Sinking the Moskva: previously undisclosed details.
How the Ukrainian Neptune destroyed the flagship of the Russian fleet

https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/articl...12/13/7380452/

Funny you mention it..Every time one of my fb-friends says remember article 5 in the NATO thing. I always response with
Have you ever read it ??

Markus

Ramzan Kaydyrov at it again.

"Putin’s Chechen warlord Ramzan Kadyrov appears to be auditioning for a particularly cheesy straight-to-video 1980s action movie in this bizarre new promo video. Is he being advised by Steven Seagal?"

https://twitter.com/Biz_Ukraine_Mag/...45291129884672

Lmao.

It is vitally important that international partners speed up their assistance to Ukraine, - Sunak

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has assured President Volodymyr Zelensky that he is focused on ensuring that British military equipment is delivered to the front line as soon as possible.

This was announced by the Prime Minister's office, Censor.NET reports with reference to LigaBusinessInform.

"The Prime Minister said he is focused on getting UK defense military equipment to the front line as soon as possible," Sunak's office said in a statement.

Sunak's press service also reported that the two leaders agreed that it was "vitally important" for international partners to accelerate their assistance to Ukraine to help the Armed Forces of Ukraine take advantage of the opportunity to repel Russian troops. Source: https://censor.net/en/n3397778

Sullivan discussed security assistance to Ukraine and full implementation of sanctions against Russia with colleagues from Poland and Baltic States

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan discussed with his counterparts from Poland, Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia the continuation of security assistance to Ukraine and pressure on Russia.

The relevant meeting was held in Washington, reports Censor.NЕТ with reference to Ukrinform.

"National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan met today with his counterparts from NATO Allies Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. They exchanged views on European security, reaffirming their unwavering support for Ukraine in the face of ongoing Russian aggression," the statement said.

The participants of the meeting "welcomed the continuation of security assistance to Ukraine and discussed the importance of maintaining pressure on Russia, including through the full implementation of sanctions."

Mr. Sullivan reaffirmed the American commitment to the security of Allies on the eastern flank. They also discussed preparations for the NATO Summit in Vilnius and further strengthening NATO's posture, readiness and interoperability," the statement said. Source: https://censor.net/en/n3397787

Canada sends first Leopard 2 tank to Ukraine. VIDEO

Canada has shipped its first Leopard 2 tank to Ukraine. It was loaded onto a C-17 military transport aircraft.

This is stated by Censor.NЕТ with reference to Twitter of Canadian Defense Minister Anita Anand.

"Combat tanks are on their way to help Ukraine," the statement reads. Source: https://censor.net/en/n3397795

Top Putin ally Medvedev threatens nuclear strikes as 500k on standby

Dmitry Medvedev, who is a high-ranking official in Russia and an ally of President Vladimir Putin, has issued a warning that if Kyiv uses long-range missiles to attack Russia, then all of Ukraine will face a destructive response.

He made this threat of nuclear strikes on a TV channel that is owned by the Russian military.

Medvedev said: "There will be no negotiations in this case, only retaliatory strikes,

"The whole of Ukraine remaining under Kyiv's rule will burn... Our response may be anything."
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world...577f76175d73ff

Russia building up forces prior to ‘likely' new military offensive in eastern Ukraine

Russia is building up its forces in eastern Ukraine in advance of a "likely" new military offensive, defence experts have warned. However, open-source intelligence has downplayed the possibility of Vladimir Putin launching a push to coincide with the first anniversary of his country's invasion, suggesting if he does it would be unlikely to succeed.

Putin sent troops into Ukraine, in what he insists on describing as a "special operation" rather than a war, on February 24, 2022.

However, since then they have encountered fierce resistance, notably when Ukraine recaptured the key strategic city of Kherson in November.

Speculation has been building that Putin will green-light a fresh offensive this spring, possibly timing it to coincide with the anniversary,

A Janes OSINT Force Monitoring analyst said: "Janes in the last few days has seen evidence of a new concentration of forces in the rear area of Svatove, which appears to be part of a larger buildup of Russian capabilities in northern Luhansk over the last two weeks.

"The buildup in forces includes fire support, manoeuvre, and enabling assets."

However, Janes has not yet observed an increase in Russian "shaping activity," which would be expected ahead of any large offensive land operation, they pointed out.

The analyst added: "Therefore, while Janes assesses that an escalation in Russian offensive operations is likely in short to medium term, it is not imminent in the next few days.

"Any new large-scale offensive is highly likely to be preceded by such shaping operations (for example increased artillery attacks) or it would be unlikely to achieve any sort of breakthrough.

"Meanwhile, small offensive actions are ongoing in this region and should not be seen as presaging any large offensive."

They continued: "Janes assesses that these smaller tactical actions are intended to prevent Ukrainian forces from putting the P-66/T-312 under fire control in the north while also expanding Russia's security buffer around Kreminna in the south."

Oleksii Reznikov, Ukraine's Defence Minister, yesterday claimed Putin was eyeing February 24 as a possible date to "try something".

Such a move would also mark Russia's Defender of the Fatherland Day the day before, which celebrates the army, he pointed out.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/othe...c4b66c00bb19ac

One Canadian Leopard is on its way to Ukraine, via airlift.
Portugal finally said it agrees to send a few Leopards, but refuses to say how many, and when. It is said that over the half of their Leopards are not operational.

No other Leopard-owner beside Poland (14) and Germany (14+x) and Canada (4) has made any binding committments to the call for Leopards so far. All the loud heroic voices before the German agreement have fallen silent. Times goes by. Ukraine waits and cannot afford to wait. More time passes. The silence continues.


And 31 Abarams are 8-12 or more months away.


The brightest outlook on the tanks: the Brits say the Ukrainian crews for the Callengers they train are over-motivated and learn much faster than was anticipated.

Total combat losses of Russian Federation since beginning of war - about 131,290 people (+700 per day), 3,220 tanks, 2,226 artillery systems, 6,405 armored vehicles. INFOGRAPHICS

As of the morning of February 5, 2023, the losses of the Russian occupiers are approximately 131,290 people.

This is reported by Censor.NET with reference to the press center of the General Staff.

As noted, the total combat losses of the enemy from 24.02.22 to 02.05.23 are approximately:

personnel - about 131,290 (+700) people were eliminated,
tanks - 3220 (+2) units,
armored combat vehicles - 6405 (+11) units,
artillery systems - 2226 (+6) units,
MLRS - 460 (+0) units,
air defense equipment - 227 (+2) units,
aircraft - 294 (+0) units,
helicopters - 284 (+0) units,
Operational-tactical UAV - 1958 (+2),
cruise missiles - 796 (+0),
warships/boats - 18 (+0) units,
automotive equipment and tank trucks - 5091 (+10) units,
special equipment - 203 (+0). Source: https://censor.net/en/n3397830

Its being reported that Bakhmut is almost encircled and the Ukrianian defenders are almost isolated. The only two remaining road corridors are now under constant Russian shelling.

Its also reported that the Russians advance on Lyman again.

Sounds like kind of a corroding effect of the Ukrainian defence line.

Russian losses are high but it seems they can afford them. Ukrainian military slowly bleeds out. It cannot sustain these losses as well.

Thats the meaning of "war of attrition".

Ukraine is loosing this sort of warfare, as I see it. They need to change. This way now means no way for them. Or in short: the Russians have longer breath than the Ukrainians.

Western deliveries need to drastically speed up, urgently. Ammo for anti air and artillery is low. Maybe still enough to hold defensive positions, but certainly not enough to prepare an own offensive.


I read the US recommended Kyiv already weeks ago to not waste precious troops and ressoruces on Bakhmut. It seems its now an ego thing between Putin and Zelensky directly, like Hitler and Stalin over Stalingrad.

Very good, but only in german. @Skybird this is worth hearing -

https://youtu.be/2dxp-rXrAus

I know him, Cat, I recommended his lectures before, and repeatedly. So do a number of youtube war bloggers. One could say by now he is of a certain fame.


Over two hours, thats a hefty chunk. :)

2 hours, but worthy every minute. Reisner just is correct. His analysis is sobering, I feel absolutely confirmed by his remarks.

The West plays a double game with Ukraine. And the Ukraine, being abused from both sides now, has no other choice than to smile.

The colonel at around 53. minutes asks the audience who would be willing to enter th eqwar, send his son, go himself? He continues by comparing to walking on the street and seeing a woman getting raped, and you throw here a pepper spray and tell her "Now, try something poor thing, but dont struggle too hard, else he may go after me, too."

Thats how the West is handling this mess. And I stick to it. This way the Ukraine will and must loose - with the West complying with the Russians' wishes. Or to say it clearer: the West wants Ukraine to loose as much as the Russians want it. The whole mumbo-jumbo the West does is only for the aftergame: to not get accused to not even having tried, and having not done anything. We do not want history to point fingers at us for our wrongdoing, but the wrongdoing of ours - its wanted. We want doing it wrong.

A western community of values? Our morals are fake. An alibi.

I mentioned it before, the ukriane also would mean a massive shift of the power balance inside the EU, if it would join, due to its military experience, its heavy industry its huge agricultural sectore, its big size and population. France and Germany would loose, Poland and the Slavic block, the Baltic states would gain influence.

Teh costs for this mess will be Europe, because the Russians will mutilate Ukraine and rip her economic heart out. The remaning torso will be heavily crippled and probably not independently survivable, needing to be kept alive by endless massive financial transfusions from the EU. We shoot us in our own foot here. In both, and repeatedly, to be sure.