Russia's Invasion of Ukraine - Consolidated Thread

[ExquisiteGerbil]

“We will bring Ukraine to its knees”: Russia launches all-out counter-offensive – All weapons depots opened – Large movement of Belarusian forces

Ukrainians are desperate for ATACMS missiles

11/10/2022 - 22:21 in Main topics , Ukraine

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“We will bring Ukraine to its knees”: Russia launches all-out counter-offensive – All weapons depots opened – Large movement of Belarusian forces


The developments in Ukraine are predicted to be rapid as Russian military sources said a little while ago that "In five days from today we will be able to launch a generalized counter-attack against the Ukrainian forces when the reserves reach the front line".



For his part, the head of the Belarusian KGB stated that in the next period of time he can judge the war "if everything is done correctly and as it should be". This phrase indicates that Belarus will be actively involved.



In this context, Russia is transferring large aid to Ukraine while also using Belarus' weapons depots. Minsk sends weapons day and night to Russia.



The first two videos you can see show large movements of tanks and armored personnel from the 47th Guards Armored Division. Military sources speak of 100 tanks, armored BMPs to Svatovo.



The third video shows movement of modern T-90M tanks. Russia has taken out of the warehouses what it has.



Watch the videos



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Transfer of weapons systems from Belarus to Russia

At the same time, the Ministry of Defense of Belarus opened the weapons warehouses and started the transfer of weapons systems to Russia.



According to videos, Belarus sent several trains of tanks, ammunition and anti-aircraft systems to Russia.



A train from Minsk carried at least 30 tanks, mostly T-72A, 28 Ural trucks. Another train carried 2x UAZ and 5x MAZ trucks as well as five Tor-M2 anti-aircraft systems.



Major troop movements were detected by the 38th Guards Airborne Brigade at Brest.



Watch videos of Belarusian troop movements



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The EDs of Belarus were placed in a state of war readiness

It is worth noting that the General Assembly of Belarus issued an order for a general inspection of the Army in order to increase combat readiness



At the same time, the Ministry of Internal Affairs released videos of the exercises in Yelsk in the Homel region. The scenario of the exercise was dealing with sabotage by a terrorist group wearing yellow insignia like Ukraine.



Belarus said today that the joint military strike force of Russian and Belarusian troops is purely defensive, as Minsk accused Kyiv of preparing an attack, fueling fears of a direct intervention in the conflict in Ukraine.



"The objectives of the union of regional powers are purely defensive. And all the operations, which are being carried out at the moment, are aimed at adopting an appropriate reaction to the actions taking place near our borders" , explained Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Chrenin, according to a statement from his ministry.



He clarified that this force is expected to ensure the security of the borders of Russia and Belarus. Yesterday, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said he had agreed with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on the deployment of this joint military formation, without saying exactly where it would be deployed and what its scope would be.



He accused Ukraine and its allies Poland and Lithuania of preparing "terrorist acts" and a military "insurgency" in Belarus by training "radical" Belarusian fighters to overthrow the government. Minsk denies, however, that it is considering sending its army, which is much smaller than Moscow's, to fight in Ukraine alongside the Russians.


The most critical period between November 2022 and February 2023

The head of the state security of Belarus said that the hostilities will enter a very critical phase if the Russian Federation carries out a high-quality mobilization.



The period November 2022 – February 2023 can be a critical turning point in the special operation in Ukraine. The hostilities will enter an important phase if Russia carries out qualitative mobilization and provides the army with advanced weapons and technical equipment.



According to our estimates, there will be an inflection point between November this year and February 2023.



On October 10, the president of Belarus said that the leadership of NATO and some European countries are considering options for a possible attack on Belarus, up to a nuclear strike.



According to him, Russia and Belarus are starting to use a joint regional group of troops in connection with the worsening of the situation on the western border of Belarus.



Watch videos of Russian soldiers training



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Ukrainians are desperate for ATACMS missiles

Ukraine is asking the US to supply new types of weapons, including Atacms tactical ballistic missiles and fourth-generation F-15 and F-16 fighters.



This was reported by Foreign Policy magazine, citing a letter from Ukrainians to the US after the barrage of missile attacks.



The document shows that Ukraine is asking the administration of US President Biden to "abdicate restraint" and supply Atacms missiles capable of hitting targets at a distance of 322 kilometers.



The United States should also, as a matter of priority, supply NASAMS anti-aircraft systems to Ukraine.



In addition, they are asking Washington for MQ-1C Gray Eagle unmanned aerial vehicles and F-15 and F-16 fighter jets.



Videos at link  - Article translated from Russian

[ExquisiteGerbil]

[ExquisiteGerbil]

Minsk - Embassies evacuated and foreign nationals leaving - Belarusian BM-27 Uragan on border with Ukraine

Russia begins nuclear umbrella operation

16/10/2022 - 19:11 in Main topics , Ukraine

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Shock and Awe coming to Kyiv: 6 MiG-31 with Kinzhal in Minsk - Embassies evacuated and foreign nationals leaving - Belarusian BM-27 Uragan on border with Ukraine


China, Egypt, Serbia, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan issued emergency statements calling for their nationals to leave Kyiv immediately and to leave Ukraine in general as Russia's shock and awe operation is expected. Their embassies are closing.



It is of great importance that friendly and allied countries with Russia have asked for the immediate evacuation of their embassies and the departure of their citizens.



The messages for Kyiv are extremely ominous: A pack of six MiG-31s ​​capable of carrying hypersonic Kinzhal missiles recently landed in Belarus for the first time. Last time, mainly Su-30 and Su-35 fighters had landed. The pilots circled for 20-30 minutes before landing at the airport.



At the same time, a Belarusian phalanx with a BM-27 Uragan MLRS system was detected just 10 km from the border with Ukraine



The first 9,000 Russian reservists arrived in the Gomel area to join the force of 70,000 Belarusians announced by A. Lukashenko.



The most significant indicator of Minsk's deep military involvement is the triangle and number "2" insignia now worn by Belarusian forces.



Belarusians will enter Ukraine….








Video: Movement of Belarusian tanks to Russia.



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Embassies are being evacuated and foreign nationals are hastily leaving

A number of countries are calling on their citizens to leave Ukraine immediately while embassies are being evacuated.



China's foreign ministry has called on its citizens to leave Ukraine. According to the Global Times newspaper, China's foreign ministry and embassy have urged Chinese citizens in Ukraine to "leave the country"



The newspaper specifically states that "the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs today issued a renewed Travel Warning calling on all Chinese citizens currently in Ukraine to leave immediately due to the 'serious security situation.'



The Chinese embassy will help organize the evacuation of people in need."



Similar warnings were issued by Egypt, Serbia, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan.



Serbia has announced the immediate closure of its embassy in Kiev, in order to protect its diplomatic officials as it says.



Kazakhstan's foreign ministry also said its embassy in Kyiv would be evacuated and possibly moved elsewhere in the coming days.



The Egyptian Embassy in Kyiv urged all citizens to leave Ukraine "as soon as possible," the country's media reported, adding:



"In an "important advice" the embassy proceeded which urged the members of the Egyptian community to leave Ukraine through the available land routes with the neighboring countries.



He urged Egyptian citizens to exercise utmost caution when leaving and stay away from dangerous areas.



Anyone who decides not to leave Ukraine should update their information with the embassy so that they are informed of any future information about developments in the country," the Egyptian statement added.


Air detachment lands in Belarus – 6 MiG-31 with Kinzhal

At the same time, the Russian air force began landing at military airfields in Belarus. For the first time, six MIG-31s ​​that can carry the supersonic conventional or nuclear Kinzhal missile were landed.



It is remarkable the arrival of six Russian MiG-31 fighters in Belarus at the given time as in the first attempt to attack Kyiv Russia had not sent such a large "package" of MiG-31s.



The MiG-31 pilots reportedly circled several times before landing at Minsk's Machulishchy airport. And that's because they were landing for the first time.



Eyewitnesses recorded on video the circles made by the MiG-31 pilots. For 20-30 minutes they flew over Minsk before landing at Machulishchy airport.



In addition, the Ministry of Defense in Minsk announced that the first Russian soldiers for the formation of the joint strike force have arrived in Belarus.



"The first trains of Russian soldiers who make up the regional military group have arrived in Belarus ," the Belarusian Defense Ministry said. Belarusian sources spoke of 9,000 Russian soldiers who are coming to be added to the 70,000 Belarusians announced by A. Lukashenko.



Shortly thereafter, the Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed the equipment of the Belarusian Su-25s with nuclear weapons.



Konstantin Vorontsov, deputy head of the Russian delegation to the meeting of the First Committee of the United Nations General Assembly reported that Russia is transferring Iskander-M systems to Belarus and retrofitting some Belarusian Su-25 aircraft with nuclear weapons.



“At this stage, we are only talking about the transfer of equipment of Iskander-M missile systems to conventional equipment in the Republic of Belarus, as well as providing some of the Belarusian Su-25 aircraft with the ability to carry nuclear weapons. .



At the same time, the technology for re-equipment of aircraft with nuclear weapons is not expected to be transferred to Belarus ," said the Russian diplomat.



He also added that at this time "it is also not expected to equip Belarusian systems with nuclear warheads or transfer such warheads to the territory of Belarus."



We recall that Lukashenka first spoke about the re-equipment of Su-25s with nuclear weapons at a meeting with Putin on June 25. Later, in late August, he said the aircraft had already been retrofitted to carry nuclear weapons.



Multiple videos and pictures at link

[J.J.Gibbs]

Iran’s Islamic Guards Training Russian Drone Crews in Ukraine: Reports

JACK MONTGOMERY
16 Oct 2022

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) are allegedly on the ground in Ukraine training Russian forces in the use of “kamikaze” drones.



The Ukrainian government and its Western allies have alleged that Russia, running low on missiles, has turned to Iranian-made Shahed-136 drones, in particular, to supplement its arsenal, including during its recent wave of “devasting” strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in retaliation for damage to the Kerch Bridge between Crimea and the Russian mainland.



Moreover, it is now claimed that “p to 50” specialists from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps — the military organisation tasked with preserving the Islamist character of the Iranian government — are actually in Crimea are the southern Kherson region, overseeing and perhaps even personally controlling drone launches against Ukrainian targets.



“We have been concerned for some time that IRGC specialists are helping Russia in their terrible attacks on civilians and they are of course being targeted,” a Ukrainian military source told the Daily Mirror, a leading left-wing British tabloid.



“At least one of the Iranian training teams has been hit recently and they are actively being hunted down,” the source claimed.

Claims of IRGC involvement in the war in Ukraine were also reported by Yahoo! News, citing the U.S.-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW).



In an October 12th update on the course of the war, the ISW said the Ukrainian Resistance Center had stated that “Iranian instructors directly control the launch of drones on civilian targets in Ukraine, including in Mykolaiv and Odesa oblasts” — although the institute was careful to say only that it “may” be the case that Russia has “imported Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)-affiliated personnel to occupied areas in Ukraine to train Russian troops” in its final analysis.



Iran, for its part, denies having exported any drones whatsoever for use in the Russo-Ukrainian war, and the Kremlin has described reports of Iranian drone purchases as “bogus”.



France has led Western governments in complaining that any trade in military drones between Moscow and Tehran would violate a United Nations Security Council resolution connected to the Iran nuclear deal.

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[J.J.Gibbs]

NYT: Israel Providing Key Intel on Iranian Drones to Ukraine

DEBORAH BRAND
13 Oct 2022

Israel is providing Ukraine with intelligence on Iranian suicide drones used by the Russian army in its bombardment of Ukrainian cities in recent days, a report in the New York Times said citing a senior Ukrainian official.



In addition, a private Israeli security firm is providing the Ukrainians with satellite images of Russian military positions, the report said.



On Wednesday, the day the report was published, Ukrainian forces shot down nine attack drones, bringing the total up to 50 over the past week.



Israel has been cautious about taking sides in the war, and is one of a few countries in the world that shares strong ties with both Russia and Ukraine. Jerusalem coordinates all military strikes on Iranian targets in Syria with Moscow.



Ukraine has asked Israel to provide it with aerial defense systems since the onset of the war in February, but Israel has refused to do so, likely out of fear of Russian intervention in its anti-Iran activities in Syria.







Russia purchased hundreds of suicide drones from Iran in August, despite the U.S. warning Tehran not to sell them. The official told the New York Times that Israel was providing Ukraine with “basic intelligence” on the drones.



Iranian-made kamikaze drones struck the Kyiv area on Thursday.



According to the Ukrainian official, however, the drones are slow and “easy to target.”



Since Russian forces invaded Ukraine in February, Israel has sought to preserve ties with Moscow, particularly due to the Russian military presence in neighboring Syria, where the Israeli Air Force has regularly struck Iranian-linked targets. It is also believed to be wary of the effects of a strong pro-Ukrainian state on Russia’s Jewish population.



Last month, Israeli media reported an Israeli defense contractor had sold anti-drone systems to Ukraine’s military via Poland.


A handout picture provided by the Iranian Army’s official website on September 11, 2020, shows an Iranian Simorgh drone during the second day of a military exercise in the Gulf, near the strategic strait of Hormuz in southern Iran. (Iranian Army office/AFP via Getty Images)



Britain on Thursday said it will provide missiles for advanced NASAM anti-aircraft systems as well as sending of additional aerial drones for information gathering, and 18 howitzer artillery guns, according to Reuters.



British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said he had authorized the supply of AMRAAM anti-aircraft missiles to Ukraine.



link

[leilani]

Russian Draftees Open Fire at Training Ground, Killing 11 and Wounding 15

BY RICK MORAN 10:19 AM ON OCTOBER 16, 2022



Two draftees opened fire at a Russian military training ground near the Ukraine border, killing 11 and wounding 15. The shootings happened during a live-fire training exercise. The trainees opened fire with small arms before they were fatally shot.



The Russians say it was a terrorist attack. The two recruits were from one of the Commonwealth of the Independent States of former Soviet republics. Other than that, TASS has been close-mouthed about the suspects.



No motive for the attack was immediately given, although some ethnic minorities have become extremely resentful of Moscow because they believe the draft is falling disproportionately on their shoulders.



Wall Street Journal:



Resistance against the mobilization has become violent at times, with recruitment centers coming under attack. Last month, a Russian man opened fire at a military-recruiting station in Siberia, critically wounding its commander, hours after another man rammed a car into the entrance of a different recruitment center and then set it afire with Molotov cocktails.



The mobilization order has exposed resentment in Russia’s far-flung poorer regions which have been targets of recruitment drives and provided many of the front-line soldiers for the war, now in its eighth month.



Putin says the mobilization of 300,000 troops will be completed in two weeks and that 16,000 are already “performing combat missions.” I’m sure they make splendid targets for Ukrainian sharpshooters.

The Russian president’s claims about the number of draftees are probably a little exaggerated. There are reports of press gangs sweeping young men off the street and forcing them to join the army.



Washington Post:



Police and military officers swooped down on a Moscow business center this week unannounced. They were looking for men to fight in Ukraine — and they seized nearly every one they saw. Some musicians, rehearsing. A courier there to deliver a parcel. A man from a Moscow service agency, very drunk, in his mid-50s, with a walking disability.



I have no idea why they took him,” said Alexei, who, like dozens of others in the office complex, was rounded up and taken to the nearest military enlistment office, part of a harsh new phase in the Russian drive.



In cities and towns across Russia, men of fighting age are going into hiding to avoid the officials who are seizing them and sending them to fight in Ukraine.



Ukraine has become a meatgrinder, and it appears that the Russian military is giving these kids minimal military training before shipping them off to the front.



With the violence at recruiting centers and on the training grounds, deep divisions have been exposed in Russia as a result of forced conscription. And the harder the Russian authorities push, the more resistance they are likely to see.

link

[ExquisiteGerbil]

Translated from Russian

Night of terror in Kyiv: New massive Russian attack – People are running to shelters – Sweeping attacks in Nikolaev-Khersona (video)

Two S-300 launchers and a Ukrainian base in Zaporizhia were destroyed

17/10/2022 - 21:42 in Main topics , Ukraine


Russia launched a new mass attack against targets in Kyiv. The capital of Ukraine has been pounded relentlessly for the past 24 hours and unfortunately everything shows that it will be a long night.



According to information at least six Shahed-136 drones were spotted heading towards Kyiv. Explosions are heard in Boryspil and Fastov districts of Kyiv.



The Ukrainians are making superhuman efforts to intercept drones and cruise missiles that hit targets.



Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko appealed to residents to head to shelters and stay there.



The new bombings come just hours after this morning's barrage of attacks on areas in Kyiv and Sumy as well as on energy facilities, which left many areas without electricity and water.



A total of 28 drones were launched in the morning attacks. Kyiv claims to have shot down 23 drones.



Since the morning Russian attacks, the Zaporizhia nuclear plant has been plunged into darkness again, while blackouts have also occurred in 585 towns and villages across Ukraine.



In addition to Kyiv, sirens are sounding in the regions of Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Zhytomyr, Vinnitsa.

Italy: "Leave Ukraine immediately"

At the same time, the Italian embassy in Ukraine issued an emergency warning a little while ago, urging Italian citizens to avoid traveling to this war-torn country.



The embassy calls on Italian citizens in Ukraine to leave as soon as possible!



According to the Russian news agency TASS, the warning mainly concerns the regions of eastern and southern Ukraine, where bombings are more frequent and more deadly.



"Our compatriots who are still in the country are asked to leave it immediately. At the same time, citizens are asked at all costs to avoid traveling to the country" , reads today's tweet from the Italian embassy in Kyiv.



Italy's warning, in fact, follows those of Egypt, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Belarus, India and China, among others, which have also called on their citizens in Ukraine to get up and leave without delay thought.



Ominous, obviously, a sign for the development of the Russian-Ukrainian war, at a time when Europe is preparing for the harshest winter since the beginning of World War II...



Watch video of the attacks in Kyiv

Ukraine: Direct attack on Iran over drones - "You are responsible for killing Ukrainians"

Mykhailo Podoliak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, said Iran was responsible for "murders of Ukrainians" after Russia launched attacks on Ukrainian cities today with Iranian-made drones, according to Kyiv, with Ukraine's foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba to ask the European Union to impose additional sanctions against Tehran.



Ukraine has reported an increase in Russian attacks with Iranian-made Shahed-136 drones in recent weeks. Iran denies providing these remotely piloted drones to Russia, while the Kremlin has not commented.



"Iran is responsible for the murders of Ukrainians. The country that oppresses its own people is now arming the Russian monsters for mass murder in the heart of Europe. This is what endless jobs and concessions to totalitarianism mean. This is what happens when sanctions are not enough ," Podoliak wrote on Twitter.



For his part, Kouleba asked the EU to impose more sanctions against Tehran, after the morning attacks by Iranian drones that killed at least three people.



It is necessary "to impose sanctions on Iran for supplying drones to Russia," the Ukrainian Foreign Minister stressed on Twitter.

Russian drone destroys two Ukrainian S-300 launchers

An unmanned Russian UCAV-kamikaze Lancet destroyed two Ukrainian S-300 artillery 5P85S launchers in the Zaporizhia region.



The launchers were in firing position.



Watch the video

Sweeping strikes in Nikolaev-Khersona

The Russian Armed Forces continued to target Ukrainian military and energy facilities over the past 24 hours, the Russian Defense Ministry spokesman said.



"Over the past day, the Russian Armed Forces continued to use high-precision and long-range weapons to target Ukrainian military means and energy facilities," he said, adding that all targets had been hit.



The Ukrainian Armed Forces tried to break through Russian defenses in the Kherson region last day, but Russian troops stood their ground, Konashenkov said.



"The enemy has been trying to break through Russian defenses near the settlement of Koshara and Pyatikhatki in the Kherson region over the past 24 hours, with the operation involving up to three battalions, including a tank battalion," he said.



"The Russian troops stood their ground, inflicting heavy losses on the enemy. Over 250 Ukrainian soldiers were killed, 11 tanks, 14 armored fighting vehicles and two artillery systems were destroyed," he added.



Russian air defense shot down 11 drones and intercepted eight HIMARS and Olkha missiles in the Kherson region.



Air defense shot down 11 UAVs over Nikolskoye, Blagoveshchenka and Andreyevka districts in the Donetsk People's Republic, Kuzemovka in the Luhansk People's Republic, Podgornoye in the Zaporizhia region, Sukhanovo, Staritsa, Charivnoye, Maxima Gorkogo, Kuihersonvo region.



According to Konashenkov, eight HIMARS and Olkha missiles were intercepted near the settlements of Khakovka and Antonovka in the Kherson region.



Russian troops prevented Ukrainian forces from crossing the Zherebets River in the direction of Krasny Liman, he noted.



"In the Krasny Liman direction, Russian troops prevented the enemy from crossing the Zherebets River near the settlements of Stelmakhovka and Makeyevka in the Lugansk People's Republic and the settlement of Yampolovka in the Donetsk People's Republic," it said.



Watch video of the attacks in Nikolaev

Additional videos at link

[Pink Rose]

The Iranian-made drone being used to carry out deadly strikes in Ukraine: How Putin has turned to Shahed-136 'kamikaze' weapons which loiter in the air before slamming into their targets

Officials accused Russia of using Iranian-made Shahed-136 'suicide' drones

The drones are 'loitering munitions' meaning they hover above targets for hours

Ukrainian soldiers have said while the drones can devastate targets, they are vulnerable to small arms fire, and have coined the drone the 'flying lawnmower'

By JACK NEWMAN and CHRIS JEWERS FOR MAILONLINE



PUBLISHED: 07:49 EDT, 17 October 2022 | UPDATED: 11:48 EDT, 17 October 2022


Russia has pounded Ukraine again with 'kamikaze' suicide drones, causing chaos in Kyiv as buildings erupted into fireballs and panicked citizens fled for safety or even tried to shoot them down.



The Iran-supplied Shahed-136 weapons rained down on the capital in successive waves of 28 drones, Kyiv's mayor Vitali Klitschko said.



Five smashed into the capital itself while 13 or more were shot down in the wider Kyiv region, all of them as they flew in from the south, said a spokesman for the Ukrainian Air Force, Yurii Ihnat.



One strike appeared to target the city's heating network, hitting an operations centre while another slammed into a four-story residential building, ripping a large hole in it and collapsing at least three apartments on top of each other, killing three.



The Shaheds, which Russia has rebranded as Geran-2 drones, pack an explosive charge and be fired one after the other.



With a range of more than 600 miles, the explosive-laden drones can 'loiter' above potential targets for hours before being slammed directly into enemy soldiers, vehicles or buildings from above - causing an explosion.


Tehran has denied selling the drones to Russia, but there is mounting evidence that Moscow is deploying the weapon.



Here are some facts and figures about the deadly drone:



Weapon type: Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)

In service since: 2021

Made in: Iran

Maker: HESA (Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industries Corporation)

Weight: 440lbs

Warhead: 80lbs

Length: 12 feet

Wingspan: 8 feet

Range: 600 miles

Flight height: 13,000ft max.

Speed: 120 miles per hour

Used in: Yemen, Iraq and Ukraine

Iranian-made Shahed-136 UAVs

Iranian-made Shahed-136 UAVs



Andrii Yermak, the head of the Ukrainian president's office, confirmed in a social media post that Shahed drones were among those used in the strike.



Iran has previously denied providing Russia with weapons, although its Revolutionary Guard chief has boasted about providing arms to the world's top powers, without elaborating.



The drones have also been repeatedly used by Russia elsewhere in Ukraine in recent weeks to target urban centers and power stations as Putin exacted revenge for the bombing of the Crimean bridge.



They are comparatively cheap, costing in the region of $20,000.



Their use in swarms presents a challenge to Ukrainian air defenses, said Ihnat, the Air Force spokesman.



Western nations have promised to bolster Ukrainian air defenses with systems that can shoot down drones but much of that weaponry has yet to arrive and, in some cases, may be months away.



'The challenges are serious because the air defense forces and means are the same as they were at the beginning of the war,' Ihnat said.



Some air defense weaponry supplied by Western nations can only be used during daylight hours when targets are visible, he added.



Russia has been using the drones increasingly in recent weeks, with 24 destroyed by Ukraine between September 30 and October 6, their MoD claimed.



Ukrainians who have witnessed attacks by the drones say they make a recognisable noise, and have described them as sounding like 'motorbikes' in the air, while some soldiers have taken to calling it 'the flying lawnmower'.



While the drones can be devastating to their targets, soldiers have said they are vulnerable to small arms fire.



The General Staff of the Armed forces of Ukraine released a video showing a smoking wreckage that it claimed to be one of the drones. The post said it had been shot down by a machine gun.



'This is a primitive handmade product,' Yuriy Ignat, a spokesman for the Ukrainian Air Force, told Radio Free Europe (RFE) last week.



'It's not a high-tech conveyor-belt production like the [Turkish-made] Bayraktar or American and Israeli [unmanned aerial vehicles],' he added.

Continued at the link

[Pink Rose]

Six-month pregnant wife and young husband among four people killed by Iranian-made kamikaze drones with ‘For Belgorod’ scrawled on them in Russian revenge attack


Swarm of Iranian-made kamikaze drones attacked Kyiv this morning after being launched by Russia

Emergency services said the overall death toll in the capital is four but several more have been wounded

Multiple explosions in city centre as drones dodged air defences, as police used rifles to try and shoot them

Residential buildings and energy infrastructure were hit, officials said, with residents told to get into shelters

Russia has changed tactics to focus on hitting Ukrainian cities and infrastructure after battlefield defeats

By ELEANOR DYE and CHRIS PLEASANCE FOR MAILONLINE



PUBLISHED: 11:26 EDT, 17 October 2022 | UPDATED: 11:51 EDT, 17 October 2022




A husband and his six-months-pregnant wife are among four people killed by Iranian-made kamikaze drones with 'For Balgorod' scrawled on them, which were launched by Russia in an attack on Kyiv this morning.



The drones, which were made by Iran and launched by Russia, attacked the Ukrainian capital, blowing up people's homes as they slept and taking out key energy facilities.



At least five explosions rocked Kyiv starting around 3.30am local time as multiple waves of Shahed-136 drones - 28 in total - dodged air defences and slammed into the city, with police and armed forces resorting to firing machine guns into the air in an attempt to bring them down. Officials said 13 were taken out, and all flew from the south.



Mayor Vitali Klitschko said a pregnant wife and her young husband were among those who had been killed. He posted on social media, saying: 'A husband and wife who were expecting a child. The woman was six months pregnant.'



Emergency services have said the overall death toll in the capital has risen to four while several more have been wounded.



One of the drones was scrawled with the phrase 'for Belgorod' - a Russian city that acts as a staging ground for attacks on Ukraine which was shelled at the weekend. It was also the scene of a gun attack on a military barracks that saw at least 11 soldiers killed by two conscripts.



One strike appeared to target the city's heating network, hitting an operations center. Another slammed into a four-story residential building, ripping a large hole in it and collapsing at least three apartments on top of each other. Rescue workers searching for victims scrambled over the debris from which gray smoke billowed.



Airstrikes then hit critical infrastructure in the Dnipro and Sumy regions - in the centre and north of Ukraine - leaving hundreds of villages without power, prime minister Denys Shmyhal said. Emergency services said the power has now been restored. Suicide drones also struck the port city of Mykoliav late Sunday, setting sunflower oil storage tanks alight.



President Volodymyr Zelensky said the drones strikes were aimed at 'terrorising the civilian population' but vowed: 'The enemy can attack our cities but it won't be able to break us.'



It comes a week after a huge barrage of Russian missiles and Iranian-made kamikaze drones targeted virtually every major Ukrainian city, destroying infrastructure and killing civilians after a blast on the Crimean Bridge.

Continued at the link

[schwartzie]

Russia Launches Fresh Bombardment of Ukrainian Infrastructure in Kyiv and Other Cities



KURT ZINDULKA
18 Oct 2022

The Russian military has once again targeted key infrastructure installations in Ukraine, including in the capital of Kyiv (Kiev) where some residents have been left without power and water, according to Mayor Vitali Klitschko.



Following a round of “kamikaze” drone strikes on the Ukrainian capital on Monday that reportedly left five dead, power and water stations were reportedly targeted in Kyiv on Tuesday.



In a series of posts on Telegram, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said that as a result of “rocket attacks by Russian barbarians, two objects of critical infrastructure were damaged.”



“Currently, the provision of electricity and water supply services is partially limited in many houses on the left bank of the capital. In some houses, a decrease in pressure in the water supply network, a change in the colour and transparency of the water is possible. I appeal to all Kyiv residents to save electricity as much as possible,” the former heavyweight champion turned Ukrainian politician urged.



“City services are doing everything possible to stabilise the situation as soon as possible and to return vital services to the people of Kyiv,” Klitschko added.


The mayor of Kyiv went on to claim that a fifth body, that of an elderly woman, was found in the rubble of a drone attack on Monday morning. It is believed that the unmanned drones used in the “kamikaze” attacks on infrastructure throughout the country on Monday were of Iranian origin.



Elsewhere on Tuesday, the BBC reported that missile strikes hit the north-eastern city of Kharkiv as well as infrastructure targets in the city of Zaporizhzhia in the south. Power and water services were also disrupted in the central city of Dnipro, where an energy facility was demolished.

In a post on social media on Tuesday morning, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed that over the past week, 30 per cent of Ukraine’s power stations have been destroyed causing blackouts throughout the country. Zelensky described the targeting of infrastructure as “another kind of Russian terrorist attack” and therefore there is “no space left for negotiations with Putin’s regime.”



The increased targeting of Ukrainian infrastructure targets followed the truck bombing of the Kerch bridge that connects the Russian mainland with the Crimean peninsula, which Russia illegally annexed in 2014. The Russian government has characterised the bombing as a terror attack and claimed that the Ukrainian Defence Ministry was behind it.



The response to the uptick in shelling from the West has been to pledge more air-defence systems with the hopes of being able to assist the Ukrainians shoot drones and missiles out of the sky. So far the United States, Germany, France and Spain have all said that they would be sending more weapons systems.



With the slight exception of French President Emmanuel Macron, who despite pledging more weapons systems, has called for a return to negotiations and has played down the idea that France would enter into a nuclear exchange with Russia over Ukraine, there has seemingly been little appetite amongst Western leaders to push for peace talks. This is despite the increasingly heated rhetoric on all sides of the conflict, with the Russians warning of World War III and President Joe Biden professing potential “Armageddon“.

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[shalom]

Announcement of the evacuation of Kherson - Interview-warning S.Surovikin to Zelensky: "I will make difficult decisions" - Nuclear in sight?

Interview Surovikin shortly before the storm broke out in Ukraine

18/10/2022 - 23:20 in Main topics , Ukraine


By Vassilis Kapoulas



A significant interview with the state television channel Rossiya-24 was granted by the Russian commander-in-chief and commander of the Russian forces in Ukraine, Sergei Surovikin, at a time that is not just a coincidence.



Surovikin spoke of an imminent " massive Ukrainian missile attack on the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric dam" and emphasized that "he is ready to make difficult decisions for Kherson".



He preceded "opening" in Ukraine saying:



"Russians and Ukrainians are one people. We want a Ukraine independent of the West and NATO, a friend of Russia".



This phrase sounded like the last warning just before the "storm" broke out in Ukraine.



Immediately afterwards he said:



“Our plans in Kherson will depend on the tactical military situation which is already very uneasy. We will seek to protect the lives of our citizens and service members. We will act in a timely manner, without excluding the most difficult decisions."



If the enemy uses prohibited weapons in Kherson, the response will be harsh".



We remind you that Kherson, like the other regions where the referendums were held, is now covered by Russia's nuclear doctrine.



The problem for Moscow is that it does not have the flexibility to allow the Ukrainians to enter the city of Kherson because then the road to Crimea opens. WarNews247 had announced the evacuation of Kherson days before as the Russians prepared for what was coming…



Read also: Russia evacuates Kherson: Women, children and thousands of students leave - Countdown to nuclear use (video)



Therefore, indeed, the Russian Army has difficult choices to make.



It is also important that General S.Surovikin made a special reference to the 5th generation Su-57 fighter in light of the WarNews247 revelations.



At the same time as the Surovikin interview, the evacuation of areas of Kherson was announced. The Russian governor announced the immediate evacuation of the population from areas on the right bank of the Dnipro River.



According to information, the Ukrainians are preparing a large-scale attack on Kherson by gathering all available forces and reserves from nearby areas.



“The Ukrainians have implemented a complete news blackout on what is happening in the Kherson region. They have always done this in the past when big business is imminent. Something big is happening, military expert Professor Michael Clarke told Sky News.



General S.Surovikin: "We will make difficult decisions"

The Russian general and new commander of the Russian forces in the war in Ukraine, Sergey Surovikin, said in the interview he gave to Russian media:



"The situation in the Special Military Operation area can be described as tense."



The enemy leaves no room and tries to attack the positions of the Russian troops.



First of all, this concerns the Kupyansky, Krasnolimansky and Nikolaev-Kryvyi Rih districts.



The enemy (Ukrainian government) is a criminal regime pushing citizens to their deaths.



Ukrainians and we are one people and we want one thing: Ukraine to be independent from the West and NATO, a state friendly to Russia.



The Ukrainian regime seeks to breach our defenses.



To do this, the Armed Forces of Ukraine are pulling all available reserves to the front line.



Basically, these are ground defense forces that have not completed a full training program.



In fact, the Ukrainian leadership condemns them to destruction and death.



As a rule, such units have low morale.



To prevent escape from the front line, the Ukrainian authorities use detachments of nationalists who shoot anyone who tries to leave the battlefield.



Each day, enemy casualties range from 600 to 1000 dead and wounded.



We have a different strategy.



We do not pursue high rates of advance, we protect every soldier and methodically "grind" the advancing enemy.



This not only minimizes casualties, but also significantly reduces the number of casualties among the civilian population.



Currently, the Joint Force Group is taking measures to build up the combat and numerical strength of formations and military units, create additional reserves and equip defensive lines and positions along the entire line of contact.



We reinforce our lines with reserves and build fortified positions on the contact line.



The strikes with high-precision weapons continue on military installations and infrastructure facilities affecting the combat capability of Ukrainian troops.



The special military operation confirmed the effectiveness of our aviation and air defense systems.



During the operation, the crews of operational-tactical, army and long-range aviation carried out more than 34 thousand sorties. They used more than 7 thousand weapons.



The newer hypersonic Kinzhal missiles have proven to hit targets well.

None of the enemy air defense systems are formidable to this missile.



Launched cruise missiles also showed the highest accuracy.



In terms of quality, I would like to single out the Su-57 fifth generation aircraft in particular.



Having a wide range of weapons, in every sortie it solves and successfully completes any multi-faceted task assigned to it whether striking an air or ground target.



Unmanned aerial vehicles carried out more than 8,000 sorties, and offensive drones destroyed more than 600 objects of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.



There is a difficult situation in the Kherson sector.



The enemy deliberately hits infrastructure facilities and residential buildings.



Hits by HIMARS rockets damaged the Antonovsky Bridge and the dam of the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric station, traffic was interrupted.



As a result, food delivery is difficult in the city, there are some problems with water and electricity supply.



All this not only significantly complicates the lives of citizens, but also creates a direct threat to their lives.



The NATO leadership of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has long demanded aggressive operations in the direction of Kherson by the Kiev regime, regardless of any casualties – both to the Armed Forces of Ukraine and to the civilian population.



We have information about the possibility that the Kiev regime is using prohibited methods of warfare in the area of ​​the city of Kherson, for the preparation by Kyiv of a massive missile attack on the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric dam and a massive missile and artillery strike on the city indiscriminately.



These actions can lead to the destruction of the infrastructure of a major industrial center and heavy casualties among the civilian population.



In these circumstances, our primary duty is to preserve the life and health of citizens.



Therefore, first of all, the Russian army will ensure the safe, already announced departure of the population under the resettlement program prepared by the Russian government.



In any case, as I have already said, we will proceed from the need to preserve the lives of the civilian population and our military to the maximum.



We will act consciously, in a timely manner, without excluding the making of difficult decisions.



Watch video

Cities of Kherson are being evacuated - Governor's statement

The Russian governor of Kherson confirmed in a speech that some citizens would be evacuated, citing the risk of an attack by Ukrainian forces.



In a video message, Vladimir Saldo said that residents of four cities will be evacuated from the banks of the Dnieper River because there is a risk that the Kakhovka hydroelectric dam will be destroyed by Ukrainian shelling.



"There is an immediate risk of flooding the lands due to the planned destruction of the dam and the discharge of water from the reservoirs of the Dnieper power plants," he said.



The acting governor of the Kherson region, Volodymyr Saldo, issued an urgent appeal to the residents of the region. His message is as follows:



"Dear residents of the Hersona region!



You all know that Ukraine has declared total, irreconcilable war on Russia, on all of us.



We all know how hard Tonbas endures daily shelling, how many innocent people die from artillery and rocket attacks on peaceful towns. Kyiv is preparing a similar fate for Kherson.



The Ukrainian side is massing forces for a large-scale offensive.



The Russian Federation has formed a military group to repel this attack. The battlefield of this confrontation can be our land, the peaceful cities and villages of the Kherson region.



There is an immediate danger of flooding the lands due to the planned destruction of the Kakhovskaya HPP dam and the release of water from a Dnieper reservoir.



In such a situation, I made a difficult but correct decision to announce the organized movement of the civilian population of Berislav, Belozersky, Snigirev and Aleksandrovsky municipalities to the left bank of the Dnieper.



This decision was prompted by the creation of large-scale defensive fortifications to repel any attack. Where the military operates, there is no room for civilians. Let the Russian army do its duty.



Under these conditions, our main task is to save human lives and allow the troops of the Russian Federation to effectively carry out their operations for the protection of Kherson. We will transfer the civilian population to the left bank in an organized, gradual manner.



For those residents of the region who decide to move further into the regions of Russia, the Government of the Russian Federation will provide housing certificates.



This was specifically stated by the Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Marat Khusnullin. Relocation and temporary accommodation of residents of Berislav, Belozersky, Snigiryovsky and Aleksandrovsky municipalities will be carried out free of charge by EMERCOM (Ministry of Emergency Management) of the Russian Federation and the Government of Kherson



I ask everyone to stay calm, don't listen to the alarms.



Kherson remains under the reliable protection of the Russian army. Our purpose is right. We know it, and our enemy knows it. And the victory will be ours."

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[schwartzie]

Kherson Civilians Evacuated Amid Ukraine Assault As Putin Declares Martial Law For 4 Territories

BY TYLER DURDEN

WEDNESDAY, OCT 19, 2022 - 10:45 AM


Russian President Vladimir Putin has authorized martial law for the four recently annexed territories of Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia. This in effect gives emergency and extraordinary powers to the heads of these regions, with the Associated Press noting that "additional emergency powers" have also been given to "the heads of all regions of Russia" - though it's unclear precisely what this means.



The announcement comes the day after the Russian army said it is preparing to evacuate civilians from Kherson, which was the first Ukrainian city to fall to the invasion in February. "The entire administration is already moving today," Moscow-installed regional head Vladimir Saldo confirmed on Tuesday.



This evacuation order is being widely seen as an admission that the Ukrainian counteroffensive threatening occupied Kherson is gaining rapid momentum, so the Russians could be preparing a massive "scorched earth" bombardment in response. Reports estimate that Russian front lines have been beaten back some 20 to 30 kilometers in the last few weeks alone, and Russian commanders are alarmed they could be backed up against the Dnieper River that bisects Ukraine.



The Ukrainian government has rejected the martial law declaration as a "pseudo-legalization of looting of Ukrainians' property" and has long urged its citizens to not comply with Russian occupied administration directives.



Russian state media has explained of Putin's new order that the four territories "already had martial law in place when they became parts of Russia," based on the president's Wednesday statements. "So, the decision provides the legal basis for it to remain in place under Russian sovereignty, he said during a meeting of the National Security Council."



Further state sources detail, "The document signed by Putin introduces martial law starting midnight on Thursday. It also orders various parts of the Russian government to submit corresponding action plans within three days."



The additional powers given to regional administrations within Russia appear to be in response to the fact that border regions, especially Belgorod and Kursk of the last several days, have been coming under increased cross-border missile and artillery fire from Ukraine. RT notes additionally of Putin's legal decree:



These include the Crimean Republic, the city of Sevastopol, as well as Krasnodar, Belgorod, Bryansk, Voronezh, Kursk, and Rostov Regions. This is a special regime that gives officials additional authority to ensure security and rapid reaction to any emergencies.



All of this is another iterative step toward Moscow declaring full war on Ukraine, after last month's 'partial mobilization' and calling up of hundreds of thousands of reservists.





Source: CNN/Institute for the Study of War

One Moscow-based international war correspondent is predicting a "special" military operation is about to happen to "save face after recent defeats" in the east and south:



“[Martial law] will mean more restrictions on the movement of people. It will mean the military and local administrations will have the right to do what they want – in terms of [deciding] how people move around or restricting them from gathering.



“Political parties gathering and activities will be banned, and civilian or semi-civilian factories will be asked to reorient their production lines to help the military.”



In “annexed” areas, Vall said there is likely to be a “total mobilisation instead of partial mobilisation, which has taken place in the Russian Federation.”



He added: “Russians [had been] expecting something special to be done to save face after the recent defeats on the battlefront.”



Ukrainian officials have meanwhile accused Moscow of stoking "hysteria" with its mass evacuation of the about 60,000 residents which still remain in Kherson.



Power plants across Ukraine have continued coming under attack, with the latest strike Wednesday being against Ukraine's Vinnytsya region. At the start of the week President Zelensky said one-third of the country's power stations have been attacked...

CNN has cited a mass emergency text notification that locals received: "Dear residents," the message began. "Evacuate immediately. There will be shelling of residential areas by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. There will be buses from 7:00, from Rechport [River port] to the Left Bank."



The coming major fight for Kherson marks the first instance of the invasion that it's Ukrainian forces besieging a large city, and that Russian forces are having to defend, setting up the possibility of pro-Russian civilians getting caught in the crossfire and under major Ukrainian shelling of its own (former) city.

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[ExquisiteGerbil]

Preparations for the use of nuclear: Yellow and Red Alert in Russia - Decree of Putin: He declared a "state of siege" and "martial law"

Territorial Defense Units are formed

19/10/2022 - 17:02 in Main Topics , Russia

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Six "suicides" of Russian oligarchs from February until today - What's going on?


Russia is on the brink of using tactical nuclear weapons as, by decision of Putin, martial law was declared in the regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhia as a result of the "state of siege of Russian territories".



This decision essentially means that Russia is in a state of war, which justifies the defense of Russian territories by any means!



This is also confirmed by the fact that there is a yellow and red alert in various Russian regions.



Today, B. Putin and the Russian leadership entered the stage of preparing the Russian people for the imminent use of nuclear weapons.



In the regions bordering Ukraine and the new territories, a "medium response level" is introduced. These regions include Crimea and Sevastopol, Krasnodar Territory, Belgorod, Bryansk, Voronezh, Kursk and Rostov.



In the remaining regions of the Central Federal District and the Southern Federal District, in addition to the eight above, a "high level" alert is introduced even in the capital Moscow.



In the remaining regions of Russia, a regime of "basic readiness" is introduced.



At the same time, B. Putin announced the creation of Territorial Defense units from the local populations in Zaporizhia, Kherson, Lugansk and Donetsk.



The adviser to the head of the Crimea region emphasized that "the region has received the right to respond quickly, almost immediately to "any challenges".



Read also: Imminent use of nukes by Russia: "Emergency trip for an unimaginable issue" of the British Ministry of Defense. in the US – Preparing humanitarian forces

Putin: He declared martial law

Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced that he has signed a decree imposing martial law in the regions of Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson and Zaporizhia.



With the Ukrainian armed forces counterattacking in both the south and east of Ukraine and fearing strikes on critical infrastructure, Putin said all Russian regions should enforce measures to guard and protect critical and important infrastructure.



“I signed a decree to introduce martial law in these four entities of the Russian Federation.



It will be immediately sent for approval to the Federation Council and the State Duma, which will be informed of the decision ," Putin said during the Security Council meeting held via video conference.



According to the decree signed by Putin, the Russian president must immediately inform the Federal Council and the State Duma of the introduction of martial law.



In addition, Putin ordered the creation of a special council under Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin to coordinate work to improve security.



The decree also issued restricts movement in and out of Russian regions bordering Ukraine.



These measures concern Krasnodar, Belgorod, Bryansk, Voronezh, Kursk and Rostov Oblasts, which border Ukraine, as well as Crimea and Sevastopol.



"In the current situation, I consider it necessary to give additional powers to the heads of all Russian regions, " Putin said.



In televised remarks at the start of the Security Council meeting, Vladimir Putin stressed that "those who are on the front lines or training in firing ranges and training centers must feel our support and know that they have our great, great country united in their side".

What does the Decree provide for?

"The presidential decree will provide several layers to address emerging security risks. In this regard, I am ordering the creation of a special coordination council, headed by Mishustin," Putin added.



When martial law is introduced in the regions, the law provides for the creation of territorial defense, the temporary resettlement of citizens from the most dangerous areas, the possibility of attracting citizens to help the authorities and special structures in emergency situations, etc.



By imposing martial law, Putin wants to give more powers to the governors of these four provinces, who will now be able to impose curfews, restrictions on civilian movement, further military censorship and more restrictions on traffic and citizens' rights. .



Putin said the measures he ordered would increase the stability of the economy, industry and production to support Russia's invasion of Ukraine.



"We are working to solve very complex, large-scale missions, to ensure a reliable future for Russia, the future of our people," he stressed.



Immediately after Putin's speech, the Kremlin issued a decree announcing the entry into force of martial law in those territories from midnight on Thursday.



Senator Andrej Klisas said the Federal Council will consider the presidential decree to introduce martial law in certain regions in accordance with its constitutional powers as soon as possible.



According to the rules of the Federal Constitutional Law of January 30, 2002 no. 1-FKZ entitled "Regarding Martial Law", the regime provides:



– the evacuation of economic, social and cultural facilities, as well as the temporary resettlement of residents in safe areas.



– the introduction of a special entry and exit regime in the territory, as well as the restriction of free movement in it;



– withdrawal of property necessary for defense needs from organizations and citizens with subsequent payment by the state of its costs.



- ban on citizens leaving the country.



- Application of "war economy"



The introduction of martial law gives district chiefs the right to set up headquarters to coordinate work to improve security. Putin is ready to hear the first proposals in three days.



According to the decree, martial law in the above regions of Russia is introduced from October 20, 2022, the decree entered into force from the moment of its publication.



Watch video: Citizens leave Kherson

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[shalom]

Gates of Hell Opened in Kherson: Ukrainian Offensive Begins – Firestorm & Hand-to-Hand Fighting – First Russian Victory

Large concentration of Ukrainian forces

19/10/2022 - 21:55 in Main topics , Ukraine

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Shooting Russians: Melted metal in Kherson and Liman – Vast cemetery of Ukrainian armored personnel carriers – Numerous attacks in Slavyansk – Nikolaev


Fierce fighting is taking place in Kherson with Russian forces repelling the first Ukrainian offensive in the Berislav region, inflicting casualties on Kyiv. Fighting is taking place in the areas between Pyatikhatki and Sukhanovo as well as in Pravdino, Kherson.



After fierce artillery battles, two Ukrainian infantry battalions of the 128th Mountain Brigade and one battalion of the 17th Brigade began to advance in the Novaya Kamenka – Berislav direction. Ukrainian forces number 1,000 soldiers.



Instead, Russian forces are fielding forces from the 126th Coastal Brigade and airborne forces from the 83rd, 80th and 11th Brigades.



Ukrainian motorized infantry units are actively supported by artillery and a large number of medium-range attack drones. The Russians report that at a great distance, outside the range of their air defense, they are operating a "Bayraktar" UAV.



The situation is extremely critical for the Russian forces despite the first small victory. The Ukrainians are moving all available forces from neighboring regions, their reserves and Territorial Defense units.



Russian forces have found a very large concentration of Ukrainian troops in the Kherson region and in the Nikolaev and Krivoy Rog regions, which means that it is only a matter of time before the region turns into a living hell…



The Russians are called to fight the biggest battle yet.



Watch battles from Kherson (at link below)


The Ukrainian offensive has begun – Berislav is the first target

Ukrainian forces launched a counterattack in the south, trying to break through Russian defenses in the Berislav region of Kherson.



According to information, the Ukrainians have been moving forces in the direction of Berislav for a month now and are trying to break through the Russian defenses.



According to Russian sources , “in recent days, the Armed Forces of Ukraine sent forces and conducted reconnaissance near Dudchan and Novaya Kamenka.



MLRS HIMARS were hitting the nearest forts in the area, while for some reason they tried several times to destroy the bridge at Mylovoe, which was of little importance.

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On October 19, early in the morning, the Ukrainians began artillery preparation and went on the attack with up to two battalion tactical groups, more than 20 tanks, about 20 TOMAs and armored vehicles.



An armored group of the Armed Forces of Ukraine from the Novogrigorovka side tried to break through the Russian defenses at Novaya Kamenka while the other moved again near Dudchan.



Ukrainian forces received heavy artillery and ATGM fire from the Russian Airborne Forces while the 126th Coastal Defense Brigade and motorized forces assisted.



The Ukrainians continue to fire artillery deep into the front, a fierce artillery battle is taking place in the area with the Russians responding from the other side of the Dnieper.



Su-25 close support aircraft and Ka-52 attack helicopters fly in the area.



Video: what remained of the Ukrainians in Krivy Rog



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Ukrainian losses

According to the data so far, the Russian Forces hit units of two brigades of the Ukrainian army and formations of foreign mercenaries in the Nikolayev-Krivoi Rog area.



The Ukrainians have losses in units of the 60th and 35th Infantry Battalions of the Ukrainian army as well as in the mercenary formations of the Foreign Legion."



Ukrainian units tried to break the defense of Russian troops towards Bruskinskoye (Kherson) and in the Nikolaev-Krivoy Rog direction.



The attack was repulsed, over 90 Ukrainians were killed, while one tank, 8 armored vehicles and 21 motorized vehicles were destroyed.



Watch video of shelling of Ukrainian positions in Kherson



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Video: Russian Lancet UAV hits Ukrainian target



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Kherson turns into a fortress – It will be hell...

Earlier, Russian media reported that the Russian administration is preparing Kherson for defense in the context of an imminent large-scale offensive by the Armed Forces of Ukraine.



They specifically mention:



“The civilian population from Kherson will be evacuated, the city itself will be turned into a fortress before fierce battles with the enemy.



The Russians continue to dig trenches in the defense line created after the reconstruction: the southern part of Dudchan – Novaya Kamenka – Ishchenka – Bruskinskoye – Sukhoi Stavok.



The front is being reinforced as part of the ongoing efforts of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to cross Berislav and Kherson. It is expected that before the mid-term elections in the United States, the Armed Forces of Ukraine will go on the offensive in Kherson and Zaporizhia.



The formation of the "fist" of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was noticed in advance, therefore the announced evacuation of the civilian population from Kherson is correct. Transfer to the left bank of the Dnieper is carried out by two motor ships to Alyoshki and Golaya Pristan. Before boarding the ships, citizens undergo a thorough check.



Further, from the suburbs of Kherson on the left bank, buses are waiting for people for onward transportation to safe areas of Russia, in particular the Krasnodar Territory and the Rostov Region. Within a week, up to 60,000 people are planned to be evacuated from the bombings.



Video: Shelling of Ukrainian positions in Kherson

[shalom]

This guy often has useful info; he speaks in a sort of code to avoid being censored, but it's easy to figure out:

Blue & yellow country = Ukraine
Sleeping Giant - USA
Bear - Russia
Mr. Burns - Brandon

Is Brandon planning a false flag to take attention away from the Midterms?  

UNCONTROLLED RELEASE: SOMETHING BIG IS COMING....

[J.J.Gibbs]

Putin to S.Surovikin: Bury the Ukrainians in Kherson if the Kakhovskaya Dam is hit – Studies show the region's extinction!

Apocalypse images are coming to Kherson

20/10/2022 - 01:13 in Main topics , Ukraine

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B.Putin to S.Surovikin: Bury the Ukrainians in Kherson if the Kakhovskaya Dam is hit – Studies show the region's extinction!


By Vassilis Kapoulas



The Russian Commander-in-Chief and commander of the Russian forces in Ukraine, Sergey Surovikin, has received clear orders from B. Putin to bury the Ukrainians if they dare to blow up the dam of the Kakhovka hydroelectric plant in Kherson, which will cause incalculable destruction.



For this reason, B. Putin both with martial law and with the evacuation "untied the hands" of S. Surovikin as Russia and Ukraine are heading to a decisive period for the course of the war.



S.Surovikin can now use whatever he wants as he wants. All information converges on the fact that Kherson is expected to be leveled.



According to the Russians:



1. The West is pressuring Zelensky to take Kherson at any cost before the US elections. If he doesn't succeed, they at least want him to have "set foot" in the city.



2. The Ukrainians must occupy Kherson so that it does not become a Russian military base for a new offensive campaign. The aim is to protect the Nikolaev-Odessa region and prevent Russia from gaining access to the border with Transnistria/Moldova



3. For Zelensky, this battle is still a matter of life and death. The Ukrainians will not forgive him the loss of Odessa and Nikolaev. Therefore, huge forces are now concentrated on the southern front.



Video: Cruise barrage against Ukrainian targets


Will the dam of the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric power station be hit?

Yesterday, both S.Surovikin and the head of the Kherson Administration, Saldo, stated that the Ukrainians are trying to destroy the Kakhovka hydroelectric dam. If this happens, there will be incalculable consequences.



Today Russia returned to this issue.



The air defense system repelled several missile attacks by Ukrainian troops on the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric station, Leondiev, head of the Kakhovka district administration, told RIA Novosti.



“Today, the air raid alarm went off five times. There have been several attempts with rocket attacks on the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric station. The air defense system worked. The attack, the purpose of which was the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric station, was repelled," he added.



According to him, the situation is under control. The authorities have strengthened the security and defense of strategic facilities.



According to Russian intelligence, the Pentagon simulated a situation in which the Kakhovka dam would blow up and what consequences this would have for the region.



In 1985, experts from the All-Union Design, Survey and Research Institute Hydroproject analyzed the consequences of a hypothetical destruction of the dam of the Kakhovka reservoir. These data, of course, are preserved from the Soviet era.



In 2004, the newspaper Kherson Hryvna published an article titled "Not Ready for a Local Apocalypse," which revealed the details of the report. In the event of an explosion of the Kakhovka dam, millions of tons of water will fall into Kherson at a speed of 24.4 km / h and a wave height of 1 meter. After 2.5 hours, there will be a fairly steep rise in the level to 4.8 meters. The flood will last three days and completely destroy the regional center.



But if, at the same time as the Kakhovka dam, the Kremenchug reservoir dam is destroyed, then Kherson will be flooded literally in 2 hours at a level of more than 5 meters in the Korabel region. Residents of Tsyurupinsky and Golopristansky districts will be under water. And this time the flood will last 10 days.



According to the calculations of the Hydroproject Institute, the residents of Novaya Kakhovka will be in the worst position of all as the vertical wave will be 10 meters high, which is comparable to a tsunami.



The fact that the probability of such a development of events is high stated the acting governor of the Kherson region Vladimir Saldo.



“There is an immediate risk of flooding the lands due to the planned destruction of the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric dam and the release of water from a reservoir of power plants upstream of the Dnieper. I announce the voluntary relocation and departure for residents of Berislavsky, Belozersky, Aleksandrovsky and Snigirevsky districts. All this work will be done in an organized manner and (the evacuation) will be free of charge," he said.



Watch video: Russians hit Ukrainian targets


What will happen if the Kakhovskaya HPP dam is hit?

According to Russian media, the consequences of a strike at the Kakhovskaya HPP are as follows:



"1. All settlements downstream of the Dnieper will either be washed away or flooded, including Kherson and Golaya Pristan. The area will become uninhabitable even after the water recedes due to the destruction of infrastructure.



2. The Northern Crimea Canal will be empty, as water enters the settlement area from the Kakhovka Reservoir. Tavriysk is located above the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric dam. Crimea will remain without water again.



3. Zaporozhye NPP will run out of cooling water – there are no cooling towers next to it, cooling water is taken from the Dnieper. The station will be closed indefinitely. The risk of nuclear accidents will increase dramatically.



4. The Dnieper will become shallower above the dam of the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric station, after the frosts there will be an opportunity to transport equipment.



5. Russia will lose access to the right bank of the Dnieper, supplying the group of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation will become an extremely difficult task.



6. The ecosystem of the area will suffer massive damage.



7. The economic damage will be terrifying, it will take decades and billions of rubles to repair the damage.



Why Surovikin is evacuating the population of Kherson

"Vostok" battalion commander Alexander Khodakovsky explains the complexity of the military situation in Kherson.



“Even before the appointment of Sergei Surovikin as the commander of the Russian forces in Ukraine, there was alarming information among the military command of the Kherson group about Kherson and the entire Pravoberezhny side controlled by us.



The supply of the group through the Dnieper is very difficult, the Ukrainians use NATO resources and effectively hit important nodes, creating management difficulties.



"What will happen to Chersona? The situation will tell. Land can always be returned, dead soldiers - never. Stand in death – yes, it is a choice, but is it right for us now? – comments military commander Alexander Sladkov.



By the way, Surovikin himself in an interview mentioned the task of protecting Russian soldiers.



Alexander Sladkov believes that in the defense of Kherson, much will depend on the construction of mechanical fortifications, which were absent in the regions of Kharkiv and Krasny Liman.



"If the city turns into a fortress, it will not surrender," said Sladkov.



In his opinion, the main problem remains the destruction of bridges on the Dnieper and the difficulty of feeding the group.



"The Dnieper is a natural barrier, which can serve as a serious difficulty in securing a fortress."



Military correspondent Anna Dolgaryova, citing her sources in Kherson, reports the following:



" Good news: Chersona will not be surrendered. The bad news is that in all likelihood, the Armed Forces of Ukraine will make great progress in this direction. Almost to the city ," writes Dolgaryova



Columnist Boris Rozhin called on the civilian population to take the risk of bombing seriously.



"Judging by the intelligence background, in the next few days a heavy batch of bombing will begin in the Kherson region, with massive arrivals in Kherson, Berislav, Nikolaev and other settlements.



Citizens should either evacuate or take care of personal security issues (bomb shelters, basements, etc.), as well as a backup necessary in case of severe destruction of the socio-economic infrastructure,” Rozhin warned.



Journalist Olgerd Semyonov believes that Surovikin needs evacuation to repeat the experience of military operations in Syria.



"Surovikin is preparing to do exactly what he did in Syria: the evacuation of the civilian population, then the air force and artillery, then the elimination of the terrorists."



Video: ATGM firing at Ukrainian targets

 Videos at link

[J.J.Gibbs]

19 Oct, 2022 13:16

Russia braces for Ukrainian offensive in Kherson: What we know so far

Kiev’s troops are reportedly moving out for a major push on Kherson

Russia braces for Ukrainian offensive in Kherson: What we know so far


Ukrainian forces are moving toward the Russian border city of Kherson, media and local officials report. The Russian authorities have begun relocating residents eastward across the Dnieper River.



Kherson, the capital of a formerly Ukrainian region that joined Russia following a referendum in September, is located on the western bank of the Dnieper River, which exposes it to possible Ukrainian attacks. On Wednesday, the deputy head of the local administration, Kirill Stremousov, reported an escalation of hostilities involving up to two Ukrainian infantry battalions.



“After preliminary bombardment by the artillery, the group went on the offensive. There is a large number of enemy middle-range drones and reconnaissance Bayraktar drones keeping out of the reach of air defenses,” he announced in a statement on social media.



“At this point of time, all attacks have been fended off. We are holding the defense line,” the official added.



The regional and city authorities had earlier offered assurances that Russia had no intention of allowing Ukraine to capture Kherson. At the same time, Russian officials warned that the Ukrainian move posed an imminent threat to the people residing in the city.



On Tuesday, the head of the region, Vladimir Saldo, announced that the civilian population of Kherson would be relocated to the other side of the Dnieper. He warned that Ukraine could destroy a dam at the Kakhovka hydropower plant upstream, which would make crossing the river much more difficult for some time. In his latest comments he estimated that over 5,000 civilians had been moved out of Kherson in less than two days.



READ MORE: Civilians to be relocated from Kherson – governor

Some of those who are relocating will be temporarily sheltered in the eastern part of the region, while others will be housed elsewhere in Russia, Saldo clarified on Wednesday. Seaside hotels and other seasonal facilities are currently available, he noted.



The regional administration is also moving out of Kherson and will be based on the left side of the Dnieper, the official added.



In an interview on the Rossiya 24 TV channel on Tuesday, the recently appointed overall commander of operations in Ukraine, Russian Army General Sergey Surovikin, described the situation near Kherson as “tense” and warned that the military may have to make “difficult decisions.”



Most of Kherson Region was captured by Russian forces in the early weeks of its military campaign. Its people voted last month to break away from Kiev and join Russia, a request that Moscow granted. Kiev considers the territory to be temporarily occupied and has pledged to use military force to bring it back under its control.

link


 

[ExquisiteGerbil]

Black out in Ukraine: Russia bombed NATO space communications station - Zelensky: We lost 30% of power plants

Critical situation in Ukraine: Breaks in electricity, water, heating!

18/10/2022 - 20:59 in Main topics , Ukraine

0

48 hours of Russian "breathless" bombing: Spetsnaz JTAC surgical strikes sweep Nikolaev - Battalions & Brigades decimated


By Vassilis Kapoulas



Ukrainian President V. Zelensky confirmed a while ago that 30% of Ukraine's power plants have been destroyed due to the sweeping Russian bombings of the last few days.



From the 10th of the month until today, the Russians leveled 30% of Ukraine's energy infrastructure, V. Zelensky said, noting that this is the cause of the massive power outages in the country.



He tweeted that the attacks had caused mass blackouts across Ukraine and that there was "no room for negotiations" with Russian President Vladimir Putin.



Ukraine is in a very difficult situation, as Russia continues to attack energy facilities throughout the country day and night



As WarNews247 reported this morning, at least three explosions took place at the TPP-6 thermal power plant in Kyiv.



The Russian armed forces launched massive strikes against Ukrainian cities and towns, hitting military and energy facilities in Kharkiv, Dnepropetrovsk, Kyiv, Krivoy Rog, Zhytomyr.



In Dnepropetrovsk, the TPP Prydniprovska power station was hit and some parts of the city and adjacent areas are without power.



Ukraine's largest utility company DTEK reported interruptions in electricity and water supply for residents of the capital's left bank.



In Dnipro, central Ukraine, Governor Valentin Reznichenko announced that two Russian missiles had hit "energy infrastructure" causing "fire and serious damage".



In the same region, in Pavlograd, Russian shelling caused a "temporary interruption of water supply" and the shutdown of a local pumping station, the city council said.



Watch video

Breaks in electricity supply, water supply, heating

Kirill Timoshenko, adviser to President B. Zelensky, describes the situation in Ukraine as extremely critical, referring to the Russian missile attacks on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities.



“The situation is now critical across the country because our regions are dependent on each other.



It is necessary for the whole country to prepare for the fact that there may be interruptions in electricity, water and heating ," Timoshenko stressed.



According to the Prosecutor's Office of Ukraine "the Russian armed forces (…) launched a missile attack against an energy facility on the left bank of the capital Kyiv: according to preliminary information, two people were killed and one was injured."



Residents of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv have been asked to conserve electricity and water after two critical infrastructure facilities were hit today, October 18, 2022.



“In Kyiv, as a result of the missile attacks of the Russian barbarians, two critical infrastructure facilities were damaged.



Emergency and rescue services are working on the spot, " the city's mayor, Vitali Klitschko, said on Telegram.



"Currently, the provision of electricity and water services is partially limited in many houses on the left bank of the capital... I appeal to all residents of Kyiv to save as much electricity as possible," he said.



Video: Cruise missile barrage from Russia



Video Player



00:00

00:13





The communication space station was destroyed

In addition, Russia destroyed the space station of the communications center of Ukraine.



To destroy it, a special operation was organized by the Russian Army. After first pinpointing its location, it hit it using high-precision weapons. This creates extremely serious problems for the Ukrainian government to organize operational and secure communications.



"In the area of ​​Palievka settlement, Odesa region, the communications space station of the Government Communications Center of Ukraine was destroyed, " the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation said during a routine briefing.



According to the Russians, “ the consequences of the impact will be seen after the last pass by the Sentinel-2 and WorldView spacecraft.



The type of satellite communication station has not yet been revealed (probably, we are talking about a NATO station), but its destruction will create serious difficulties for Kyiv and the Ukrainian army."



Video: Su-25 shot down by Russian OSA A/A



Video Player



00:00

00:53





Remaining strokes

According to the announcement of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs:



The Russian military continues to strike Ukraine's military command and energy systems with long-range precision weapons from the air and sea.



Strikes are also carried out in arsenals with foreign-made ammunition and weapons



The strikes of operational-tactical and military aviation, missile forces and artillery hit targets in the city of Zaporizhzhya, including:



-the headquarters of the troops of the Armed Forces of Ukraine “Dnepr” and facilities for the repair of radar stations “Iskra”, as well as 56 artillery units in fire positions, manpower and military equipment in 132 areas.



-During the anti-artillery battle, two artillery systems of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were destroyed in the areas of Trifonovka and Novonikolaevka settlements in the Kherson region, as well as a platoon of American HIMARS systems. in the Drobyshevo region of the Donetsk People's Republic.



-Additionally, in Novoivanovka, Nikolaev region, Odnorobovka, Kharkiv region, and Krasny Liman, Donetsk People's Republic, three ammunition depots were destroyed.



-In Artyomovsk, Vyemka and Soledar districts of the Donetsk People's Republic, three US-made anti-artillery radar stations AN / TPQ-37 and AN / TPQ-50 were destroyed.



-In the Petropavlovka region of the Donetsk People's Republic, artillery of the Ukrainian S-300 anti-aircraft system was destroyed.



-During the day, 10 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles were shot down in Kirovo, Sukhanovo, Kucherskoye, Dmitrenko districts of Kherson region, Evgenovka of Nikolaev region, Zeleny Gai, Vladimirovka of Donetsk People's Republic, Krasnoselovka, Ternovoye and Energodar of Zaporizhzhya region.


Russia used the Inohodets strike UAV

At the same time, after a long time, Russia bombed Ukrainian positions with the Inokhodets (Orion) drone.



The drone destroyed a tank and a TOMA of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the direction of Kherson.

Additional videos at link

[schwartzie]

Urgent signal to evacuate the peninsula! – The Russians wiped out the 1st Motorized Battalion of the 28th Ukrainian Brigade!

Kherson became a graveyard of tanks & armored personnel carriers

22/10/2022 - 18:48 in Main topics , Ukraine


Kherson has turned into a vast graveyard of tanks and armored personnel carriers with the videos that have been released showing the extent of the losses of the Ukrainian Army.



Russian paratroopers destroyed a battalion of the 28th Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine during an unsuccessful attack on Kherson.



The mechanized battalion of the 28th Special Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was equipped with Skopje and Slovenian tanks.



Russian Paratroopers wiped out Kherson's 1st Berislav Motorized Battalion. The video frames show destroyed T-72 tanks,- T-64BV, MT-LB APCs, armored BRDMs, Humvees and BMP APCs.



Also read: Carnage in Kherson & Avdiika: Rapid Russian attack devastates Ukrainian phalanx of tanks & armored personnel carriers – Harvested…



In fact, in the last video, the Ukrainians seem to have abandoned their wounded on the battlefield. Russian UAV locates injured Ukrainian. He is later captured by the Russians.



According to Russian media, “ as a result of an unsuccessful attack in the Berislav direction, the Ukrainian army lost an almost complete mechanized battalion, equipped with tanks that were previously delivered by Skopje and Slovenia. The corresponding video was published by the RIA Novosti news agency.



The video shows a large amount of damaged and abandoned foreign military equipment. The specific area is not named, however, judging by the situation on the ground, the Ukrainian army was ambushed while advancing in the direction of the settlement of Chervoni Yar.



It is noted that the video was shot almost immediately after the battle.



It is noted that during the repeated attempts of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to advance in the direction of Berislav, no success was achieved, although this morning a high activity of Ukrainian troops was observed in the area of ​​the settlement of Novaya Kamenka .


Urgent signal to evacuate the peninsula!

At the same time, the Russian authorities in Kherson today called on the civilians to leave the city immediately, due to the escalation of the war situation.



Thousands of civilians have been fleeing the city for days by crossing the Dnipro River, following reports of an imminent counterattack by the Ukrainians, with the objective of recapturing the city, while today's message was urgently disseminated.



"All civilians of Kherson must immediately leave the city," said a statement posted on Telegram.



"The citizens of Kherson and the staff of all departments and ministries of the public administration must today cross the left (eastern) bank of the Dnipro."



"Take care of the safety of your family and friends! Don't forget documents, money, valuables and clothes



It is noted that you can reach the left bank of the Dnieper River in the village of Alyoshki through Rechport by boat. The administration asked for self-control and to avoid panic, pointing out that there is a telephone line where you can ask questions that interest you.



In this difficult time, everyone must show courage and endurance. The Kherson authorities are doing everything necessary to protect our civilians," the statement said.



What is surprising – and worrying – is the urgency of the evacuation signal in Kherson.



Most likely this is related to possible information about blowing up the dam at the Kakhovka hydroelectric plant in the Kherson region.



Read also: Carnage in Kherson: The Russians crushed furious Ukrainian attacks – Commanders arrested & dozens dead – NATO equipment “Scraped”



What did the district governor say?

Russian troops repelled a series of attacks by the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Nikolaev-Krivoy Rog direction.



According to Deputy Deputy Governor of Kherson, Kirill Stremousov, currently the situation on the right bank remains difficult, but stable and under the control of the Forces of the Russian Federation.



He added that the residents of Kherson and adjacent areas continue to be driven to the left bank of the Dnieper River.



Watch the video: The Russians find a wounded Ukrainian

Videos at link

[ExquisiteGerbil]

American forces will enter Lviv: On the border with Ukraine the 101st "Screaming Eagles" Division - CBS: They will cross into Ukrainian territory! (Video)

For the first time in Europe since 1945!

23/10/2022 - 15:52 in Main topics , Ukraine

0

American forces will enter Lviv: On the border with Ukraine the 101st "Screaming Eagles" Division - CBS: They will cross into Ukrainian territory! (Video)


By Vassilis Kapoulas



For the first time in almost 80 years, the US has moved and deployed to Europe the elite 101st Airborne Division "Screaming Eagles", consisting of 4,700 soldiers.



With bold headlines, American media speak directly about the imminent entry of American forces into Ukraine!



The Division deployed to Romania just 3 miles from the Ukrainian border. Most likely the goal is for the 101st Airborne Division to be deployed along the Polish-Ukrainian border with the goal of intercepting any possible Belarusian and Russian attack on Lviv to cut off Ukrainian supply routes.



Everything shows that the 101st Airborne Division will be the "shield" for NATO "humanitarian forces" to enter Western Ukraine.



Read also: It will "swallow" Ukraine! - Surovikin has changed the operational plans: He is starting "tweezers" from the West with a nuclear "umbrella" - The Russians will enter Lviv directly!



Unless the Americans intend to enter Odessa and Nikolaev in the event of a "humanitarian disaster" in Kherson as Russian media have reported in recent days.



CBS reports as you can see in the video below:



"The US 101st Airborne Division is training for war with Russia just miles from the Ukrainian border"



"It's not just about defending NATO territory," correspondent



"They are fully ready to cross into Ukrainian territory"



It is the first deployment of this elite segment in Europe since 1945.


At 300 km from Nikolaev-Khersona the American forces!

4,700 American soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division (the legendary Screaming Eagles) have arrived in Eastern Romania, just 300 km from Nikolaev and Kherson, US media reports.



The 101st Airborne Division deployed to Europe for the first time in nearly 80 years amid rising tensions between Russia and the US-led NATO military alliance. This unit, nicknamed the 'Screaming Eagles', can be deployed and fighting on any battlefield in the world within hours.



CBS News interviewed the Division's deputy commander, Brigadier General John Lubas, and Col. Edwin Matthaidess, 2nd Brigade Combat Team Commander.



They flew in a Black Hawk helicopter for an hour-long ride just three miles from Romania's border with Ukraine.



The American CBS correspondent reports:



"Since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, his forces have advanced north from the Crimean peninsula, a Ukrainian region that Moscow illegally seized control of in 2014. For more than seven months , Russian troops have attempted to advance along the Black Sea coast in the Kherson region, aiming to capture the key Ukrainian ports of Nikolaev and Odessa.



Their goal is to cut off all access of Ukraine to the sea, creating a landlocked country.



This threat is so close to NATO territory in Romania that is why one of America's most elite divisions, with heavy equipment, has been sent.



US 101st Division ready for engagement

The US Army's 101st Airborne Division is ready to enter Ukraine in the event of further tensions between Russia and Ukraine or an attack on a NATO member state, CBS News reported, citing the Division's command.



"We are ready to defend every centimeter of NATO territory," said the division's deputy commander.



The commander of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, Colonel Edwin Matthaidess, in turn noted that his troops, deployed in Romania, are "closely monitoring" Russian forces, "building targets to practice on" and conducting exercises that "replicate exactly that which happens “in war.



"In all, about 4,700 troops from the US 101st Airborne base in Kentucky have been deployed to bolster NATO's eastern flank," CBS News noted.



Heading north along Romania's Black Sea coast, the Black Hawk found itself in an exercise where US and Romanian troops were striking targets during a joint ground and air assault.



The tank shots and artillery fire were real. The exercise was meant to recreate the daily battles Ukrainian forces wage against Russian troops, just across the border.



War games so close to these borders are a clear signal to Russia and America's NATO allies that the US military is here.



" The commanders told CBS News repeatedly that they are always 'ready to fight immediately' and will be there to defend NATO territory if the fighting escalates or there is any attack on NATO, they will be ready to cross Ukraine's border." .



Watch videos at link

[J.J.Gibbs]

Iran To Supply 40 Turbines To Russia Amid Ukraine War: Report

Russia-Ukraine War: Following the imposition of economic sanctions over the Kremlin's offensive in Ukraine, Russia reduced or halted supplies to different European nations, causing energy prices to soar.


World NewsAgence France-Presse
Updated: October 24, 2022 1:50 am IST







Tehran: Iran announced Sunday a contract with Russia to supply it with 40 turbines to help its gas industry amid Western sanctions over Moscow's war in Ukraine, local media reported.


Iran's "industrial successes are not limited to the fields of missiles and drones," Iranian Gas Engineering and Development Company's CEO, Reza Noushadi, was quoted as saying by Shana, the oil ministry's news agency.



"Currently, 85 percent of the facilities and equipment needed by the gas industry are built inside the country, and based on this capability, a contract has recently been signed to export 40 Iranian-made turbines to Russia," he added.



Noushadi did not specify when the contract was signed, and when the turbines are due to be delivered.



Following the imposition of economic sanctions over the Kremlin's offensive in Ukraine, Russia reduced or halted supplies to different European nations, causing energy prices to soar.



The Kremlin insists sanctions have prevented the proper maintenance of Russian gas infrastructure and, in particular, blocked the return of a Siemens turbine that had been undergoing repairs in Canada.



"Give us a turbine, we will turn Nord Stream on tomorrow", Putin said at the Vladivostok forum in September, referring to a vital gas pipeline between Russia and Germany.



Western countries have accused Russia of using gas supplies as a "weapon".



Noushadi said the US sanctions on Russia are aimed at excluding Moscow from the gas market.



"In recent years, the United States of America has widely set up LNG production plants, and recently, with the all-out embargo on Russia and then the explosion in the Nord Stream gas pipeline, it effectively eliminated one of its biggest competitors in gas exports," he noted.



Russia and Iran hold some of the world's largest gas reserves, and are both under strict US sanctions.



Both countries have in recent months stressed the importance of enhancing bilateral cooperation.



Russia's President Vladimir Putin visited Tehran in July where he met his Iranian counterpart Ebrahim Raisi and the Islamic republic's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei who also called for stronger "long-term co-operation" with Moscow.


Tehran has recently denied supplying Russia with weapons for use in the war, after Kyiv and its Western partners accused Moscow of using Iranian-made drones in Ukraine.

link

[shalom]

Invasion of the West Ukraine: French forces reinforce 101st Division - Mayor Nikolaev: "Leave the city" - Missile barrage against the dam

The Russians are releasing volumes of water...

24/10/2022 - 21:32 in Main topics , Ukraine

0

Invasion of the West Ukraine: French forces reinforce 101st Division - Mayor Nikolaev: "Leave the city" - Missile barrage against the dam


Ukraine entered the final stretch of an incalculable humanitarian disaster as Ukrainian forces launched a barrage of attacks against the Novaya Kakhovka area, resulting in three missiles hitting dam facilities.



The Russian administration was forced to " release a large volume of water from the Kakhovka dam on the Dnieper in order to avoid a major disaster in Kherson if the Ukrainians continue to bombard it" .



According to Russian media “ Ukrainian forces hit the town of Nova Kakhovka in the Kherson region of Ukraine today and yesterday with GMLRS missiles fired from M142 HIMARS. They also used Ader systems in the attack".



Reports indicate that the Armed Forces of Ukraine fired 19 missiles from MLRS HIMARS and Alder, of which 16 were intercepted.



Three rockets hit the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric station.



Loud explosions were heard in the city, and houses were engulfed in flames.



According to the Russian Administration "there are no critical damages to HPP Kakhovskaya, the hydroelectric power station continues to operate



The 3 rockets fell in the area of ​​the hydroelectric plant without causing critical damage.

Ukraine Invasion Preparations: The French are Reinforcing US Forces in Romania

In addition, the elite American 101st Airborne Division "Screaming Eagles" is being reinforced in the last hours.



Yesterday shortly before midnight, French military phalanxes entered Romanian territory. The first military phalanx consisted of light armored infantry vehicles while the second of heavy armored infantry vehicles. Forces deployed to Cincu.



Russian military sources note that "the NATO command is deploying additional forces in Romania, following the US Army's 101st Airborne Division. According to the Romanian Ministry of Defense, two phalanxes of the French army crossed the Romanian border.



According to Romanian Defense Minister Vasile Dincu, all the equipment is intended to strengthen the NATO team deployed in the republic .



According to available information, the military equipment left the territory of the base in France on October 18 and crossed the Romanian border on October 23.



On October 22, the US Army's 101st Airborne Division "Screaming Eagles" deployed to Romania close to the border with Ukraine.



"It is noted that this Division is trained to deploy to any battlefield within hours. No one believes that the NATO command is sending additional forces to Romania, supposedly to "protect NATO's borders" , but the version of the invasion of the western regions of Ukraine is being considered quite seriously.



By the way, Romanian Defense Minister Vasile Dincu resigned due to disagreements with the country's president, who fully supports the US in the Ukraine issue. The head of the Ministry of Defense does not agree with the possible involvement of Romania in the Ukrainian conflict," Russian sources emphasize.



And Lithuanian forces

At the same time, Polish and Lithuanian forces are being moved to the border of Belarus

. Both countries are gathering military equipment and infantry under the cover of exercises.



Lithuanian soldiers were sent to the border with Belarus wearing red armbands. That is, the Lithuanian army, under the cover of the "Iron Wolf 2022" exercise, was deployed on the border with Belarus with identification marks used by Belarusians and Russians.



This is NATO's response to the deployment of forces by Russia and Belarus. According to the Atlantic Alliance, these forces aim to cut off Western Ukraine from receiving supplies and weapons from the West.

"Leave Nikolaev"

At the same time, the mayor of Nikolaev, Alexander Senkevich, urged the residents of the city, whose activities are not related to the management of vital infrastructure, to leave Nikolaev.



In an interview, he explained that the risk of destruction of homes and vital infrastructure still remains high.



"I constantly remind the residents of Nikolaev that there is still a risk of destruction of their homes and, above all, destruction of infrastructure, the absence of which will prevent them from living a normal life. And most importantly, there is a possibility that a missile will hit at any time, in any place, and we can lose the most precious thing we have, life.



Therefore, I continue to tell all people who are not involved in the management of vital infrastructure to leave the city before the end of the active phase of hostilities.



According to Senkevich, 220-230 thousand residents remain in the city, while before the full-scale war, 486 thousand people lived in Nikolaev.



Those who decide to stay in Nikolaev, the mayor advised them to stock up on food for a week. He also said that local authorities plan to start heating in high-rise buildings in the near future and provide residents of private houses with firewood and stoves for space heating.



The Mayor of Nikolaev discreetly requested the evacuation of the city...


Pictures and videos at link

[ExquisiteGerbil]

Invasion of the West Ukraine: French forces reinforce 101st Division - Mayor Nikolaev: "Leave the city" - Missile barrage against the dam

The Russians are releasing volumes of water...

24/10/2022 - 21:32 in Main topics , Ukraine


Ukraine entered the final stretch of an incalculable humanitarian disaster as Ukrainian forces launched a barrage of attacks against the Novaya Kakhovka area, resulting in three missiles hitting dam facilities.



The Russian administration was forced to " release a large volume of water from the Kakhovka dam on the Dnieper in order to avoid a major disaster in Kherson if the Ukrainians continue to bombard it" .



According to Russian media “ Ukrainian forces hit the town of Nova Kakhovka in the Kherson region of Ukraine today and yesterday with GMLRS missiles fired from M142 HIMARS. They also used Ader systems in the attack".



Reports indicate that the Armed Forces of Ukraine fired 19 missiles from MLRS HIMARS and Alder, of which 16 were intercepted.



Three rockets hit the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric station.



Loud explosions were heard in the city, and houses were engulfed in flames.



According to the Russian Administration "there are no critical damages to HPP Kakhovskaya, the hydroelectric power plant continues to operate



The 3 rockets fell in the area of ​​the hydroelectric plant without causing critical damage


Ukraine Invasion Preparations: The French are Reinforcing US Forces in Romania

In addition, the elite American 101st Airborne Division "Screaming Eagles" is being reinforced in the last hours.



Yesterday shortly before midnight, French military phalanxes entered Romanian territory. The first military phalanx consisted of light armored infantry vehicles while the second of heavy armored infantry vehicles. Forces deployed to Cincu.



Russian military sources note that "the NATO command is deploying additional forces in Romania, following the US Army's 101st Airborne Division. According to the Romanian Ministry of Defense, two phalanxes of the French army crossed the Romanian border.



According to Romanian Defense Minister Vasile Dincu, all the equipment is intended to strengthen the NATO team deployed in the republic .



According to available information, the military equipment left the territory of the base in France on October 18 and crossed the Romanian border on October 23.



On October 22, the US Army's 101st Airborne Division "Screaming Eagles" deployed to Romania close to the border with Ukraine.



"It is noted that this Division is trained to deploy to any battlefield within hours. No one believes that the NATO command is sending additional forces to Romania, supposedly to "protect NATO's borders" , but the version of the invasion of the western regions of Ukraine is being considered quite seriously.



By the way, Romanian Defense Minister Vasile Dincu resigned due to disagreements with the country's president, who fully supports the US in the Ukraine issue. The head of the Ministry of Defense does not agree with the possible involvement of Romania in the Ukrainian conflict," Russian sources emphasize.



And Lithuanian forces

At the same time, Polish and Lithuanian forces are being moved to the border of Belarus

. Both countries are gathering military equipment and infantry under the cover of exercises.



Lithuanian soldiers were sent to the border with Belarus wearing red armbands. That is, the Lithuanian army, under the cover of the "Iron Wolf 2022" exercise, was deployed on the border with Belarus with identification marks used by Belarusians and Russians.



This is NATO's response to the deployment of forces by Russia and Belarus. According to the Atlantic Alliance, these forces aim to cut off Western Ukraine from receiving supplies and weapons from the West.


"Leave Nikolaev"

At the same time, the mayor of Nikolaev, Alexander Senkevich, urged the residents of the city, whose activities are not related to the management of vital infrastructure, to leave Nikolaev.



In an interview, he explained that the risk of destruction of homes and vital infrastructure still remains high.



"I constantly remind the residents of Nikolaev that there is still a risk of destruction of their homes and, above all, destruction of infrastructure, the absence of which will prevent them from living a normal life. And most importantly, there is a possibility that a missile will hit at any time, in any place, and we can lose the most precious thing we have, life.



Therefore, I continue to tell all people who are not involved in the management of vital infrastructure to leave the city before the end of the active phase of hostilities.



According to Senkevich, 220-230 thousand residents remain in the city, while before the full-scale war, 486 thousand people lived in Nikolaev.



Those who decide to stay in Nikolaev, the mayor advised them to stock up on food for a week. He also said that local authorities plan to start heating in high-rise buildings in the near future and provide residents of private houses with firewood and stoves for space heating.



The Mayor of Nikolaev discreetly requested the evacuation of the city...



See images from the gathering of forces of Lithuania and France


Photos and videos at link

[Pink Rose]

Russia claims Ukraine is in the 'final stage' of creating a 'dirty bomb' as Kyiv's top general admits Zelensky's office is worried that Putin plans nuclear strike


Russia claims Ukraine is developing a 'dirty bomb' have been widely dismissed

But it has raised fears Moscow is planning a 'false flag' attack to escalate further

Russia's Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov today said Ukraine was in 'final stages'

General Oleksandr Syrskiy, commander of Ukraine's ground forces, said today of the threat posed by Vladimir Putin's nuclear weapons: 'We are worried'

By CHRIS JEWERS FOR MAILONLINE



PUBLISHED: 07:51 EDT, 24 October 2022 | UPDATED: 12:08 EDT, 24 October 2022



Russia has claimed Ukraine is in the 'final stage' of creating a 'dirty bomb', further raising fears that Moscow will carry out a false flag attack.



The claim came as Kyiv's top general admitted President Volodymyr Zelensky's office is 'worried' about the threat posed by Vladimir Putin's nuclear weapons.



Concerns have been growing in recent weeks that Moscow could order its forces to set off a dirty bomb of its own, place the blame on Kyiv, and use it as justification to further escalate the war with a devastating nuclear strike.



Following a series of embarrassing battlefield setbacks, the Russian despot issued a thinly veiled threat late last month that he would be willing to resort to using nuclear weapons. Nuclear sabre rattling has also come from other Russian hardliners.



On Monday, the Kremlin stood by its allegation that Ukraine may be preparing to detonate a so-called dirty bomb, which disperses radioactive material.



'According to the information we have, two organisations in Ukraine have specific instructions to create a so-called 'dirty bomb'. This work is in its final stage,' Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov claimed in a statement on Monday.



Ukraine, the United States, Britain and France have dismissed Moscow's claim.

Continued at the link

[ExquisiteGerbil]

Ukrainian ambassador to France: "A nuclear strike in Kherson cannot be ruled out"

They prepare public opinion...

24/10/2022 - 22:52 in Ukraine

0

Shock verdict: Russia routinely carries nukes 'ready to use' - Ukraine crosses Rubicon with Crimea attacks & destruction of Russian base


"The possibility of a nuclear strike on Kherson cannot be ruled out," Ukrainian ambassador to France Vadim Omelchenko said in an interview with the French newspaper Le Parisien.



According to the Ukrainian official, "the Russian army is suffering huge losses, losing 500 to 800 soldiers every day, and that's why it started the barbaric bombing of the cities."



He also states that “this is not a new strategy for Russia. They did it in Chechnya and Syria, remember the tragedy in Aleppo. They destroyed infrastructure, bombed hospitals to scare people and take control of empty cities."



Asked why the Russian forces have started evacuating civilians from the occupied territories, including Kherson, he answers as follows:



"For Russian soldiers to get out of Kherson, they have to use civilians as shields. We observed this on several occasions: when they fled, they formed convoys mixing civilians and soldiers to prevent us from bombing.”



“But this evacuation may also signal a new plan by Russian leaders. We do not rule out that they will destroy the Kakhovka dam in order to flood the lands", concludes the Ukrainian ambassador.



USA: No evidence of use of nuclear weapons by Russia



The United States has no indication that Russia has decided to use a nuclear, biological or chemical weapon, a US military official told reporters today, despite US concerns about false Russian warnings about a dirty bomb plan being developed by Ukraine.



These statements were made after the telephone conversations that the US Secretary of Defense and his Russian counterpart had yesterday Sunday and today the chiefs of the general staffs of the US and Russia.

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