forces to launch an offensive on the Russian border.

"Wherever a military leader has the opportunity to take the initiative, he should use it. According to my impressions and conversations, the Ukrainians are well aware of the risk they are taking, but if this operation is successful, there could be a significant impetus," he added.

The Bundeswehr major general said that Ukraine has deployed four brigades (4,000 to 6,000 troops) for the offensive, with 2,000 to 4,000 soldiers supporting them from Ukrainian territory through logistics and air defence.

"The depth of the occupied territory is about 30 kilometres, and the width is about 65 kilometres. We estimate the total area where Ukrainian forces are operating - not controlling but operating - at about 1,000 square kilometres. This is interesting because it is approximately the territory that Ukrainian forces have lost to Russian forces since the beginning of the year," Freuding said.

He added that Russia has tried to counter the Ukrainian attack with infantry, armoured vehicles and special forces, as well as massive artillery shelling and airstrikes, "but it has not been successful so far".

The general estimates that Ukraine has captured "a large three-digit, if not four-digit, number of prisoners of war" of the Russians.
Freuding says that the goals of the operation in Kursk may include easing Russian pressure on the front lines in Ukraine, a psychological effect "if the war is moved deeper into Russia", and the possible use of the captured territory for negotiations.

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@Waitnwallflower Better than a joke. A skateboarding dog

https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/3895540-media-show-images-of-borisoglebsk-and-savasleyka-air-bases-after-ukrainian-drone-attack.html?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email