Here we go again-Ukraine once again pt2

[Jimbuna]

US President Joe Biden has said world history is at "an inflection point" as he made the case for billions of dollars in wartime aid for Ukraine and Israel.

In a speech at the White House, he said Hamas and Russia both wanted to "annihilate a neighbouring democracy".

Mr Biden said he would send an urgent funding request - expected to be $105bn (£87bn) - to Congress on Friday.

But the House of Representatives has no leader and can't approve any spending.

Mr Biden's rare primetime address to the nation from the Oval Office on Thursday evening was just the second of his presidency.

It came a day after his whirlwind trip to Israel following the attacks by Hamas on 7 October.

Mr Biden said the emergency aid request would "pay dividends for American security for generations".

In his 15-minute address, he also condemned any acts of hatred against Jews or Muslims in the US, and condemned the fatal stabbing of six-year-old Palestinian-American Wadea al-Fayoume in Chicago this week.

"We must without equivocation denounce anti-Semitism," he said. "We must also without equivocation denounce Islamophobia."

The White House has not yet officially released details about the expected aid package.

But a source familiar with the request told the BBC's US partner CBS News it would include:

$60bn for Ukraine and replenishing US stockpiles
$14bn for Israel
$10bn for humanitarian efforts
$7bn for the Indo-Pacific region, including Taiwan
$14bn for US border security
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-67164900

[Dargo]

Ukrainian and Russian forces clashed 68 times today – General Staff report

Saturday, 21 October 2023
Ukrainian forces clashed with Russian forces 68 times and repelled 10 Russian assaults on the Kupiansk, Lyman, Avdiivka and Marinka fronts on Saturday, 21 October.

Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, information as of 18:00 on 21 October

Details: Over the course of the day, Ukraine’s defence forces clashed with Russian forces 68 times. Russian forces carried out four missile strikes and 33 airstrikes and deployed multiple-launch rocket systems (MLRS) 24 times to attack the positions of Ukrainian troops and civilian settlements.

There were no significant changes on the Volyn and Polissia fronts.

Russia continues to maintain its forces near the Ukrainian border on the Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna fronts, shelling Ukrainian settlements from Russian territory, and is amassing mines and other defensive constructions along the Ukrainian border. Around 10 Ukrainian civilian settlements came under Russian fire, including Starykove and Bilopillia (Sumy Oblast) and Hatyshche and Budarky (Kharkiv Oblast).

On the Kupiansk front, Ukrainian forces repelled over 10 Russian assaults near Synkivka and Ivanivka (Kharkiv Oblast) and Nadiia (Luhansk Oblast). The Russians deployed mortars and artillery to attack around 10 settlements, including Dvorichna, Synkivka, Ivanivka, Kyslivka and Pishchane (Kharkiv Oblast).

On the Lyman front, Ukrainian forces repelled around 10 Russian assaults near Bilohorivka (Luhansk Oblast) and the Serebrianka forest and Spirne (Donetsk Oblast). Around 15 civilian settlements, including Nevske, Makiivka and Bilohorivka (Luhansk Oblast) and Torske, Verkhnokamianske and Spirne (Donetsk Oblast), came under Russian mortar and artillery fire.

On the Bakhmut front, Ukraine’s forces repelled all Russian assaults near Vasiukivka and Andriivka (Donetsk Oblast). Russian aircraft struck areas near Klishchiivka and New-York (Donetsk Oblast). Over 15 civilian settlements came under Russian mortar and artillery fire, including Ivanivske, Klishchiivka, Andriivka and Chasiv Yar (Donetsk Oblast).

Russian occupation forces carried out unsuccessful aircraft-supported offensive operations near Avdiivka, Keramik, Stepove, Tonenke and Pervomaiske (Donetsk Oblast) on the Avdiivka front, with Ukrainian forces repelling a total of around 15 Russian assaults. Russian aircraft struck areas in the vicinity of Novobakhmutivka and Novokalynove (Donetsk Oblast). Russian forces also deployed artillery and mortars to attack more than 15 civilian settlements, including Novokalynove, Stepove, Sieverne and Pervomaiske (Donetsk Oblast).

On the Marinka front, Ukraine’s Defence Forces successfully repelled more than 20 Russian assaults near Marinka, Krasnohorivka and Pobieda (Donetsk Oblast). Russian forces conducted an airstrike near Novomykhailivka (Donetsk Oblast). Around 10 settlements, including Krasnohorivka, Marinka, Pobieda and Novomykhailivka (Donetsk Oblast), came under Russian fire.

Ukraine’s forces repelled all Russian assaults in the vicinity of Prechystivka, Zolota Nyva and Staromaiorske (Donetsk Oblast) on the Shakhtarsk front. Russian aircraft targeted an area near Staromaiorske (Donetsk Oblast). Around 10 civilian settlements, including Vuhledar, Prechystivka, Zolota Nyva and Urozhaine (Donetsk Oblast) came under Russian artillery and mortar fire.

On the Zaporizhzhia front, Ukrainian forces repelled a Russian assault to the north of Pryiutne (Zaporizhzhia Oblast), while the Russians conducted airstrikes near Mala Tokmachka and Novodanylivka (Zaporizhzhia Oblast). Around 20 civilian settlements came under Russian artillery and mortar fire, including Poltavka, Malynivka, Chervone, Mala Tokmachka and Novodanylivka (Zaporizhzhia Oblast).

Russian aircraft struck areas in and around Burhunka, Mykolaivka, Tiahynka and Ivanivka (Kherson Oblast) on the Kherson front. Sadove, Stanislav and the city of Kherson (Kherson Oblast) also came under Russian fire.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Defence Forces are continuing to pursue the offensive on the Melitopol front and to carry out offensive operations on the Bakhmut front. They are inflicting personnel and equipment losses on the Russian forces and wearing them out all along the frontline.

Over the course of today, Ukrainian aircraft carried out 12 airstrikes on clusters of Russian military personnel, weapons and equipment.

Units of Ukrainian Rocket Forces and Artillery struck five Russian artillery systems, a radar system, an ammunition storage point, and two clusters of Russian military personnel, weapons and equipment. https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2023/10/21/7425135/

On Andriivka; It has his hallmark touch of “do it again” and “I don’t care how much we’ve lost.” Removing Surovikin by Gerasimov is quite the gift to Ukraine by Putin

[Dargo]

Frontline report: Russians lost 1400 soldiers and 175 tanks and armored fighting vehicles in Avdiivka in one day
The renewed Russian offensive near Avdiivka unveils shocking statistics of massive losses, marking a major setback for Russian forces. Today, 21/10/2023, the biggest news comes from Avdiivka. Here, more information became available about the renewed Russian offensive effort, and the results show that this was the biggest Russian disaster over the last year.

The Ukrainian General Staff reported that total Russian losses reached almost 1400 soldiers and 175 tanks and armored fighting vehicles in one day, and 65% of these losses came from two 5 km segments of the front near Avdiivka. The losses are almost 50% higher than during the first day of the offensive, which may come as a surprise because yesterday’s attack was not even as intense.

However, looking deeper into the question, such losses become unsurprising. The reason why the second wave of the Russian offensive was even more self-destructive is twofold. First of all, there was no element of surprise. And even though Ukrainian Intelligence did know in advance about the coming Russian attack on Avdiivka, this is not the same as soldiers on the ground knowing what exactly they are going to see and how exactly to deal with it. So, Ukrainian soldiers were more prepared and understood what to do to rebuff the Russian attack more efficiently.

Secondly, this time, Russian forces failed to support their ground operations with airstrikes to the same extent because over the last 11 days Russians incurred 5 confirmed fighter jets losses and 2 more unconfirmed, meaning not only that Russians have fewer jets but also that Ukrainians adjusted and are ready to intercept them en masse.

The main goal of yesterday’s attack once again became taking Terikon, which is a 25-meter-tall artificial mountain. The main idea is that once Russian forces establish control over the heights, they will be able to control the whole region and advance in all directions. And theoretically, this makes sense because Terrikon is extremely wide and has a lot of firing positions. However, practically, this would imply storming a 25-meter-tall wall under the constant fire of Ukrainians.

In the aftermath of the storming operation, some Russian sources reported that they achieved success and established control over the trees in front of Terrikon. Simultaneously, Russian forces launched an assault across the fields in the direction of Stepove. Geolocated footage reveals that Russians increased the sizes of their assault units by more than 50%, hoping that enough of them would survive during the crossing to take the Ukrainian positions. The video shows at least 14 tanks and armored fighting vehicles, which carry up to 100 soldiers. The infantry was dropped around 150 meters from Ukrainian trenches because Russians wanted to get their vehicles back. After that, some of the vehicles managed to escape, while the infantry got stuck in the field.

The infantry was lying on the ground because of non-stop machine gun fire, and it took just several artillery shots at the crowd to eliminate the whole assault unit. And this was just one assault.

Ukrainian reconnaissance teams reported that they were sending one attack after another. Ukrainians were using all types of weapons to prevent Russian tanks from getting close. Sometimes, Russian assault units were destroyed just several meters in front of the trenches. As one Ukrainian soldier said, Russians received such a powerful rebuff yesterday that they conducted almost no assaults today. A Russian soldier also commented about the situation and said that it’s high time the Russian Command reconsidered its approach of sending one battalion after another to hell, thinking that maybe this time they manage to entrench.

The situation in Avdiivka is so bad for Russians that the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin visited the main military Headquarters in Rostov-on-Don to personally talk with the Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov. The specifics of the discussion were not disclosed, however, some sources speculated that Russians expected to take Avdiivka by today. Putin also sent his regards to the commanders, so the fate and career of these commanders responsible for the onslaught may be at risk.

The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky also had a special meeting with high commanders, and the main topic of the discussion was also Avdiivka. The Chief-in-Command Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, who recently visited the front line, reported on the ongoing successful defensive operation in Avdiivka. So far, everything is under control. https://euromaidanpress.com/2023/10/...ka-in-one-day/

[Jimbuna]

[Jimbuna]

[Jimbuna]

[Jimbuna]

[Skybird]

Erdoghan submitted the paperwork approving Sweden's NATO accession to parliament for a vote. If the parliament does as it is told, the buck would then stop with Hungary, which continues to prevent admission.

[Dargo]

Originally Posted by Skybird

Erdoghan submitted the paperwork approving Sweden's NATO accession to parliament for a vote. If the parliament does as it is told, the buck would then stop with Hungary, which continues to prevent admission.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Monday submitted a bill approving Sweden's NATO membership bid to parliament for ratification, the presidency said, in a move welcomed by Stockholm that clears the way for it to join the Western defence alliance.

Erdogan pleased his NATO allies at a summit in July by promising to send the legislation to parliament when it reopened on Oct. 1, having previously raised objections over Sweden's alleged harbouring of terrorists.

Since parliament reopened, however, Turkish officials have repeatedly said Stockholm needed to take more concrete steps to clamp down on the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militia before Ankara could ratify its membership bid. The PKK is deemed a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the European Union and the United States.

On Monday the bill on approving Sweden finally moved forward.

"The Protocol on Sweden's NATO Accession was signed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on October 23, 2023 and referred to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey," the presidency said on social media platform X without elaborating.

Sweden's Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson welcomed the move and said Stockholm was looking forward to becoming a NATO member. "Now it remains for the parliament to deal with the question," Kristersson said on X.

There is no set timeframe for ratification, however. The bill will be put on the agenda of parliament's foreign affairs commission, which will have to pass it before it can be sent to the general assembly for ratification.

Sweden and Finland applied to join NATO last year following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Finland's membership was sealed in April, in a historic expansion of the alliance, but Sweden's bid had been held up by Turkey and Hungary.

Turkey, which has NATO's second-biggest army, has long been seeking U.S. congressional approval for a $20 billion sale of F-16 jets and modernisation kits. Erdogan has previously linked Sweden's NATO bid to U.S. support for its request. https://www.reuters.com/world/turkey...cy-2023-10-23/

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Skybird

Erdoghan submitted the paperwork approving Sweden's NATO accession to parliament for a vote. If the parliament does as it is told, the buck would then stop with Hungary, which continues to prevent admission.

Give Hungary the choice to vote for acceptance or for their own expulsion.

[Jimbuna]

[Dargo]

[Jimbuna]

[mapuc]

Markus

[mapuc]

i doubt it very much, that Putin "would fold"



Markus