Posted on 02/24/2024 5:59:01 AM PST by SpeedyInTexas
“Kremlin response to Kursk incursion shows how Putin freezes in a crisis”
“When Russian President Vladimir Putin’s authority is tested, his response often lacks quick, decisive action that lives up to his bellicose rhetoric.”
“Faced with crisis, Vladimir Putin tends to freeze.
Moscow’s slow, fumbling military response to Ukraine’s surprise occupation of parts of the western Kursk region is the latest example of the Kremlin chief failing to respond with quick, decisive action to match his bellicose rhetoric.
The Kursk incursion is the fourth major blow to Putin’s authority since his February 2022 invasion of Ukraine and highlights the weaknesses of a top-down autocracy that operates largely on fear and punishment.
In each case — after Russia’s failure to topple the Ukrainian government at the start of the invasion, after the Wagner mercenary boss Yevgeniy Prigozhin led a rebellion against the regular Russia military command and after Islamist extremists struck the popular Crocus City Hall concert venue — the Kremlin’s response has been halting, with Putin waiting 24 hours or more to offer any public comment.”
All for All trade. Nothing less.
“A Russian Mother’s Pleas to Find a Captured Conscript Are Met With Silence”
“Hundreds of green young recruits were captured during Ukraine’s surprise incursion. Putin had told their families they would be safe.”
“Russian conscript Vitaly Izmailov was sent to Russia’s border with Ukraine expecting a calm end to his year of mandatory service. With the main battles happening to the south and east, patrolling the frontier was seen as an uneventful assignment, dull even—the kind of thing a conscript could safely do.
But when Ukraine launched a cross-border attack on Aug. 6, the 19-year-old disappeared.
Izmailov’s mother has lodged desperate pleas for information, even appealing directly to Russian President Vladimir Putin in an online petition signed by the mothers of other soldiers who are missing.
“I’m not going to give up until I find him,” Yevgenia Izmailova said in an interview from the Russian city of Perm.”
Demilitarization, desatanization and denazification of RuZZia continues.
Russia - 17463, of which: destroyed: 12761, damaged: 765, abandoned: 996, captured: 2941
Tanks (3335, of which destroyed: 2283, damaged: 156, abandoned: 369, captured: 527)
The score is 2:0 in favor of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. But, obviously, it will soon become 3:0.
As is known, the Ukrainian Armed Forces recently destroyed a bridge across the Seim near the village of Glushkovo in the Glushkovsky District of the Kursk Region with a HIMARS MLRS strike and an air raid. Late yesterday evening, a second bridge across the Seim in the village of Zvanoye in the Glushkovsky District was practically destroyed by HIMARS shelling. As a result, the only bridge left in the Glushkovsky District across the Seim is in the village of Karyzh, which is in the HIMARS strike zone and there is reason to believe that it will also be destroyed or, at best, damaged.
But this bridge remains the only one through which it is possible to supply our defending group in the border area of Tetkino. But it is unlikely that it will be possible to supply it under massive enemy fire using boats and pontoons. Let me remind you that all this is happening on the territory of the Russian Federation.
Where is Chief of the General Staff Gerasimov, who on August 7 convinced everyone, including the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, that the invading group would be defeated in the shortest possible time?
https://t.me/blackcolonel2020/1481
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viktor_Alksnis
earlier ref https://freerepublic.com/focus/news/4042550/posts?page=6947#6947
Roger that, decoy destroyed.
“This is one of the stories which leaves me laughing.
Russians tracked an Ukrainian M270, which fired a salvo of GMLRS. Then they lost eye contact and found a few kilometers from the firing position what they thought was the M270. It was, however, an inflatable decoy. Russians apparently didn’t notice this and called in an Iskander-M strike.
Even the drone footage shows the inflatable rail above the cabin. Russians even added a real pic where you can see the difference.
$4 million missile just wasted on a piece of plastic. Congratulations, Ivan.”
https://x.com/Tendar/status/1825161876629598353
German Ministry denies Wildberry psyop rumor - Ukraine will be funded.
Kyiv Independent reports:
“The German Finance Ministry refuted reports that Berlin will not provide budgetary aid to Ukraine, Suspilne news agency reported on Aug. 18…
…The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry refuted the alleged reports that Germany will halt military aid for Ukraine, calling them a “manipulation.”…
…Referring to this decision, the German Finance Ministry clarified that while some aid would be shifted to international programs, Germany remains committed to supporting Ukraine.
“The (German) Federal Finance Ministry is ready to consider the possibility of the short-term provision of additional funds until then,” the German Finance Ministry said in a comment to Suspilne, referencing the start of implementation of the international programs…
….After Russia claimed that Ukrainian troops used German-provided armored personnel vehicles on Russian soil during the Kursk incursion that began on Aug. 6, German officials defended the operation as “completely legitimate” and stated that all German weapons supplied to Ukraine are now considered Ukrainian property.”
Russia still dropping a hundred glide bombs a day - still no answer for that.
RuZZians being RuZZians
“Russian soldiers tied other Russian soldiers to trees and beat them up for being drunk.”
https://x.com/Gerashchenko_en/status/1825099955230343590
“Russian soldiers tied other Russian soldiers to trees and beat them up for being drunk.”
They were probably drunk when they did that.
OT:
SpaceX Flight 5 maybe 2 weeks. Starship 30 looks ready to go.
The SpaceX Fram 2 mission [ private ] will be the first ever human overflight of the poles, capsule features observation dome. This will be the 6th crew mission of Crew Dragon [ different capsule ]. They will spend between 3-5 days at 425-450km.
Falcon 9 had 5 launches last week. Includes a Transporter mission with a host of satellites, 2 of which were from Australia. These missions are becoming very cheap and affordable.
With Moscow now claiming Kiev is planning dirty bomb detonations in Moscow how long before they just decide to first strike Kiev with a Nuclear attack? It’s logical. We are 5 minutes to midnight and the war dogs of the American bureaucracy refuse to de-escalate. pic.twitter.com/2OJd2ExLYw— Dan Collins (@DanCollins2011) August 17, 2024
OT:
Update 👿 from CNBC report 5 days ago:
Local Texas regulators and the EPA have halted Starship launches at Boca Chica accusing them of dumping waste water with mercury into local streams and other water sources. As a result, the FAA has canceled all requests to increase SpaceX’s launch cadence [ 25 per year ].
The focus was on the water deluge system - almost every one uses this sort of system. 14 complaints filed with local office in Aug 2023, alleging environmental impacts. Was discharging water without TCEQ authorization.
Regulators have said SpaceX can continue with launches, despite violations. This whole thing may or may not cause significant delays.
Musk has hinted that something will happen in 2 weeks, so this issue may not affect Flight 5.
“Polling by Levada Center independent polling agency in July indicates that even as Russian state media has trumpeted Russian gains in eastern Ukraine, 58 percent of Russians now support an end to the war, compared with only 34 percent who want to go on fighting.”
Thanks for the answer, although it is not informative.
Here is the latest from IAEA:
17AUG2024 Update 245 – IAEA Director General Statement on Situation in Ukraine
The nuclear safety situation at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) is deteriorating following a drone strike that hit the road around the plant site perimeter today, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said.
“Yet again we see an escalation of the nuclear safety and security dangers facing the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant. I remain extremely concerned and reiterate my call for maximum restraint from all sides and for strict observance of the five concrete principles established for the protection of the plant,” said Director General Grossi.
Earlier today, the IAEA Support and Assistance Mission to Zaporizhzhya (ISAMZ) team was informed by ZNPP that an explosive carried by a drone detonated just outside of the plant’s protected area. The impact site was close to the essential cooling water sprinkler ponds and about 100 metres from the Dniprovska power line, the only remaining 750 kilovolt (kV) line providing a power supply to ZNPP.
The team immediately visited the area and reported that the damage seemed to have been caused by a drone equipped with an explosive payload. There were no casualties and no impact on any NPP equipment. However, there was impact to the road between the two main gates of ZNPP.
The ISAMZ team has reported that military activity in the area - including very close to the plant - has been intense for the last week. The team has heard frequent explosions, repetitive heavy machine gun and rifle fire and artillery at various distances from the plant. There is no sign of the military activity in the vicinity of ZNPP abating, despite Director General Grossi’s repeated calls for restraint.
The Ministry of Defense will prohibit writing and talking about the threat of the Ukrainian Armed Forces invading Crimea
A source in the ministry told us about this. “A lot of unnecessary panic has emerged against the backdrop of the events in the Kursk region. They write and talk about various offensives, including towards Crimea. It is clear that this will not happen, so it is necessary to stop spreading panic,” he explained. “Saboteurs like the criminal Strelkov and others like him are spreading information that is beneficial to the enemy, and a number of war correspondents and other speakers are picking it up. We will stop this. And effectively. And soon,” our interlocutor added.
We drew his attention to the fact that after the Kursk region, even representatives of the peninsula's authorities are afraid of a possible enemy invasion of Crimea . And warnings about serious attacks are being broadcast on federal channels. “This is the problem. That is why clear prohibitions are needed. Well, tell me honestly, how do you even imagine the Ukrainian Armed Forces invading Crimea? It's funny even to listen to!” the source answered.
https://t.me/kremlin_secrets/4534
The Russian view of the outside world: if you don't talk about it, it disappears.
Hunter Biden’s laptop ?
Need more ? I thought so.
An account related to Wagner/Prigozhin posted this 23JUN2023:
A missile strike was launched against the Wagner PMC camps. Many casualties. According to eyewitnesses, the strike was launched from the rear, that is, by the Russian Defense Ministry military.
https://t.me/razgruzka_vagnera/169
That was the start of the march against Moscow
and 2 h ago:
A little warning before the upcoming events, personally from @kirpichiOP✍️
There is an understanding that a similar “provocation” as in June 2023 is to be expected soon , and it will require an immediate response. Observe information hygiene and check even “reliable” sources. According to our data, this “provocation” will most likely take place on the Ukrainian-Belarusian border. A number of accompanying factors indicate this. The “result” of this “provocation” will horrify the enemies of our Fatherland and no one will be able to stop us.🏄♂️
Thanks
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