https://bsky.app/profile/noelreports.com/post/3lrsknqr2ts2e
As a bonus, Shoigu also agreed to give Lenin's embalmed corpse to Kim Fatty III, despite protests from Xi who had expected this gift.
Posted on 02/24/2024 5:59:01 AM PST by SpeedyInTexas
we will discuss the increased Russian provocations and calls for the denazification of the Baltic countries. Not wanting to be caught off guard and taking these threats seriously, these countries are already taking measures to improve their security.
Most recently, Sergey Naryshkin, head of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service, warned that Poland and the Baltic countries would be the first to suffer in any conflict between NATO and Russia. He accused these nations of showing high aggressiveness and claimed they were underestimating the devastating consequences of provoking Moscow. This statement echoed a wave of similarly hostile rhetoric from Russian state officials and media figures, over the past two years.
Russian officials, including former President of Russia, Dmitry Medvedev, now deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, have repeatedly questioned the sovereignty of the Baltic countries. Medvedev declared that the Baltic states belong to Russia and accused NATO of harboring anti-Russian intentions. State television host Vladimir Solovyov has gone even further, stating that these countries don’t need independence, and that their sovereignty is a joke.
Such statements are not isolated; they reflect a coordinated campaign to frame the Baltics as illegitimate states and NATO’s eastern flank as a battleground ripe for denazification, a chilling repeat of the Russian justification for its war on Ukraine.
The term denazification is particularly troubling, as it has historically been used by Russia as a pretext for aggression. Prior to its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Moscow framed its war aims in identical terms, alleging that Kyiv needed to be cleansed of Nazis, despite Ukraine being a functioning democracy with a Jewish President. Now, with similar language being used against Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, the fear is that these statements may not be mere propaganda, but early signs of a more expansive regional strategy.
From a military standpoint, the Baltic states represent a significant weakness for Russia, making them a tempting target. Kaliningrad, Russia’s exclave on the Baltic Sea, is completely isolated and surrounded by NATO territory, so prominent Russian media and political figures are constantly calling for the establishment of a direct land route to Kaliningrad. Most important is the narrow Suwalki Gap between Poland and Lithuania, as control over it would either sever or restore Russian land access to Kaliningrad, depending on who holds it.
At the same time, since Finland and Sweden joined NATO, the Baltic Sea has become almost entirely encircled by NATO members, severely limiting Russian maritime maneuverability. Russia’s Baltic Fleet, already small and aging, is no match for the combined naval power of NATO states in the region.
On land, the Baltic countries host forward-deployed NATO battle groups and conduct regular military exercises to prepare for rapid mobilization. These factors make any quick land grab by Russia, a tactic used in Crimea and eastern Ukraine, far less likely to succeed here. This only seems to enrage the Russian government further, fueling its hostile campaign.
Russia’s scare tactics extend beyond mere threats. The Kremlin actively invokes the presence of Russian-speaking populations in the Baltics, around 24% in Estonia and Latvia, as a rationale for intervention, much like it did in Ukraine. These demographics are a legacy of Soviet-era population transfers and remain a sensitive issue. Russian state media routinely portrays these ethnic Russians as oppressed and in need of protection, laying the narrative groundwork for a potential future military action.
The Baltics are not ignoring these signals. They have witnessed firsthand how Russia used similar rhetoric to justify its invasion of Ukraine. What was once dismissed as empty words has become a forerunner of real war. As such, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania are bolstering their defenses, strengthening their ties with NATO, and preparing for the possibility of battle. The line between information warfare ,and justification for full-scale war, is growing thinner, and with every new threat from Russia, the sense of urgency increases.
Overall, Russia’s repeated calls for the denazification of the Baltic states and its threats of direct retaliation are viewed with the utmost seriousness by their governments. The parallels with the lead-up to the war in Ukraine are stark, and after a series of provocations in the last months, the stakes are higher than ever. For Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, preparing for the worst is not paranoia, it’s a necessity and they are actively working to improve their security.
“Russian strategic aviation (what’s left) preparing for mass(ish) cruise missile strike on Ukraine tonight and tomorrow morning.” (16-17 June - during the G-7 Summit)
Kyiv Independent reports on the attack and damage:
“The Ukrainian Air Force confirmed that Russia launched 472 aerial weapons overnight, including nearly 280 Shahed-type attack drones and two Kinzhal ballistic missiles. The strike primarily targeted Kyiv.
Ukraine’s air defense forces reportedly destroyed 428 air targets, including 239 Shahed drones and 15 Kh-101 cruise missiles. Air defenses also intercepted one Kinzhal missile, while another was reportedly lost from radar tracking.
15 people have been killed and at least 124 people have been injured, according to the latest reports.
President Volodymyr Zelensky called the assault “one of the most horrifying attacks on Kyiv,” saying more than 440 drones and 32 missiles were launched across Ukraine overnight...
...Zelensky confirmed that damage had been reported in eight districts of Kyiv, with emergency workers still searching for survivors beneath the rubble of a destroyed apartment block.
In a video posted on Telegram, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said cluster munitions had been found in one area of the city. He later added that June 18 would be an official day of mourning in Kyiv.
Many of the deaths and injuries occurred when a Russian missile hit a nine-storey residential building in the Solomianskyi district, “completely destroying” one section, Ukraine’s State Emergency Service said.”
https://bsky.app/profile/noelreports.com/post/3lrsknqr2ts2e
As a bonus, Shoigu also agreed to give Lenin's embalmed corpse to Kim Fatty III, despite protests from Xi who had expected this gift.
On June 12, Ukrainian counterintelligence and police thwarted an FSB-orchestrated attempt to use a 15-year-old Ukrainian girl to carry out a bombing in a crowded public park in the western city of Ivano-Frankivsk. According to the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), the Russian handler approached the girl online, offering her money to assemble an improvised explosive device using basic materials. She was instructed to fill the device with shrapnel, conceal it in a thermos, and leave it in a central park location timed for maximum civilian casualties.
Fortunately, the girl did not fall for the scheme. She contacted authorities using the SBU’s “Expose the FSB Agent” chatbot, enabling Ukraine's security services to take over communication with the Russian operative. Posing as the teenager, Ukrainian operatives allowed the handler to believe the plan was moving forward, all while gathering evidence. The FSB’s instructions were clear: plant the bomb, then disappear. The handler also attempted to detonate the device remotely—both while the girl was allegedly transporting it and once it reached the supposed target. Ukraine's operatives had intentionally made the device inert to prevent any risk to the public. The final step in the FSB’s plan was chilling. The girl—referred to only as a “contractor”—was to be eliminated immediately after the attack, ensuring no witnesses could implicate Russian intelligence.
This isn't the first such incident. Ukrainian intelligence has reported numerous attempts by Russian agents to recruit children and teenagers via games, social media, and messaging apps.
https://kyivinsider.com/russia-continues-efforts-to-recruit-children-as-suicide-bombers/
Are the strike aircraft US labeled, and are the air tankers also US labeled and does that matter for just the tankers? I don’t know the law or courtesies for whose planes are being used for what.
You may have noticed that in my previous comment I made reference to tribes and Siberians. Regional information sources could be provided information related to losses of people from their region. My son had his DNA tested, and it also offered a back description of his father and his mother (me). My maternal grandparents came from East Prussia (Lithuania), and Pozen (Poznan) Poland. My information showed a strong Baltic component, but also a far, far East component ranging from 6 to 9%. Since my grandmother was Prussian petit nobility (von) was her fathers title, I suspect the far, far East may have come from the Golden Hoard or some other Hun or Asian conquest. I do know that Putin is taking many of the ethnic minorities for his slaughter, and those people should be made aware of all the dead from their regions and ethnicities even if individual persons cannot be identified.
https://x.com/Osint613/status/1935030127940800824
The tanker in the picture is a "big engine" KC-135.
The fighters are F-35s.
They are all probably U.S. Air Force aircraft.
https://x.com/bayraktar_1love/status/1935062962940584017
“Last missile barrage from Iran... now we barely get 5 at a time.”
GEN (Ret) Petraeus on Fox, estimated that about half (maybe less) of their mobile missile launchers have been hit already.
In response to a question of the effectiveness of the GBU-57 (MOP) against the Fordo facility, he also mentioned that when he commanded CENTCOM, they had a Plan to destroy the Iranian nuke program - he was highly confident of its capability.
NY Post today (17 June):
“The Israeli ambassador to the US has cautioned there are still “surprises up our sleeves” in the fight against Iran — as President Trump issued his own ominous warning that Israel wouldn’t be slowing its attacks anytime soon.
“Expect a surprise later this week,” Yechiel Leiter told Merit TV on Monday.
...“We’ve pulled off a number of surprises. When the dust settles, you’re going to see some surprises on Thursday night and Friday, that will make the beeper operation almost seem simple.””
Israel has been aggressively hunting missiles and launchers. They can count the ones they destroy in the open, but we don’t know about the ones destroyed underground. Like this video where you see explosive ejection through both visible tunnel entrances to an underground facility:
https://x.com/sentdefender/status/1935042551750533143
Whatever was in that facility, and others that have been similarly struck, is either destroyed or inaccessible. And of course Iran’s command structure has been severely degraded. Seeing the huge reduction in the number of missiles being fired seems to indicate Israel’s efforts in taking out these weapons might be even more successful that we know.
Iran might also have fewer long range missiles than everyone thought (just like Hezbollah had far fewer weapons than everyone thought). Jennifer Griffen, who has always had excellent sources, says her sources are telling her Iran only had 750-1,000 missiles capable of hitting Israel.
https://x.com/JenGriffinFNC/status/1934615147227549742
Not sure if Israeli tankers have been converted to R models, but with the R the KC-135 stratotanker can fulfill its original mission it could not with the A and E variants , full fuel capacity and efficient powerful engines
“Jennifer Griffen, who has always had excellent sources, says her sources are telling her Iran only had 750-1,000 missiles capable of hitting Israel” (in addition to smaller drones).
I also heard an estimate of around 750 elsewhere. No doubt some percentage have been lost on the ground in Iran, in addition to the number already fired.
Russian forces conducted the third largest combined drone and missile strike against Ukraine since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion on the night of June 16 to 17. The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russian forces launched 440 Shahed and decoy drones from the directions of Kursk, Oryol, and Bryansk cities; Shatalovo, Smolensk Oblast; Millerovo, Rostov Oblast; and Primorsko-Akhtarsk, Krasnodar Krai.[1] The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russian forces launched two Kh-47M2 Kinzhal aeroballistic missiles from the airspace over Tambov Oblast, 16 Kh-101 cruise missiles from the airspace over Saratov Oblast, four Kalibr cruise missiles from the Black Sea, nine Kh-59/69 cruise missiles from the airspace over Belgorod and Bryansk oblasts, and one Kh-31P anti-radar missile from an unspecified location. The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Ukrainian forces shot down 239 drones, one Kh-47M2 missile, 15 Kh-101 missiles, and seven Kh-59/59 missiles and that 163 drones, one Kh-47M2 missile, one Kh-59/69 missile, and one Kh-31P missile were “lost” or suppressed by Ukrainian electronic warfare (EW) systems. Ukrainian Air Force Spokesperson Colonel Yuriy Ihnat reported that the Shahed and decoy drones targeting Kyiv City flew from different directions, including along the Dnipro River and from the east and west.[2] Ihnat and Kyiv City Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko stated that Ukrainian authorities found remnants of cluster munitions at the site of missile explosions, and a Ukrainian source posted footage reportedly showing a Russian missile with cluster munitions striking Kyiv City overnight.[3] Ukrainian officials reported that the strikes hit residential areas and civilian infrastructure in Kyiv City and Chernihiv, Cherkasy, Odesa, Sumy, and Zaporizhia oblasts.[4] Ukrainian officials reported civilian casualties in Kyiv and Odesa cities and Chernihiv Oblast.
The June 16-17 strike series heavily targeted Kyiv City and hit residential areas in the capital, as Russian officials and milbloggers called on Russia to intensify its strikes against Ukraine. Kyiv City officials reported that Russian forces launched 175 drones, over 14 cruise missiles, and at least two ballistic missiles against the city overnight.[5] Kyiv Mayor Vitaly Klitschko reported that the strikes killed at least 15 people in the city and injured at least 114.[6] Ukrainian officials stated that a Russian ballistic missile hit a nine-story apartment building in Solomianskyi Raion, collapsing the entrance to the building and destroying 30 apartments.[7] Ukrainian officials reported that Russian forces struck other civilian and residential infrastructure across Kyiv City.[8] The United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (UN HRMMU) reported on June 17 that Russian forces struck at least 30 locations across seven raions in Kyiv City.[9] The UN HRMMU reported that the last strike against Kyiv City with comparable or higher civilian casualties was the July 8, 2024, strike that killed at least 32 civilians and injured 85, including at the Kyiv City Okhmatdyt Children's Hospital.[10] First Deputy Chairperson of the Russian State Duma Defense Committee Alexey Zhuravlev advocated on June 17 that Russia should intensify its strikes against Ukraine to prevent Ukraine from regrouping and receiving additional Western aid.[11] A Russian milblogger called for Russia to expand and multiply its strikes as long as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is president.[12]
Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu announced that North Korea would send 6,000 sappers and military engineers to help with reconstruction efforts in Kursk Oblast. Shoigu met with North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un in Pyongyang on June 16 during Shoigu’s second visit to North Korea in June 2025.[13] Shoigu stated that Kim agreed to send 1,000 North Korean sappers and 5,000 North Korean military construction workers to demine and reconstruct Kursk Oblast. ISW previously observed reports that North Korean military personnel and “technical advisers” were operating in occupied Donetsk Oblast, including near occupied Donetsk City and Mariupol.[14] Russia may deploy North Korean sappers and engineers to occupied Ukraine in engineering and support roles in the future.
The European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom (UK) announced sanctions packages against Russia on June 16 and 17.[15] The UK sanctioned additional parts of Russia's financial, military-industrial, and energy sectors, including Russia's shadow fleet and its operating companies.[16] The UK also sanctioned two UK residents accused of helping to supply Russia with over $120 million worth of electronics. The EU Council renewed its sanctions package that targets the import of products from occupied Crimea into the EU and the export of goods and technology to transport, telecommunications, energy, oil, gas, and mineral companies in Crimea.[17]
https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-june-17-2025
Namely: 8 Zala, 5 Lancet, Privet-82, Molniya, Sarych, 2 Gerbers, 3 V2U with artificial intelligence.
https://x.com/front_ukrainian/status/1935241922572075021
Taking out Iran is enough of a “bone crushing “ sanction on Russia.
No more drone parts, no more missiles, no more oil and money laundering…
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