TheOldGuy @TheOldGuy@qoto.org
I am a Democrat who supports Ukraine in their battle against The Russian Z fascist invaders.
I am a 72 year old Covid hermit who
lives on 10 acres in a sparsely populated area of the Ozarks. I heat with wood that is leftover by the lumber industry. When cutting oak for lumber only the trunk is used.
The largest town is population 2992. The county is 13k people scattered over 713 square miles.
Joined Dec 2022
A wounded soldier of the 🐉 47th Brigade saved his life by showing his military ID to a Ukrainian drone
🫡 A Bradley IFV arrived within an hour and successfully evacuated the wounded soldier
🇺🇸🇹🇼 The U.S. military plans a "Hellscape" to deter China from attacking Taiwan, — The Washington Post
The U.S. strategy, codenamed "Hellscape", hinges on quickly building and deploying thousands of new drones that would swarm the Taiwan Strait and keep China’s military busy until more help can arrive
⏺ As soon as China’s invasion fleet begins moving across the 100-mile waterway that separates China and Taiwan, the U.S. military would deploy thousands of unmanned submarines, unmanned surface ships and aerial drones to flood the area and give Taiwanese, U.S. and partner forces time to mount a full response
🇨🇳🇨🇳 Xi Jinping has called on China’s People’s Liberation Army to be ready to take Taiwan by force by 2027. The United States, together with regional partners, must ensure a Chinese invasion can’t succeed
🗣 Russia has started releasing female prison inmates to join the war in Ukraine, — The New York Times
⏺ Russia released a group of women from a prison in late May to join the fighting in Ukraine, according to two former inmates who maintain contact with those still there, potentially signaling a new phase in the Kremlin’s use of criminals in its war effort
They are offered a salary of $2,000 and a one-year contract. Among the specialties: a sapper, a combat medic, and a front-line radio operator. In only one of the prisons of St. Petersburg, 40 women out of 400 agreed to go to the front
🛩 The largest Russian channel regarding military aviation writes that two Su-57s were damaged at the Akhtubinsk airfield
📰 The second Su-57 received minor damage, which will be repaired on site. Regarding the first, the authorities will think it would be advisable to restore it
Of the three UAVs that attacked the airfield, all three reached their destination
Putin admits Crimea is not really part of Russia
CONTINUES…
I’m still very much of the view that this is one of the most important battles of the war and signals a turning point in its overall direction.
Russia failed to break Ukraine when it was probably at its weakest since the war started. Now it has broken itself trying to defeat Ukraine over the past nine months - when things have been touch and go at times - I hope, I think, Russia may have worn itself out. It’s just exhausted on the ground even while it makes small gains they don’t last like they did.
Add to that the mayhem and distrust of military purges and leadership changes - there’s no trust, no communication and no strategic thinking.
Slava Ukraini 🇺🇦!
From "The Analyst":
CHASIV YAR: UKRAINE HOLDS THE LINE
The focus over the last couple of day has suddenly shifted to what had become a very slow, grinding, expensive, Russian advance loosing large numbers of men for every dacha they took in the canal district east of the canal itself.
Most of these assaults were repelled by forces of the Kraken Regiment and lately, the International Legion.
Always controversial, international legions have been present in many wars over the last 100 years. Most famously the International brigade fought against the forces of Fascism
in the Spanish Civil War 1936-39, largely and perhaps ironically now, with the support of Russia.
These days they consist of technically private citizens who have retired from their own country’s military. Most are from the US, UK, France but there are many others. Usually their motivation is to do the right thing, and for many they find it difficult returning to civilian life. For most it’s about doing the right thing and being able to use the skills and knowledge they acquired in their career service. Legally they tread an often fine line - if it suits western governments to support such actions, they are fine, but they tread the line of being close to mercenaries. It is the cause and motivation that defines their acceptability. In this case they are widely admired and respected- not least by people like me too old to join them and lacking field combat experience.
The fact is that the international legion has such wide experience and knowledge they are one of Ukraine’s best military units.
One of their advantages is that the US and UK especially trust them with some of the most sophisticated equipment because they have the training to use it properly and have done so for most of their careers. From Marines and infantry to special forces they’re verging on an elite force. Your average Russian soldier isn’t going to want to find themselves up against this lot!
The International force counter attacked the Russians in the houses they had captured, clearing each set building by building, in a systematic and deliberate but highly coordinated way.
Small groups of four methodically eradicated the orcs from their positions until they were all eliminated.
The International forces are up against some really poorly trained Russians. One video shows how poor comms led an MTLB to drop of Russians right in the wrong place, panic and then try to drive back, only to literally run over and kill other troops following on behind.
The quality of the Ukrainian side against the poorly trained and largely miserable orc army, can be demonstrated by the fact Russia has approximately 80,000 troops on this sector of the front in total. Ukraine has around 15,000.
Yet again the Russians suffer from low levels of mechanised forces and poor equipment. Many units are literally meat-assault canon fodder designed to attrit Ukraine’s forces. The reality is they don’t even manage to do that.
The annoying aspect is that if Ukraine had the manpower and machinery Chasiv Yar would be a prime candidate for a major armoured counter attack - the Russians aren’t well fortified or equipped here. It pains me to lose such an opportunity but that’s the way things are.
The defence continues, the line holds.
Meanwhile in Kharkiv the Ukrainian forces are believed to have taken back the key village of Hilgade north of Liptsy. They’re also believed to have around 90% control of Vovchansk. Despite the Russians supposedly reinforcing their forces with more infantry, my understanding is that by being abe to fire into Russia the result has been that reserves are being wiped out in transit.
This whole operation is looking progressively worse for the Russians. They just don’t seem to understand that it’s a failure and they won’t withdraw. It’s almost like the reverse of some kind of mini-Stalingrad. Barred from retreat by a megalomaniac leader and yet certain defeat looming the longer they stay. CONTINUES…./
🇪🇺 According to the preliminary results of the elections, more far-right and conservative parties are entering the European Parliament.
🇩🇪 In Germany, Chancellor Olaf Scholz's party came in third place after the pro-Russian Alternative for Germany. The opposition Conservative Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union is in first place.
🇫🇷 In France, President Macron dissolved the parliament (National Assembly). This was due to the triumphant victory of Marine Le Pen's right-wing radical National Rally party. Macron's party received half as many votes, which led the far-right to demand the dissolution of the National Assembly. The elections are scheduled for June 30 and July 7.
🇦🇹 In Austria, the pro-Russian Freedom Party is the likely winner.
🇸🇰 In Slovakia, the Slovak opposition party Progressive Slovakia took first place in the elections, and the party of Prime Minister Robert Fico came in second.
🇬🇷 In Greece, the New Democracy movement of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis retained the lead.
🇪🇸 The opposition Popular Party wins in Spain.
The pro-Ukrainian European People's Party (EPP), which is the largest group in the European Parliament, is in the lead. It may win 180 out of 720 seats in the new parliament.
🪐 Subscribe to Live: Ukraine
Rest in Peace Vladyslav
“Just you and me. Just me...”
In May 2023, Viktoriya and Vladyslav got married and dreamed of celebrating their first wedding anniversary together. But on 29 November 2023, Vladyslav was killed in action in Donetsk Oblast.
In memory of her husband, Viktoriya took a photo on their anniversary. She took her most valuable possessions with her — including her husband's military fatigues and wedding jacket.
🪐 Subscribe to Live: Ukraine
🥇Ukrainian athletes Yaroslava Mahuchikh and Iryna Herashchenko took first and third place respectively at the European High Jump Championships. Mahuchikh cleared a height of 2.01 meters, while Iryna Herashchenko achieved a height of 1.95 meters.
📹: Eurovision Sport
"Russia has made many serious mistakes in this war, starting with the fact that it started it all, but the offensive in the Kharkov region is one of its worst.
Firstly, from a military point of view, this made no sense at all. This was an absolute waste of resources that distracted Russia from all of its goals and does not provide it with any long-term benefit.
Secondly, the operation was a complete failure and showed Russia weaker than at any time in the last year or more.
Thirdly, this offensive boosted the morale of the Ukrainian troops at a time when they were really having problems with it.
Fourth, Russia is doubling down on its idiocy by succumbing to the idea that if they invest even more resources here, they will be able to achieve their goals. But as I said earlier, these goals have no meaning or value. Even if they achieve them, it will still be a waste of resources. And they are now forced to transfer resources from other directions in order to aggravate their failure.
<...> This is all very stupid, and I hope Russia will continue to be so stupid."
Andrew Perpetua
Someone was complaining the Probation Dept. Was showing favoritism to Trump by letting him have a zoom meeting with Trump.. Remember all those stinkers Trump let loose in the courtroom? I would prefer a zoom meeting if I were a probation officer.
War correspondent is unhappy
🗣🇺🇦✈️ Total of 20 Ukrainian F-16 pilots are expected to graduate by the end of this year — half of the 40 needed to operate a full squadron of 20 jets, — Politico citing the former DOD official
⏺ The Biden administration has told Kyiv it lacks the school seats in its Arizona-based program to accept more than 12 pilot trainees at a time. Denmark will train 8 pilots by the end of the year. Eight new pilots are scheduled to begin training in Romania
To fully train the pilots of all 80+ F-16s that will be transferred to Ukraine, another year and a half is needed
I am a Democrat who supports Ukraine in their battle against The Russian Z fascist invaders.
I am a 72 year old Covid hermit who
lives on 10 acres in a sparsely populated area of the Ozarks. I heat with wood that is leftover by the lumber industry. When cutting oak for lumber only the trunk is used.
The largest town is population 2992. The county is 13k people scattered over 713 square miles.
Joined Dec 2022
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