Another day over 1K.

Interview with Russian Duma member who left Russia in protest and joined the Ukrainian Army.  Talks about the war within the Russian elites.

Copetank

I did not state that I've heard Westerners decry the dissolution of the Soviet Union directly and unambiguously. (I have heard this sentiment in the Baltics from old Bolsheviks and Russians of all ages.)

Via inference, it is not difficult to conclude that there are Western right and left wing elements who would prefer Russian dominance over E. Europe, whatever that would entail. There are numerous voices who state that Ukraine belongs to Russia via Russia's sphere of influence (and how dare the West interfere in any manner). And what other independent nations would fall to this "Realpolitik?" Moldava, Georgia? Notwithstanding NATO, perhaps Finland, The Baltics, Hungary, Slovakia, Romania, Bulgaria? These were all in Russia's sphere of influence during the Soviet period.

OK. Thanks for the clarification and I think we are in agreement.

I'm sure there are some (probably many) in the US democrat party that cried when the USSR broke up. Likewise, I think today there may be some misguided conservatives who think Western Europe could benefit from Russian occupation. Replace the migrant invasion and lgbtqp obsession with Red Army mass rape, torture chambers, and deportations to gulags...I think some countries like Hungary feel caught in the middle of two malevolent forces.

We are well on our way towards building cost effective/easy to produce solutions to defeat relatively cheap Group 1-3 ISR or OWA drones. NGSRI & Stinger (traditional MANPADS) will very much be the upper end (cost) of this with plenty of capability sitting below. https://t.co/veylQMa9DS pic.twitter.com/YazqAmFi1u

— AirPower 2.0 (MIL_STD) (@AirPowerNEW1) April 28, 2024

I've been tweeting about this for years.\uD83E\uDDF5\uD83D\uDC47 captures some thoughts on the cost concerns that @RALee85 raises. With APKWS already facilitized to 20+K/yr & Army gearing up to order 6K Coyote II+'s + beginning to field CsUAS DEW, we're off to a good start.https://t.co/TgNTviTcPJ

— AirPower 2.0 (MIL_STD) (@AirPowerNEW1) April 28, 2024

This is a good summary. One thing to note about the Coyote Block 2+ is that its design is targeting a particular capability and not the absolute "cheapest" possible Group 2/3 defeat capability. That's reflected in its range, guidance, and other attributes. https://t.co/PWrSTxsJeD

— AirPower 2.0 (MIL_STD) (@AirPowerNEW1) December 21, 2023

As I've tweeted previously  \uD83E\uDDF5\uD83D\uDC47, there are a dozen or more US and European OEM's who can produce something like the Coyote and be collectively cranking out tens of thousands of these a year for a fraction of its current cost. If that was the objective.https://t.co/MMC8HTH9kE

— AirPower 2.0 (MIL_STD) (@AirPowerNEW1) December 21, 2023

The false comparison being drawn to "Western" air-defense capacity is also completely irrelevant to the discussion. The "Shahed" threat doesn't warrant those capabilities. It warrants equally scaled production of significantly cheaper, and simpler counter measures. pic.twitter.com/cTFuXX641P

— AirPower 2.0 (MIL_STD) (@AirPowerNEW1) May 28, 2023

So yeah, don't give me the BS of limited SM-6, or Aster missile production. It is irrelevant. What's relevant is the number of qualified, and technically capable OEM's in the west who can produce G-3 UAS optimized kinetic or DE interceptors like HPM, Coyote and several others. pic.twitter.com/dEyJPAUL7k

— AirPower 2.0 (MIL_STD) (@AirPowerNEW1) May 28, 2023

And \uD83D\uDC46 you have no shortage. Probably half a dozen- dozen in the US. As many in Europe & Asia. Now add EW, and HPM payloads to these effectors. And layer of DE (HEL & HPM) & factor in offensive capability against this sort of targeting.

Cheap solutions allow cheap CM's \uD83D\uDC47 pic.twitter.com/esNkpVigdZ

— AirPower 2.0 (MIL_STD) (@AirPowerNEW1) May 28, 2023

The current delivery of these Group 3 optimized CsUAS capability emphasizes mil fixed/semi-fixed site defense. But it isn't hard to imagine, that very similar solutions could also support Air-launched intercepts coming off of long loitering MALE RPA's allowing for SO ranges. pic.twitter.com/umUwXQ7Q5t

— AirPower 2.0 (MIL_STD) (@AirPowerNEW1) May 28, 2023

At the end of the day, what needs to be measured is the production capacity or barriers to scaling capacity of relatively simple, COTS based one-way attack drones like the Shahed, and equally simple to manufacture, C-sUAS solutions optimized specifically around G-3 systems. pic.twitter.com/0DSOdYSbOP

— AirPower 2.0 (MIL_STD) (@AirPowerNEW1) May 28, 2023

A $100K missile vs $50K target is cost-effective if your layered approach is aimed at using interceptor for 1 of 2-3 drones with majority being defeated by the DE,EW, or gun layers. Though designed for mil sites, small palletized solutions can easily be emplaced in urban areas. pic.twitter.com/dfxoyZfQX3

— AirPower 2.0 (MIL_STD) (@AirPowerNEW1) May 28, 2023

Plus much more at the links.

All 64 of Finland's future F35 fighters will be stored in underground shelters.

Simulators and other devices that contain sensitive information will also be stored in underground facilities.

The fighters will be spread over several different bases. pic.twitter.com/BvrpxplkPg

— Tomi \uD83C\uDDFA\uD83C\uDDE6\uD83C\uDDEB\uD83C\uDDEE (@TallbarFIN) April 28, 2024

These are the very cheat night vision drones using an IR light source for being able to see.

FPV drone of the 82nd Brigade sneaks up and attacks a Russian night assault group from behindhttps://t.co/912I82Q3iR pic.twitter.com/0bqeXRYPSd

— Special Kherson Cat \uD83D\uDC08\uD83C\uDDFA\uD83C\uDDE6 (@bayraktar_1love) April 28, 2024

AFU conducts ATACMS strike on Russian air defense targets in Crimea

Last night, the AFU struck Russian air defense units at Cape #Tarkhankut, Crimea, which is in Ukraine, with ATACMS missiles most likely carrying M39 Block 1 cluster warheads. There are no damage assessments… pic.twitter.com/iIAsM2SNwO

— OSINT (Uri) \uD83C\uDDFA\uD83C\uDDF8 \uD83C\uDDE8\uD83C\uDDE6 \uD83C\uDDEC\uD83C\uDDE7 \uD83C\uDDFA\uD83C\uDDE6 \uD83C\uDDEE\uD83C\uDDF1 (@UKikaski) April 28, 2024

So this is why the big thread hasn't had @Prime 's updates the last few days.  If it's not bad form, are you (and any other regular posters that see this) not planning on posting there any longer?

1/2 Guerre d'Ukraine | 27/04/24

Secteurs :
\uD83C\uDF10 Kupiansk-Kyslivka\uD83D\uDD39U240427-0846
\uD83C\uDF10 Avdiivka-Ocheretyne\uD83D\uDD39U240427-0857
\uD83C\uDF10 Ocheretyne-Semenivka\uD83D\uDD39U240427-0919
\uD83C\uDF10 Pervomaiske\uD83D\uDD39U240427-0913#UkraineRussianWar #GuerreEnUkraine pic.twitter.com/14jdyNB44W

Poulet volant  (@Pouletvolant3) April 28, 2024

Looks like Netailove is lost https://t.co/sFO5UQSzAn

Ukraine Control Map  (@UAControlMap) April 28, 2024

To be honest, I think a lot of us felt too constrained on the subjects that could be discussed.  For weeks we couldn't provide news or links about what Congress was doing because those posts were deleted in that thread.  Numerous other readers to the thread complained so it was proposed to start a new thread that would encompass what was allowed before in the old thread.

I know my posting time is limited, so I can only really put attention to 1 or 2 threads, and I may be unable to contribute soon because of a new job.

I still follow and read the big Ukraine thread, and I'm happy to see the other guys stepping up to provide info I don't have time to post.

It turns out that the Ukrainian M1A1SA's tanks have specially designed composite armor that is recognized by serial number with code UKR and it is a completely different armor from those used by the US Army M1A1's and M1A2's with U or M armor code letters. pic.twitter.com/TwoZr2OIRf

Junsupreme  (@RyszardJonski) April 28, 2024

Seriously, that is downgraded armor compared to what US forces have in their M1's.

Not bad form at all.
We could’ve communicated what we were doing a little better, but we weren’t sure how it was going to turn out, honestly.

Yeah, it's been almost sarcastically over moderated.  Hopefully the new job still leaves you time to post some.  With your knowledge base Ii'd be a shame if you weren't able to anymore.

Thank you for the kind words, I will certainly try to check in each day and try to contribute as well when I can.

The job is from another U.S. defense company and it is very vital work for our nations defense.

There are a lot of people like you that help make a thread great, I'm really glad we have such a good team of people to put the information together in one place.  The odd lurker that jumps in to provide excellent info and personal experience is great to see as well.

Chronology of deliveries of CAESAR guns to Ukraine :

? 18 in 2022;
? 31 or 37 in 2023;
? 72 or 75 between 2024 and 2025;

After 2025, @KNDS_France should be able to produce 144 CAESARs per year. https://t.co/hhpr5kKxEj pic.twitter.com/s25bfCf1hV

— French Aid to Ukraine \uD83C\uDDE8\uD83C\uDDF5\uD83C\uDDFA\uD83C\uDDE6 (@aidefranceukr) April 28, 2024

It’s all good, the time and effort you put into this is greatly appreciated.

The sign behind her head that says "Socialism and Liberalism" while at an anti Israeli protest says it all really.

"What are we protesting?"

Teaching your children the process of critical thinking is one way to avoid seeing them later on, like this clueless specimen, in a meme.
#HamasAttack #Israel #Yemen #Hamas #Hezbollah #Palestine #Iran #Syria #OSINT

Re-Tweet Appreciated

Re-Tweet… pic.twitter.com/gAI3eyQDiC

— OSINT (Uri) \uD83C\uDDFA\uD83C\uDDF8 \uD83C\uDDE8\uD83C\uDDE6 \uD83C\uDDEC\uD83C\uDDE7 \uD83C\uDDFA\uD83C\uDDE6 \uD83C\uDDEE\uD83C\uDDF1 (@UKikaski) April 28, 2024

FPV hit group of Orcs riding on Chinese all-terrain vehicle pic.twitter.com/Xmle8jHaKV

Getty  (@gettylegion) April 28, 2024

"A strange trend in recent days, a lot of military equipment is going towards Poland," Russians in Europe are taking videos and worrying. https://t.co/Hbgdj4HL9O pic.twitter.com/LYpGsfCsmf

— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) April 28, 2024

If they couldn’t hear that, those were some deaf MFs.

Russia Soldiers position on the left bank of Kherson region was hit with long range drone. https://t.co/tcQYS9ASdo pic.twitter.com/z63BgHSw5a

Getty  (@gettylegion) April 28, 2024

I personally feel that the third component is a feeling of being sick and tired, of being sick and tired of carrying the load defense wise for Europe, while they sneer down their noses and laugh at us for being poor uneducated, unsophisticated bumpkins who just don't understand how things work.

They've navel gazed and tried to build their socialist utopias's while flipping us the bird and not spending the agreed upon 2% GDP. So when this war started they sat on their collective hands waiting for us to do it, because well... we've always done it. They were all prepared to tut-tut, laugh and stage whisper with each other about how stupid we are and superior they are.

And then the U.S. did little to nothing, leaving Europe exposed. Their chickens have come home to roost and they didn't realize the world changed on them while they were refilling their beer mug.

When asked to help the cupboards were mostly bare. Remember back when this started Germany saying they didn't have the supplies to keep an infantry company in the field for more that a few weeks?

A year or so in they came to the conclusion that maybe, just maybe, the U.S. wasn't gonna do the heavy lifting for them anymore so maybe, just maybe they need to look at doing... something.

Now, another year in, they've got plans to do several somethings that will take anywhere between 1 and 5 years to do because of their 40 year navel gazing socialist utopia building kumbaya Russian dick sucking lifestyles.

We stopped talking to most of the European branch of our family over this war. The last of my civility died with their "Good Vibes from Washington" and "Zelensky just needs to talk to Putin to settle their differences like adults" conversation. The level of disconnect between reality and their perceived reality was too great to bridge.

Personally, I'm surprised Western Europe has stepped up and sent anything more than butt plugs and ball gags, two things which they seem to have in abundance.

\uD83D\uDE4F "We are monitoring the increase in the number and regrouping of the enemy's troops in the Kharkiv direction", - Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi.

The most difficult situation is in the Pokrovsk and Kurakhove directions. The enemy deployed up to four brigades, is trying to develop… pic.twitter.com/U6KmejOAHy

The Ukrainian Review  (@UkrReview) April 28, 2024

... an offensive west of Avdiivka and Mariinka.

AFU, saving their lives, moved to new frontiers west of Berdychiv, Semenivka and Novomykhailivka. Heavy fighting continued across the front line this week.  The situation escalated.

As mentioned above, it is good to see there is a realization that these countries need to step it up for their own safety.  I think once they actually realise that making your own defense systems can be a real benefit, especially if the product is good enough that other countries will pay you for it as well.

Britain developing homegrown hypersonic missile - It has been reported that the United Kingdom intends to design and deploy its own hypersonic cruise missile by the year 2030. Click the image to read more.https://t.co/mc69zEMvTD

UK Defence Journal  (@UKDefJournal) April 28, 2024

Not the greatest quality at 3 m resolution, but there are some notable changes that are worth following up on at Kushchyovskaya Airbase.

PlanetScope-SuperDove imagery from April 22 and today (April 27) showing at least 2 locations on the apron that may have been damaged in the… pic.twitter.com/IjBWM6v78Q

Evergreen Intel  (@vcdgf555) April 28, 2024

This is the Russian Kushchyovskaya airbase.  Much better image below.

Damage from a Ukrainian strike on Russia’s Kushchyovskaya air base is visible in new high resolution satellite imagery.

This site is more than 200 kilometers from the front line in Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/HXNaB7ClGp

Brady Africk  (@bradyafr) April 28, 2024

Upon the conclusion of WWII historians, using information from our former enemies, learned that submarine commanders and aircraft pilots often grossly inflated the number or tonnage of destroyed ships and aircraft. Even if these casualty figures are off by similar numbers, I don't know how any nation can continue suffering these kinds of casualties without serious consequential political consequences.
At some point, the citizens of Russia will have a hard time dealing with the number of funerals and watching the military cemeteries fill up. Hard to tell where the breaking point will be, but it will come at some point.

I'm subscribing here. A post on the other thread, where I thought I was always careful, was zeroed out and I have no idea what un-good thoughts I had written.

The other thread was analogous to having an HOA president who loved flexing authority to the point where all the condo members have decided to sell their condos and move into another complex.

Most of us got our pee pee slapped for reasons not understood or positions that probably conflicted slightly with his political position.

Hopefully this thread will allow reasonable discussion and slightly wider guard rails.

I tend to believe the trackers because they are using a cautious methodology. Will casualties halt the war? The Russians are a greedy and hateful people, so they really don't care if all the neighbors kids die in a war. They may not even care about their own kids dying, unless it costs them money.

The Russians have the simplist solution to this. They leave them on the field.

I think there is a lot of disinfo going around; my current take is that this whole op was a Putin-directs SVR/FSB operation gone bad.  Since all of the scapegoat searching seems to be directed at the various logistic and support commands as well as combatant commanders, I am led to assume the GRU had better intel leading up to this and tried to put the brakes on this whole op and has enough receipts squirrelled away to protect themselves against some pretty high ups in the Kremlin/SVR/FSB groups that seem to be dominating Russian decision-making currently.

Japan has been facing off Russian naval and air space incursions in addition to North Korean missle threats and China territorial dispute near Taiwan

https://amp.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3260692/chinese-coastguard-face-japanese-politicians-near-disputed-east-china-sea-islands

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I got banned for posting Congressional bills news articles the mod claimed there was prior warnings not to include any Presidential or Congressional news which if there was I may have missed as it’s hard to keep up.

I’m way behind on emails and my inbox so I’m sure people are also frustrated trying to contact me but not getting any reply.

https://www.upi.com/amp/Top_News/World-News/2024/04/27/kazakhstan-Russian-Chinese-defense-ministers-tout-close-bilateral-ties-during-meeting/8771714225305/

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Speaking of ISW who used my Islamic state info in a Fox News interview a decade ago


https://www.foxnews.com/video/6351801113112

February 2024 article about Japan’s territorial dispute with Russia

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2024/02/13/japan/japans-northern-territories/

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https://www.newsweek.com/china-navy-ships-sea-japan-east-sea-russia-1880641

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From Iran state news https://en.mehrnews.com/amp/214393/

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Russia’s missile attack on 26-27 April visualised:

\uD83D\uDD34 - cruise missiles
\uD83D\uDFE3 (dark) - ballistic missiles
\uD83D\uDFE3 (light) - Kinzhal hypersonic missiles and fast-moving targets \uD83D\uDDFA???

The primary target of the latest mass attack was once again the gas storage facility near Stryi, in… pic.twitter.com/yZfqQCFMvs

— TEXTY.org.ua in Eng (@Textyorgua_Eng) April 28, 2024

US Army has already integrated new DE components to its Fixed and Mobile LIDS system and its associated C2 to augment the Coyote interceptors and EW layers. The Army is now moving ahead and funding full FAAD C2 integration of the @anduriltech #RoadRunner & @BAESystemsInc APKWS. https://t.co/TVAx125oJQ pic.twitter.com/j4SJHNV21v

— AirPower 2.0 (MIL_STD) (@AirPowerNEW1) April 28, 2024

USAF Chief Scientist Victoria Coleman later noted ARRW was "the most mature weapon that we have" Disclosed prev. unreported successful Tactical Boost Glide flight test on Dec 8, 2020, over the Pacific, "an amazing day." Was coy on whether ARRW was fully zeroed out https://t.co/MN904fXIQW pic.twitter.com/15FJdLZzpd

— Masao Dahlgren (@masao_dahlgren) April 28, 2024

Progress continuing on HACM, Congress and Global Strike Command apparently "huge fans and can't wait" for it to be in inventory. flight test next year will happen in Australia. This is why AUKUS matters. pic.twitter.com/iLO3lxdeAd

— Masao Dahlgren (@masao_dahlgren) April 28, 2024

Here's the top-level portfolio from Dr. Weber on current hypersonic acquisition programs. pic.twitter.com/ya7OmNDWUo

— Masao Dahlgren (@masao_dahlgren) April 28, 2024

Europe has been preaching integration, internationalism and multiculturalism as well for years.  Unfortunately for them, they are now realizing what that looks like and how well it actually works in practice; right at the same time that they realize that Europe is not the US's only priority, and is probably not even the main priority.  One of the reason they feared Trump in the past is that he was willing to say what a lot of Americans have been thinking since the IFOR/SFOR/KFOR missions of the late 1990's that was kind of papered over post 9-11.  They HATE Biden's Administration because they now realize that existential European security concerns are no longer a US priority and will be secondary to US domestic politics.  As much as we love to rightfully point at the ten or so Republican clowns who used Ukraine to create drama, the Euros also understand that Biden could have made the whole issue go away nearly instantaneously by adding a rider for $1 Billion or so for a border wall.   Also, even though the Euros are fashionably anti-Semitic in their rhetoric they didn't really believe a lot of the crap they talked regarding the Israelis and were comforted by the idea that they could criticize Israel all they wanted and vote for all kinds of unrealistic resolutions secure in the conventional wisdom that the US would come through and stop the stupidity allowing them to virtue signal.  When the Biden administration showed themselves perfectly willing to throw a long-time ally like Israel under the bus for the sake of a few voters in states that many Europeans would have a hard time accurately identifying on a map (and may actually confuse, since they are both in the Midwest and unhelpfully both start with the letter "M"), the Euros took a hard look at their position and realized that the same criticisms of "Colonialism" dubiously directed at the Israelis are in reality a double-barreled shotgun pointed right at much of the basis for the underlying fraternal relationship between Europe and the United States.  IF the basis for the view that United States is both illegitimate and absolutely evil due to it's "white supremacy" and horrible record of "colonialism", who actually has a better/more humane record in Europe?  France, Britain, Holland, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Italy, and even Belgium have far bloodier records of colonialism and conquest than the United States.  They are also terrified by the fecklessness of the American "elites" when faced with even a minor amount of criticism from their putative "allies", and the terrifying inability of their peers in American "leadership" to actually lead.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-68916317.amp

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https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/kyivs-top-general-says-fighting-east-ukraine-worsens-troops-fall-back-2024-04-28/

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Here are losses I could Identify for yesterday.https://t.co/6ZeZYh00Ln pic.twitter.com/RJ3xw1nSzh

Andrew Perpetua  (@AndrewPerpetua) April 28, 2024

I believe Germany intends to provide another Patriot but please share any air defense - worldwide not just European theater


https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-68901820.amp

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New Perun video on the US aid package:

Canada has increased its commitment to supply Skyranger R70 small reconnaissance drones to Ukraine.
The first batch of  450 will start arriving next month, with another 450 to follow. pic.twitter.com/CrdGaYV4uF

— Roy\uD83C\uDDE8\uD83C\uDDE6 (@GrandpaRoy2) April 28, 2024