China Posted July 13, 2023 Share Posted July 13, 2023 Russian general says he was fired after telling 'the truth' about situation in Ukraine A Russian general said he had been fired as a commander after telling the military leadership “the truth” about the dire situation at the front in Ukraine, as tensions in the Russian army grow in the aftermath of Wagner’s short-lived mutiny. Maj Gen Ivan Popov, who commanded the 58th Combined Arms Army which is fighting on the front in Ukraine near Zaporizhzhia, said in a voice message that he had been fired after he brought up problems on the battlefield, including the lack of counter-battery fire as well as deaths and injuries the army is suffering from Ukrainian attacks. Popov’s emotional address was published late Wednesday by Andrei Gurulyov, a retired Russian colonel general and Duma deputy. Without naming them, Popov appeared to attack army head Valery Gerasimov and defence minister Sergei Shoigu, two of the country’s most powerful military men, accusing them of stabbing the country in the back. Click on the link for the full article Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfitzo53 Posted July 13, 2023 Share Posted July 13, 2023 If I were him I wouldn't plan on living a whole lot longer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
China Posted July 14, 2023 Share Posted July 14, 2023 Reservists Set to Deploy for Europe NATO Mission Following New Biden Order President Joe Biden signed an executive order Thursday that will allow the Pentagon to tap into reserve forces for deployment to Europe as part of its long-standing NATO mission on the continent. According to a copy of the order released by the White House, it allows the military to use up to 3,000 reserve service members to augment its forces in Europe, which grew in reaction to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The Pentagon said last year it increased the troop presence on the continent by about 20,000 troops as Russian President Vladimir Putin attempted to seize the country, bringing the total U.S. force in Europe to more than 100,000. "It's unlocking additional forces for use in support of this operation," the Pentagon's top spokesman, Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, told reporters on a phone call Thursday. Lt. Gen. Douglas Sims, the Joint Staff director for operations who also briefed reporters, said, "These authorities will enable the department to better support and sustain its enhanced presence and level of operations" in Europe. Click on the link for the full article Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
China Posted July 16, 2023 Share Posted July 16, 2023 Putin Sent Wagner to Belarus to Prepare Attack on Poland: Russian Lawmaker Russian lawmaker Andrey Kartapolov suggested that President Vladimir Putin expelled the Wagner Group to Belarus to allegedly prepare for an attack against Poland during a recent appearance on Russian state television. Last month, Putin exiled Wagner Group forces to Belarus following a failed mutiny against Russian military leadership that followed months of simmering tensions over Moscow's stagnant invasion of Ukraine, which has seen Russian forces struggle to achieve their goals despite the vast size of its military. The attempted rebellion saw a breakdown of relations between the Kremlin and Wagner Group founder and leader Yevgeny Prigozhin, a longtime Putin ally. Meanwhile, much about the paramilitary organization's plans in Belarus remain unknown. However, Kartapolov said during a recent appearance on Russia-1's Evening with Vladimir Solovyov that Wagner forces may be preparing for a new attack against Poland, a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Kartapolov's claims could not be independently confirmed by Newsweek, and neither Putin nor Wagner leadership have signaled that there are imminent plans to invade Poland. Click on the link for the full article Seems highly unlikely Russia would invade Poland, and it would be an incredibly stupid move on Putin's part. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PokerPacker Posted July 17, 2023 Share Posted July 17, 2023 6 minutes ago, China said: Seems highly unlikely Russia would invade Poland, and it would be an incredibly stupid move on Putin's part. Yeah. He may be a terrible tactician, but he's not that stupid. Maybe another attempt to invade Ukraine from Belarus? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry.Randolphe Posted July 17, 2023 Share Posted July 17, 2023 invading Poland is a suicide mission. Good luck with that one, Vlad. He'd likely get a bullet in the head from someone in the Kremlin before that happens. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FootballZombie Posted July 17, 2023 Share Posted July 17, 2023 lol at the suggestion of planning to attack a NATO country. That is not even quality saber rattling. Nobody is THAT dumb. Andrey Kartapolov out here making a fool of himself. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CousinsCowgirl84 Posted July 17, 2023 Share Posted July 17, 2023 It’s probably more likely that Putin would launch a nuke at Ukraine than it would be that they invade Poland. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrSilverMaC Posted July 17, 2023 Share Posted July 17, 2023 (edited) AP News: https://apnews.com/article/eafa1696fc5f2377cb83ac4b317c5386 17 mins ago TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Traffic on the key bridge connecting Crimea to Russia’s mainland has been halted amid reports of explosions. The governor of Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in 2014, announced the closure early Monday but did not specify the reason. News reports said local residents heard explosions before dawn, but there was no confirmation. The 19-kilometer (12-mile) bridge that was opened in 2018 is the main land connection between Russia and the Crimean peninsula. Edited July 17, 2023 by MrSilverMaC Formatting 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmirOfShmo Posted July 17, 2023 Share Posted July 17, 2023 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TradeTheBeal! Posted July 17, 2023 Share Posted July 17, 2023 1 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riggo-toni Posted July 17, 2023 Share Posted July 17, 2023 If it were marine drones, I don't understand why they didn't take out the rail rather than the road section. Taking out the rail would have a serious impact on military logistics, whereas breaking up the road is more symbolic than effectual. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CousinsCowgirl84 Posted July 17, 2023 Share Posted July 17, 2023 2 hours ago, Riggo-toni said: If it were marine drones, I don't understand why they didn't take out the rail rather than the road section. Taking out the rail would have a serious impact on military logistics, whereas breaking up the road is more symbolic than effectual. The rail is probably a lot hard to take out…. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PleaseBlitz Posted July 17, 2023 Author Share Posted July 17, 2023 2 hours ago, Riggo-toni said: If it were marine drones, I don't understand why they didn't take out the rail rather than the road section. Taking out the rail would have a serious impact on military logistics, whereas breaking up the road is more symbolic than effectual. No reason they can't try again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreatBuzz Posted July 17, 2023 Share Posted July 17, 2023 (edited) 49 minutes ago, CousinsCowgirl84 said: The rail is probably a lot hard to take out…. Would it be? I admittedly havent put much thought into but I would think a rail would be easier to disable. Trains run on a lot close tolerance. Edited July 17, 2023 by TheGreatBuzz 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CousinsCowgirl84 Posted July 17, 2023 Share Posted July 17, 2023 10 minutes ago, TheGreatBuzz said: Would it be? I admittedly ha ent put much thought into but I would think a rail would be easier to disable. Trains run on a lot close tolerance. I think it youre right it would be easy to disable but also easier to repair. The road bridge looks like concrete, where as the train rail is steel. I assume concrete doesnt deal with shockwaves as good as steel… Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreatBuzz Posted July 17, 2023 Share Posted July 17, 2023 22 minutes ago, CousinsCowgirl84 said: I think it youre right it would be easy to disable but also easier to repair. The road bridge looks like concrete, where as the train rail is steel. I assume concrete doesnt deal with shockwaves as good as steel… But what's holding up the steel rail? Hit that and they have to fix two things. I'm just brainstorming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
China Posted July 17, 2023 Share Posted July 17, 2023 Russia seizes control of Danone and Carlsberg operations Russia has taken control of the Russian subsidiaries of yoghurt maker Danone and beer company Carlsberg. The units have been put in "temporary management" of the state, under a new order signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Moscow introduced rules earlier this year allowing it to seize the assets of firms from "unfriendly" countries. This came after many companies halted business in Russia following its invasion of Ukraine. Danone and Carlsberg were in the process of selling their Russian operations. Sunday's order places the shares of Danone Russia and the Carlsberg-owned Baltika Breweries under the control of Russian property agency Rosimushchestvo. France-based Danone, which started the process to sell its Russian business last October, said it was "currently investigating the situation". The firm added that it was "preparing to take all necessary measures to protect its rights as shareholder of Danone Russia, and the continuity of the operations of the business". Carlsberg said it had not received "any official information from the Russian authorities regarding the presidential decree of the consequences for Baltika Breweries". The Danish brewer also said it had completed an "extensive process" to separate the Russian unit from the rest of the company. Last month, the company signed an agreement to sell Baltika Breweries but had not yet completed the deal. "Following the presidential decree, the prospects for this sales process are now highly uncertain," it added. Click on the link for the full article Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
China Posted July 19, 2023 Share Posted July 19, 2023 Russia’s losses are far higher than anyone could have believed In May, I warned that Russia’s losses were far higher than we had been led to believe. Everything – from Putin’s meatgrinder tactics to the drone-derived pinpoint accuracy of Ukrainian ordnance - suggested as much. Moscow’s claimed losses of a few thousand were always blatant propaganda. They’ve now been blown apart. Reporting from independent media outlets suggests that somewhere between 40,000 and 55,000 Russian men have died on the frontlines, before the start of the current counteroffensive. In addition to these losses, there are another 80,000 or so very seriously wounded, incapable of further fighting. These are the sort of casualty rates we associate with the First World War, and completely unprecedented in modern times. It’s little wonder Putin’s regime wants to hide the true numbers from the Russian people. His “special military operation” was supposed to be a near bloodless – on the Russian side, at least – coup over in a matter of days. There are several reasons why these rates are so high, and why the Russian public seems to be ambivalent about the carnage being inflicted on their sons. The first is that the elites of the Russian army were killed or injured in the first few months of the war and replaced by conscripts with little or no training. With part-trained manpower it is evident that Russian forces cannot conduct combined arms warfare, where infantry are protected by tanks, artillery and fighter jets. Hence, they appear only to be able to man trenches, or go over the top WW1 style, where they are decimated by better trained and disciplined Ukrainian troops. Click on the link for the full article Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renegade7 Posted July 19, 2023 Share Posted July 19, 2023 (edited) On 7/17/2023 at 10:07 AM, Riggo-toni said: If it were marine drones, I don't understand why they didn't take out the rail rather than the road section. Taking out the rail would have a serious impact on military logistics, whereas breaking up the road is more symbolic than effectual. This...I'm convinced if they really wanted to break the bridge in half, that's what would've happened. That's technically occupied territory, only so many ways for civilians to get out the way if they finally try to take it back..and this proves Russians can't stop them from snapping it in half if they wanted to or had to. Edited July 19, 2023 by Renegade7 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gurgeh Posted July 19, 2023 Share Posted July 19, 2023 Allegedly comes after a Storm Shadow cruise missile strike on an ammunition depot 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
China Posted July 20, 2023 Share Posted July 20, 2023 Putin cut deal with Wagner ‘to save his skin,’ MI6 chief says in rare speech It was a rare moment when the publicly visible Kremlin matched the reality behind closed doors. That is according to the head of Britain’s Mi6, who in a rare speech in Prague, gave the first confirmation from western intelligence that the boss of private military group Wagner Yevgeny Prigozhin did indeed strike a deal with Putin to end his advance on Moscow during the failed rebellion of June 24. And he had, it seemed, been welcomed into the Kremlin to meet Putin days later. The Mi6 chief, known as C, also expressed some bafflement at the tremors around the Kremlin during that weekend, and the speed in which loyalties were spurned and returned. “If you look at Putin’s behaviors on that day”, Richard Moore said of June 24, “Prigozhin started off I think, as a traitor at breakfast. He had been pardoned by supper and then a few days later, he was invited for tea. So, there are some things and even the chief of MI6 finds that a little bit difficult to try and interpret, in terms of who’s in and who’s out.” Moore also gave a rare indication of the continued health and whereabouts of Prigozhin himself, whose characteristically profane and frequent audio messages published on Telegram have recently stopped. Asked by CNN if Prigozhin was “alive and healthy”, Moore replied the Wagner leader was still: “floating around”, per his agency’s understanding. Western intelligence agencies have been reticent to comment on the failed rebellion, for fear of providing a false backbone to Russia’s familiar excuse for internal dissent - that it is arranged and fueled by western spies. Yet the on-camera speech provided an opportunity for Moore’s expression to convey how shocking the weakness betrayed by Putin that weekend had been. “He really didn’t fight back against Prigozhin”, Moore said. “He cut a deal to save his skin, using the good offices of the leader of Belarus”, he said, referring to the intervention of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko who struck the deal. “So even I can’t see inside Putin’s head”, he added. “He has to have realized, I am sure that something that is deeply rotten in the state of Denmark - to quote Hamlet - and he had to cut this deal.” Moore added it was difficult to make “firm judgments” about the fate of Wagner itself, as a mercenary group, but they “do not appear to be engaged in Ukraine”, and that there “appears to be elements of them in Belarus.” Click on the link for the full article Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
China Posted July 20, 2023 Share Posted July 20, 2023 After the Ukraine invasion, Russia had secret allies helping out with millions of dollars in aid—American oilfield services companies Major American providers of oilfield services supplied Russia with millions of dollars in equipment for months after its invasion of Ukraine, helping to sustain a critical part of its economy even as Western nations launched sanctions aimed at starving the Russian war effort. The largest – SLB, formerly Schlumberger – maintained and even slightly grew its business after others eventually departed. It announced on Friday it would stop exporting equipment there as The Associated Press prepared to publish a report on the companies’ Russian operations. Russia imported more than 5,500 items worth more than $200 million from the top five U.S. firms in the sector — led by SLB, Baker Hughes and Halliburton — in the year following the invasion that began in February 2022. That’s according to customs data obtained by B4Ukraine and vetted by The AP. The technology helped keep some of the world’s most challenging oilfields operating in a sector that provided nearly half of Russia’s federal revenues in 2021. Baker Hughes and Halliburton wound down their Russian operations several months after the invasion, but until last week, SLB still sold technology there. Click on the link for the full article 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
China Posted July 20, 2023 Share Posted July 20, 2023 Cosmetics Giant Avon Accused of Secret Pro-Ukraine Op in Russia Cosmetics giant Avon is reportedly under scrutiny by Russian investigators for slipping pro-Ukrainian fliers into customers’ orders. A Russian man who ordered perfume for his wife off the company’s website went to police after finding “extremely aggressive information about Russia’s actions in Ukraine” in the package, the Kommersant newspaper reported. The fliers also reportedly expressed support for the Russian Volunteer Corps, a militia fighting for Ukraine against their own country. Avon’s press service was quoted telling local media on Thursday that they’re carrying out their own investigation into the “serious” allegations, and that they have not yet been contacted by law enforcement. “We will conduct a thorough investigation into this matter as it conflicts with the company’s mission to support women through beauty,” the company said. Click on the link for the full story Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
China Posted July 21, 2023 Share Posted July 21, 2023 Russian warlord Igor Girkin arrested by Vlad’s cops after branding Putin ‘useless coward’ as brutal purge continues RUSSIAN warlord Igor Girkin has been arrested after branding Vladimir Putin a "useless coward". The commander turned military blogger has repeatedly criticised the tyrant - and warned the country would not survive another term under him. Girkin has also been outspoken about the failures of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. At least eight Russian top brass have been detained or suspended in a mass purge as Putin's defence chief roots out the "bad blood" in the Kremlin. And Girkin's wife Miroslava Reginskaya today announced on Telegram he had been detained on charges of "extremism". She wrote: "Today, at about 11:30, representatives of the investigative committee came to us. "I was not at home at that time. Soon, according to the concierge, they took my husband under the arms and took him away in an unknown direction. "From friends, I managed to find out that my husband was charged under article 282 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (extremism). "I do not know anything about the whereabouts of my husband, he did not get in touch." Click on the link for the full article 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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