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Icono said:
Huh. Erik Prince. You knobs know who he is?

Full interview here:

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Libertarian minded founder of Blackwater (one of the private defence contactor companies during the US war on terrorism). It's a good watch, a lot of good insight on the current state of things and historical examples to back them up. Took a few sit-downs to get thru all the different topics for me.
 

Ukraine ‘Corrupt At All Levels Of Society,’ Not Ready To Join E.U., Former European Commission President Says​

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Jean-Claude Juncker, the former president of the European Commission, slammed the idea of Ukraine joining the European Union, saying the country must root out the corruption that touches “all levels” of its society.

Juncker, who presided over the European Commission, a governing body within the E.U., from 2014 to 2019, told German outlet Augsburger Allgemeine that he was upset with some “voices in Europe” conveying to Ukraine that they could join the E.U. immediately. Juncker, who was also the prime minister of Luxembourg from 1995 to 2013, added that Ukraine is not ready to be admitted into the E.U., POLITICO reported.



“Anyone who has had anything to do with Ukraine knows that this is a country that is corrupt at all levels of society. Despite its efforts, it is not ready for accession; it needs massive internal reform processes,” the former European Commission president said.

“You shouldn’t make false promises to the people in Ukraine who are up to their necks in suffering,” Juncker added. “I am very angry about some voices in Europe who are telling Ukrainians that they can become members immediately.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has pushed for admittance into alliances such as NATO and the E.U. as Ukrainians continue to fight off the Russian invasion. The E.U. is reportedly set to begin talks in December about admitting Ukraine into the 27-country union after granting the country candidate status in June.

To be accepted into the E.U., Ukraine must meet seven conditions, including curbing the rampant corruption in the country, according to POLITICO. Rooting out corruption has posed challenges for Ukraine, however, even as foreign aid continues to flow into the country, including billions from American taxpayers. The Biden administration, with the support of a bipartisan coalition of U.S. lawmakers, is seeking to approve another aid package to the European country, but opposition to Ukraine funding is growing in Congress as polling shows Americans are growing wary of sending blank checks to the corrupt Ukrainian government.

Numerous top officials in Ukraine’s government stepped down earlier this year amidst allegations of corruption. Some of the departures and resignations included the deputy head of Ukraine’s Presidential Office Kyrylo Tymoshenko, Deputy Defense Minister Vyacheslav Shapovalov, and Deputy Prosecutor General Oleksiy Symonenko.

Then in August, Zelensky fired every single head of the country’s regional military enlistment offices over allegations of abuse of power, fraud, and corruption. Recent inspections revealed that military officials illegally obtained cash or cryptocurrency while others illegally transported people eligible for military service across the border. The inspection began in June after journalists uncovered that the former head of the Odesa Oblast military enlistment office purchased property in Spain worth $4.5 million, according to the Kyiv Independent.

The ongoing corruption in Ukraine reminds Juncker of bad decisions made by the E.U. in the past that he doesn’t want the union to repeat.

“We have had bad experiences with some so-called new members, for example when it comes to the rule of law,” he said. “This cannot be repeated again.
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From here:

www.dailywire.com

Ukraine ‘Corrupt At All Levels Of Society,’ Not Ready To Join E.U., Former European Commission President Says

Jean-Claude Juncker, the former president of the European Commission, slammed the idea of Ukraine joining the European Union, saying the country must root out the corruption that touches “all levels” of its society. Juncker, who presided over the European Commission, a governing body within...
www.dailywire.com www.dailywire.com
 
And speaking of corruption............


Democratic Representative Marcy Kaptur, a prominent champion for sending aid to Ukraine, serves as a Strategic Advisor to the U.S.-Ukraine Business Council, a lobbying group representing the interests of corporations including defense industry giants and the Ukrainian government.


Rep. Kaptur and the U.S.-Ukraine Business Council (USUBC) also have ties to Burisma, a controversial Ukrainian energy firm that paid President Joe Biden’s son Hunter received over $83,000 a month from to serve on its board. On the same day that Biden family business associate Devon Archer met with Rep. Kaptur’s office on behalf of his client Burisma in 2016, the USUBC held a joint event with Burisma focused on "Ukraine’s Energy Security Future.”


Burisma was also previously a member of the USUBC.


Conflict Of Interest.​


The USUBC, which describes itself as a "strong international voice for business in Ukraine now promoting U.S.-Ukraine business relations,” represents over 200 companies including leading defense firms such as Boeing, Raytheon, and Lockheed Martin. Many of these members, therefore, are direct beneficiaries of the multi-billion-dollar aid packages authorized by the White House for Ukraine.


Rep. Kaptur was one of 12 House lawmakers to press the White House to send Ukraine additional military aid, specifically F-16s. During recent debate over the potential passage of a Continuing Resolution, Rep. Kaptur also strongly advocated for including funds for Ukraine. In addition to being the co-founder and co-chair of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus, Rep. Kaptur is also the Ranking Member on the influential House Appropriations Subcommittee and serves on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense.


Rep. Kaptur is also one of the council’s 20 Strategic Advisors, which War Room previously exposed for coordinating op-eds in mainstream news outlets calling for more assistance to Ukraine – even slamming the prospect of negotiations as "damaging and counterproductive.” The authors repeatedly failed to disclose their affiliation with USUBC.


Rep. Kaptur, who has received the USUBC’s Distinguished Service Award, has a long track record of participating in events, webinars, and even visits to Ukraine on behalf of the council.
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There's more of the story here....

warroom.org

EXC: Democrat Congresswoman Demanding More Ukraine Aid Is A 'Strategic Advisor' To Lobbying Group Representing Defense Industry, Ukrainian Government, & Hunter Biden-Linked Burisma. - Stephen K Bannon's War Room

Democratic Rep. Mercy Kaptur, a prominent champion for sending more aid to Ukraine, serves as a Strategic Advisor to the U.S.-Ukraine Business Council, which represents the interests of defense companies and the Ukrainian government.
warroom.org warroom.org
 
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The weapons on both sides doing most damage are the drones. This is an art form of war there. Each side is getting their armor toasted by them. Israel will have a huge issue if Hamas or hezbollah starts using them.
 
MSN has become the second operator of the M1150 Assault Breacher Vehicle (ABV) in the world after the United States. The military received vehicles made on the basis of the Abrams tank, according to Defense Express.
The transfer was confirmed by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a video honoring and congratulating the defenders on the Day of Missile Forces and Artillery and the Engineering Troops Day.



As the media explained, there was no official announcement of the transfer, so the assault vehicles likely arrived in Ukraine along with Abrams tanks, no later than mid-October.

What is known about the M1150 ABV

The vehicle was designed for breaching minefields. It combines two systems: a traditional plow and a linear explosive charge launch system. Thanks to the explosives, it creates openings in minefields of approximately 100-150 meters at once.

"While the MICLIC has only charges and is based on the M113 armored personnel carrier, the M1150 ABV is a more multifunctional and significantly more protected machine. The latter allowed its use as a true assault tank to target enemy fortified positions," the media explains.

The United States has a relatively small number of these assault vehicles. According to the Military Balance data, the U.S. has only 149 units, although they ordered 187 units during the operation in Afghanistan for land forces.

"Therefore, it is a significant step for the U.S. despite the obvious shortage of such systems," the media adds.

The U.S. recently provided a new package of military assistance to Ukraine, which amounted to $425 million.
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the above article says "no official announcement" and yet, oddly enough, here is the defense department official announcement.

article and announcement both labeled the same day, so I guess I can cut the AI bot author some slack :rasta:


IMMEDIATE RELEASEFact Sheet on U.S. Security Assistance to UkraineNovember 3, 2023The United States has committed more than $44.8 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the beginning of the Biden Administration, including $44.2 billion since the beginning of Russia’s unprovoked and brutal invasion on February 24, 2022.Air Defense• One Patriot air defense battery and munitions;• 12 National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS) and munitions;• HAWK air defense systems and munitions;• AIM-7, RIM-7, and AIM-9M missiles for air defense;• More than 2,000 Stinger anti-aircraft missiles;• Avenger air defense systems;• VAMPIRE counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems (c-UAS) and munitions;• c-UAS gun trucks and ammunition;• mobile c-UAS laser-guided rocket systems;• Other c-UAS equipment;• Anti-aircraft guns and ammunition;• Equipment to integrate Western launchers, missiles, and radars with Ukraine’s systems;• Equipment to support and sustain Ukraine’s existing air defense capabilities; and• 21 air surveillance radars.Fires• 38 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems and ammunition;• Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bomb launchers and guided rockets;• 198 155mm Howitzers and more than 2,000,000 155mm artillery rounds;• More than 7,000 precision-guided 155mm artillery rounds;• More than 30,000 155mm rounds of Remote Anti-Armor Mine (RAAM) Systems;• 72 105mm Howitzers and more than 800,000 105mm artillery rounds;• 10,000 203mm artillery rounds;• More than 200,000 152mm artillery rounds;• Approximately 40,000 130mm artillery rounds; • 40,000 122mm artillery rounds;• 60,000 122mm GRAD rockets;• 47 120mm mortar systems;• 10 82mm mortar systems;• 112 81mm mortar systems;• 58 60mm mortar systems;• More than 400,000 mortar rounds;• More than 70 counter-artillery and counter-mortar radars; and• 20 multi-mission radars;Ground Maneuver• 31 Abrams tanks;• 45 T-72B tanks;• 186 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles;• Four Bradley Fire Support Team vehicles;• 189 Stryker Armored Personnel Carriers;• 300 M113 Armored Personnel Carriers;• 250 M1117 Armored Security Vehicles;• More than 500 Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles (MRAPs);• More than 2,000 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWVs);• More than 200 light tactical vehicles;• 300 armored medical treatment vehicles;• 80 trucks and 124 trailers to transport heavy equipment;• More than 600 tactical vehicles to tow and haul equipment;• 131 tactical vehicles to recover equipment;• 10 command post vehicles;• 30 ammunition support vehicles;• 18 armored bridging systems;• Eight logistics support vehicles and equipment;• 239 fuel tankers and 105 fuel trailers;• 58 water trailers;• Six armored utility trucks;• 125mm, 120mm, and 105mm tank ammunition;• More than 1,800,000 rounds of 25mm ammunition; and• Mine clearing equipment.Aircraft and Unmanned Aerial Systems• 20 Mi-17 helicopters;• Switchblade Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS);• Phoenix Ghost UAS;• CyberLux K8 UAS;• Altius-600 UAS;• Jump-20 UAS;• Hornet UAS• Puma UAS;• Scan Eagle UAS;• Penguin UAS;• Two radars for UAS;• High-speed Anti-radiation missiles (HARMs);• Precision aerial munitions;• More than 6,000 Zuni aircraft rockets;• More than 20,000 Hydra-70 aircraft rockets; and• Munitions for UAS.Anti-armor and Small Arms• More than 10,000 Javelin anti-armor systems;• More than 90,000 other anti-armor systems and munitions;• More than 8,000 Tube-Launched, Optically-Tracked, Wire-Guided (TOW) missiles;• More than 35,000 grenade launchers and small arms;• More than 400,000,000 rounds of small arms ammunition and grenades;• Laser-guided rocket systems and munitions;• Rocket launchers and ammunition; and• Anti-tank mines.Maritime• Two Harpoon coastal defense systems and anti-ship missiles;• 62 coastal and riverine patrol boats;• Unmanned Coastal Defense Vessels; and• Port and harbor security equipment.Other capabilities• M18A1 Claymore anti-personnel munitions;• C-4 explosives, demolition munitions, and demolition equipment for obstacle clearing;• Obstacle emplacement equipment;• Counter air defense capability;• More than 100,000 sets of body armor and helmets;• Tactical secure communications systems and support equipment;• Four satellite communications (SATCOM) antennas;• SATCOM terminals and services;• Electronic warfare (EW) and counter-EW equipment;• Commercial satellite imagery services;• Night vision devices, surveillance and thermal imagery systems, optics, and rangefinders;• Explosive ordnance disposal equipment and protective gear;• Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear protective equipment;• Medical supplies, including first aid kits, bandages, monitors, and other equipment;• Field equipment, cold weather gear, generators, and spare parts; and• Support for training, maintenance, and sustainment activities.The United States also continues to work with its Allies and partners to provide Ukraine with additional capabilities to defend itself
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formatting obviously looks better in the .pdf and i don't feel like adding many thousands of spaces above
 

Ukraine Situation Report: M1 Abrams-Based Mine Clearing Vehicle Appears In-Country​

Howard Altman
Fri, November 3, 2023 at 7:20 PM CDT·11 min read
15

927cdebb8f3ee1ae12c14f2ea5e559b6.jpg

The Marines didn't want them, but Ukraine will find good use for the Assault Beaching Vehicle
During a ceremony to celebrate the Day of Missile Forces and Artillery and Engineering Troops, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had a chance to observe a very unusual-looking armored vehicle.
Looking like a cross between a tank and a harvesting machine, the U.S.-made M1150 Assault Breacher Vehicle (ABV) will provide critical capabilities helping Ukrainian troops clear the hundreds of miles of dense mine fields the Russians have built up.


The U.S. Army describes the M1150 ABV as a “highly mobile and heavily armored minefield and complex obstacle breaching system. It consists of an M1A1 Abrams tank hull; a unique turret with two Linear Demolition Charge Systems (employing two Mine Clearing Line Charges [MICLIC] and rockets); a Lane Marking System [LMS]; Integrated Vision System; and a High Lift Adapter that interchangeably mounts a Full Width Mine Plow [FWMP] or a Combat Dozer Blade.”
How it arrived in Ukraine is not clear. There are no M1150s specifically noted on the list of items the Pentagon has provided Ukraine. It likely falls into the nebulous category of "mine clearing equipment" contained among the nearly $45 billion in security assistance provided to Ukraine by the Biden Administration.
The U.S. has shipped the first tranche of what will be 31 Abrams main battle tanks, of which this is a derivative, to Ukraine.
The Marines, under their previous commandant, began to divest their M1150s as part of the overall move away from armor and "larger, legacy systems."
"The M1150 Assault Breacher Vehicles (ABV) are being divested from the Marine Corps in an effort to accelerate modernization and realign 1st Combat Engineer Battalion's (1st CEB) capabilities," the 1st Marine Division said on its Facebook page in September 2020. "Yesterday, Marines with 1st CEB disembarked the ABV's from San Mateo as a part of Force Design 2030."
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news.yahoo.com

Ukraine Situation Report: M1 Abrams-Based Mine Clearing Vehicle Appears In-Country

Unwanted by U.S. Marines, the Assault Breaching Vehicle will give Ukraine one more way to clear vast mine fields set up by Russia.
news.yahoo.com news.yahoo.com
That's it for now. We'll update this story when there's more news to report about Ukraine.
Contact the author: [email protected]
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dfa9becdef41711035f977376e8a21eb.jpg

M1150 Armored Breaching Vehicles divested by the Marine Corps in 2020. (U.S. Marine Corps photos by Cpl. Jailine L. AliceaSantiago)
While the Marines don't want them anymore, the M1150s will come in very handy in Ukraine, where its counteroffensive has largely bogged down thanks in large measure to massive mine fields.
You can read more about what the M1150 can bring to the table in our deep dive here.
Before getting into the rest of the latest news from Ukraine, The War Zone readers can get caught up with our previous rolling coverage here.

The Latest​

On the battlefield, Ukraine continues to hold on to a small bridgehead it has made in the town of Krynky in occupied Kherson Oblast.
The troops, who have crossed the Dnipro River, appear to be holding on in the center of the town despite fierce Russian attempts to expel them, according to the Kremlin-connected Rybar Telegram channel.
“Over the past 24 hours, Russian troops have launched several attacks on the positions of the 35th Marine Brigade of the Ukrainian Navy in Krynky,” according to Rybar. “Currently, Ukrainian units hold several houses in the central part of the village.”
“It is difficult to squeeze out and clear the area due to the intensive work of artillery, mortars and drones along the area. The detachments of the 35th Brigade were supplied with a new batch of FPV drones, as well as Shark reconnaissance UAVs.”
The Russian Defense Ministry (MoD) said that "as a result of artillery fire assaults and pre-emptive actions of Russian troops, enemy attempts to land and gain a foothold on the left bank of the Dnipro River were thwarted."
The Ukrainian Defense Ministry did not specifically address the situation Friday.

Much of the rest of the front lines remain relatively stagnant, with Ukraine continuing to eke out small gains in the Verbove-Roboytne salient of Zaporizhzhia Oblast, while fighting off Russian attempts to advance around Avdiivka in Donetsk Oblast.
Here are some key takeaways from the latest Institute for the Study of War assessment:
  • Ukrainian forces recently advanced near Bakhmut and continued offensive operations in western Zaporizhia Oblast on November 2.
  • Russian forces conducted offensive operations along the Kupyansk-Svatove-Kreminna line, near Bakhmut, near Avdiivka, west and southwest of Donetsk City, in the western Donetsk-eastern Zaporizhia Oblast border area, and in western Zaporizhia Oblast and advanced in some areas.
  • Russian irregular forces are continuing to form new assault detachments and are incentivizing recruitment by offering recruits semi-independence from the Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD).

Zelensky on Friday fired Maj. Gen. Viktor Khorenko as head of Ukraine's special operations forces (SSO).
"Made a replacement in the command staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, appointing Colonel Serhii Lupanchuk as the new commander of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine," Zelensky said in his evening address, according to Ukrainian Pravda.
Lupanchuk "is an experienced officer, a combat officer, the right commander and a person who can give our Special Operations Forces more power," Zelensky said. "We are expecting new results."
Khorenko "will continue to carry out special tasks as part of Defense Intelligence of Ukraine GUR)," Zelensky said.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces have dropped more hints about a claimed new long-range land-attack missile, able to strike targets at 700 kilometers (435 miles).
The claims were made in a recent interview given by Brig. Gen. Serhiy Baranov, the head of the Main Directorate of Missile Forces and Artillery and Unmanned Systems of the General Staff of the Armed Forces. Baranov said the new weapon had already hit targets at this range but didn’t add whether or not this was in an operational context.
“There are already prototypes, tests are being conducted,” Baranov added, stating that the new missile is an entirely new design and that in the future, its capabilities will increase, both in terms of range and accuracy.

Baranov’s words were in response to a question about a previous statement from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who also spoke of a new weapon with a range of 700 kilometers.
While Zelensky didn’t make it clear if the weapon in question was a long-range drone or a missile, Baranov confirms it is a missile — either a cruise missile or a ballistic missile.
Most importantly, whatever the design, the existence of such a weapon, developed domestically, would allow Ukraine to strike targets deep within Russia, with greater destructive effect than long-range drones. A ballistic missile, in particular, would also be much harder to counter, although even a cruise missile presents air defense systems with a notable challenge.
The long-range air-launched Storm Shadow and SCALP-EG cruise missiles, as well as the more recently received Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) short-range ballistic missile are capable of hitting targets deep behind Russian lines, including in occupied Crimea.
Recently emerged (but undated) video showing the ATACMS in use by Ukraine, with a salvo launch of three missiles:
In its latest intelligence report on the conflict, the U.K. Ministry of Defense points to what it describes as “the relative sidelining of tactical air power” during recent operations in the south of Ukraine, especially the hard-fought battles around the city of Avdiivka, where Russia launched a major new offensive, with little to show for it, so far.
“Operations in recent weeks have seen the continuation of a trend which has been identified since early in the war: other factors being equal, the balance of land combat generally favors the defending force.”
“In the south, the Ukrainian advance remains relatively static between the two main lines of Russia’s well-prepared defensive positions. Around the Donbas town of Avdiivka, a large-scale Russian assault has floundered on strong Ukrainian defenses.”
“A major factor in this phenomenon has highly likely been the relative sidelining of tactical air power: both sides have maintained credible air defenses, preventing combat jets from providing effective air support for assaults.”
“Above all, the geographic size of the conflict has hampered the offensives: both sides have struggled to assemble uncommitted striking forces capable of a breakthrough because most of their mobilized troops are needed to hold the 1,200km [745-mile] line of contact.
The following video compilation, which includes some older as well as more recent footage, provides a good indication of the intensity of the fighting around Avdiivka. It apparently originates with the 2nd Mechanized Battalion of the Ukrainian Ground Forces and shows multiple Russian attacks, including involving armored formations, being fought off by the Ukrainian defenders.
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This photo below purports to show the aftermath of a Russian drone attack on the Ukrainian airbase at Kulbakino, in the southern Mykolaiv region. The wreckage shows three Ukrainian MiG-29 fighters (at least two of which were armed with R-27/AA-10 Alamo air-to-air missiles) that were reportedly destroyed by a Russian drone strike, likely using a Lancet loitering munition, in September.

The U.K. Ministry of Defense recently said that the Lancet — which it describes as a small one-way-attack uncrewed aerial system, or OWA UAV — “have highly likely been one of the most effective new capabilities that Russia has fielded in Ukraine” over the last year.

More loitering munitions appear to be headed to the Russian military.
According to Russian military bloggers, the Lancet is being joined by a smaller and cheaper version of the Lancet, known as Scalpel. Accounts on the Telegram messaging app claim that the first batch of these new loitering munitions is now ready for use in eastern Ukraine. The same accounts suggest that the Russian Armed Forces currently has a lack of Lancets, something that the delivery of the Scalpels is intended to help address.
Details of the latest U.S. assistance package of weapons and equipment for Ukraine were announced today. The package provides up to $125 million of arms and equipment authorized under previously directed drawdowns for Ukraine and is accompanied by an announcement from the Pentagon’s Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative on strengthening Ukraine’s air defenses, viewed as especially critical ahead of an expected Russian drone offensive.
Among others, the package includes: additional munitions for National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS) air defense systems, munitions for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), ammunition for 105mm and 155mm artillery, Javelin and AT-4 anti-armor systems, TOW anti-tank weapons, Claymore anti-personnel mines, small arms, and a dozen trucks.
Ukraine continues to document the destruction visited upon it by Russia following the launch of its full-scale invasion in February 2022.
One of the latest such exhibits is this railway car, said to have been targeted by Russian forces while it was being used in the evacuation from Irpin, in the Kyiv region, in March 2022. The shot-up railcar is now located at Mykhailivska Square in Old Kyiv.
A video uploaded to Telegram shows damaged and/or abandoned M2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles. These are said to be operated by the 47th Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Ground Forces, with the location said to be somewhere east of Stepove, in the Mykolaiv region of southern Ukraine.
A weapon less often seen in Ukrainian service is the Archer 155mm self-propelled howitzer, supplied by Sweden. This example is seen covered with Saab‘s Barracuda camouflage, which is designed to defeat “hostile sensors and target acquisition systems in all phases of the mission.”
Sweden pledged Kyiv eight Archer artillery systems, these consisting of a fully automated 155mm L52 gun-howitzer and an M151 Protector remote-controlled weapon station mounted on a modified 6×6 Volvo all-terrain chassis. The system also includes an ammunition resupply vehicle and a support vehicle, and the gun can fire BONUS submunitions and M982 Excalibur guided projectiles.
In a recent interview with the Economist, Valerii Zaluzhny, commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, provided some interesting insight on the conflict, especially regarding Ukrainian figures on Russian casualties and the Kremlin’s overall conduct in the campaign.
“Russia lost at least 150,000 people killed,” Zaluzhnyi remarked. “In any other country, such losses would have stopped the war. But not in Russia, where life is cheap. In this sense, Putin’s Russian Federation is truly an absolute anomaly. Even in former times, human lives in Russia were not valued as cheaply as they are now. For comparison, similar-scale losses in the Soviet-Finnish War forced even Stalin to stop and refuse to seize further territories. Putin continues to grind his citizens into minced meat without any sense, and they obediently go to slaughter.”
And finally, meet Combat Kitty, the latest Ukrainian comfort animal:
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For what’s worth the F-16 have arrived. Reports are they were seen being assembled. Ukraine can’t even get what fighters they have off the ground and into the combat arena. They’re all getting taken out. Ukraine is also running out of manpower of the younger generation.
 
Redrider said:
For what’s worth the F-16 have arrived. Reports are they were seen being assembled. Ukraine can’t even get what fighters they have off the ground and into the combat arena. They’re all getting taken out. Ukraine is also running out of manpower of the younger generation.
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The lines have stayed pretty consistent, which is what makes it so difficult to accept anything close to the numbers of casualties either side is claiming.

We've given Ukraine everything they've asked for, this is Carte Blanche support for east_beast I'm curious if we will hear when f16s have issues or losses.

I keep looking for stuff about the Abrams program to see what all use is happening. Pretty annoyed to read the above articles about the ABVs being used for parades and shit and not attempting mine clearing.

Keeping those things working is a big job
 
Provience said:
The lines have stayed pretty consistent, which is what makes it so difficult to accept anything close to the numbers of casualties either side is claiming.

We've given Ukraine everything they've asked for, this is Carte Blanche support for east_beast I'm curious if we will hear when f16s have issues or losses.

I keep looking for stuff about the Abrams program to see what all use is happening. Pretty annoyed to read the above articles about the ABVs being used for parades and shit and not attempting mine clearing.

Keeping those things working is a big job
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We've given Ukraine everything they've asked for short of a no fly zone. Even the stuff that were supposedly absolute red lines when first brought up end up getting shipped eventually. The average age of Ukrainian fighters at this point is mid-40s. They're literally running out of people to fight. The people who have been over there to help them train, etc. say it's hopeless. Now it's coming out that what everyone expected to happen is happening in that the corrupt political leaders are stealing everything that isn't nailed down seeing the writing on the wall. This is all going exactly like any rational person thought it would.
 
east_beast said:
We've given Ukraine everything they've asked for short of a no fly zone. Even the stuff that were supposedly absolute red lines when first brought up end up getting shipped eventually. The average age of Ukrainian fighters at this point is mid-40s. They're literally running out of people to fight. The people who have been over there to help them train, etc. say it's hopeless. Now it's coming out that what everyone expected to happen is happening in that the corrupt political leaders are stealing everything that isn't nailed down seeing the writing on the wall. This is all going exactly like any rational person thought it would.
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Yeah no surprises here it seems since it started.

For the average age stuff, when they activated their draft they called back retirees and such. There's a whole bunch of pensioners working now which makes it a bunch easier to raise the average age quickly. These guys are making up the senior officer corps, other old guys that didn't have decent military experience are taking in support roles. There isn't a bunch of old tankers or infantry dudes.

I'm far from sure about the meat grinder aspect of the war. Everybody seems to be claiming they have killed the enemy 3x over. No lines are changing. And there isn't much for large battlefield loss evidence.
 
Redrider said:
The weapons on both sides doing most damage are the drones. This is an art form of war there. Each side is getting their armor toasted by them. Israel will have a huge issue if Hamas or hezbollah starts using them.
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Drones have a temporary but limited usefulness as they are new. This isn't the article I saw yesterday, I think it was in my Military Times app fee. But as I have suspected regarding drones, and I quote the the Immortal - "If it flies it dies" and that pertains to drones. You cant stop a 6-inch artillery round, and they are very accurate, inexpensive and lethal.

www.theregister.com

US Army takes delivery of high-power counter-drone microwave

Look, in the sky - it's a, oh, never mind
www.theregister.com www.theregister.com
 
Provience said:
Yeah no surprises here it seems since it started.

For the average age stuff, when they activated their draft they called back retirees and such. There's a whole bunch of pensioners working now which makes it a bunch easier to raise the average age quickly. These guys are making up the senior officer corps, other old guys that didn't have decent military experience are taking in support roles. There isn't a bunch of old tankers or infantry dudes.

I'm far from sure about the meat grinder aspect of the war. Everybody seems to be claiming they have killed the enemy 3x over. No lines are changing. And there isn't much for large battlefield loss evidence.
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Listen to this if you have nearly three hours to kill. I've taken to listening to podcasts more than music. Used to almost always have music going on in the background, now it's usually some type of podcast.

Oops. The link would help.

 
east_beast said:
Listen to this if you have nearly three hours to kill. I've taken to listening to podcasts more than music. Used to almost always have music going on in the background, now it's usually some type of podcast.

Oops. The link would help.

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Don't think I have 3 hours to kill, judging by the picture it is a bleak thought stream or comment from some of the on the ground training forces?
 
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