I want an APKWS for my pickup.  

\uD83D\uDCA5In Belgorod region, a converted ground-to-ground S-300 complex was destroyed. Reportedly it was used to shoot S-300 rockets to Kharkiv.

— \uD83C\uDDFA\uD83C\uDDE6Ukrainian Front (@front_ukrainian) January 5, 2023

My supervisor allowed me to take a prototype launcher used in testing in the field, the rocket launcher part, but I couldn't strap it to the roof of my car.

I would have made the evening news driving home like that.

Technical have gotten a lot more technical.

Has there ever been an instance in the last 100 years when the Russians didn't lie?

Russian army is really going downhill.

??It's like 1950 in history, but no, this is russia today...

Let's clap and say it loud:
Long live great Stalin, long live great Stalin!

As in the old days. No, no, not again!#Hungary #Ukraine \uD83C\uDDED\uD83C\uDDFA??\uD83C\uDDFA\uD83C\uDDE6 pic.twitter.com/3oujmnrQcu

— Dénes Törteli \uD83C\uDDEA\uD83C\uDDFA\uD83C\uDDED\uD83C\uDDFA\uD83C\uDDFA\uD83C\uDDE6 (@DenesTorteli) January 4, 2023

Modified Russian UAV "Orlan-10", landed on 04/01/2023 by electronic warfare system - equipped with two containers with two small bombs in each.https://t.co/yEkRVNGFij pic.twitter.com/7xfJRWWPVI

— Special Kherson Cat \uD83D\uDC08\uD83C\uDDFA\uD83C\uDDE6 (@bayraktar_1love) January 5, 2023

The Air Force and ground troops of Ukraine’s Armed Forces hit 24 clusters of Russians, as well as five positions of their anti-aircraft missile systems, command posts and other facilities.https://t.co/BuFaHS78xZ

Ukrainian News24  (@UkrainianNews24) January 5, 2023

https://ukranews.com/en/news/906706-russian-fleet-lost-2-more-key-vessels-intelligence

I could definitely surrender to this unit, and I'm not russian!

\uD83C\uDDFA\uD83C\uDDE6Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass. It's about learning how to dance in the rain?? pic.twitter.com/5YKFB1vXM9

Sofia Ukraini  (@SlavaUk30722777) January 5, 2023

I think we all know what a rusty AK and a pink rubber band looks like.

The Ukrainian government has simplified rules for importing civil and dual-use drones, removing requirements for additional documents and certificates – including end-user warranty letters.https://t.co/N6y3fFEr2P

The New Voice of Ukraine  (@NewVoiceUkraine) January 5, 2023

Featuring Ukrainian pointer guy.  Bakhmut area, attack happened yesterday.

UKR Artillery destroyed 15 RUS Infantry - Artificial intelligence upscaled 150% + dehalo + compression reverse + injection 30 to 60 FPS https://t.co/9tJPMuewrA pic.twitter.com/PsinVctHeI

— Dariusz Zawadzki (@Military_oO) January 5, 2023

Updated video on adapters for the APKWS system on other vehicles.

\uD83C\uDDFA\uD83C\uDDE6\uD83C\uDDE9\uD83C\uDDEA#Ukraine received 20 such pickups from #Germany, with a Hydra 70 missile launcher and an APKWS system that converts these missiles into high-precision ammunition. #UkraineRussiaWar #UkraineWillWin #StandWithUkraine #SlavaUkraïni pic.twitter.com/nUX5dw1z2K

— Feher_Junior (@Feher_Junior) January 5, 2023

Apparently this guy has a map in his office showing Russia sliced and diced. Russia supporters were much triggered.

Thats some WarThunder stuff there.

Russians have redeployed their strategic bombers to the Far East. They are still having strike capabilities but the increased flight time will have a greater impact on their planes, causing higher maintenance and more failures, ultimately decreasing Russian capabilities. #Ukraine pic.twitter.com/lkGlUgCxBD

— (((Tendar))) (@Tendar) January 5, 2023

(ENG)

The first "convocations" are also beginning to appear in Moscow and St. Petersburg.#Russia #Mobilization https://t.co/RcEDf0VIg7 pic.twitter.com/cRiDRsmM5T

Pierre Davide Borrelli  (@PierreDBorrelli) January 5, 2023

Anyone have the link to the OSINT evaluation where the Russian guy shared a bunch of pictures on VK from a country club in occupied donetsk that got Himars'ed?

Posted yesterday, but much shorter video for those interested.

Aerial reconnaissance detected a Russian 82mm mortar position. To destroy it, it was decided to use kamikaze drones, since at that time there was no artillery available. Small arms were destroyed in the position, having lost which the Russians retreated. https://t.co/01m9cIKvCi pic.twitter.com/KG6vPuv1uR

Paul Jawin  (@PaulJawin) January 5, 2023

They could but its folly to pretend only Russians are getting killed and their positions overrun out there.

Here you go.

Anatomy of an OPSEC failure. A Russian volunteer posted photos on VK in Sahy, Kherson Oblast with member of the GRU's 10th Spetsnaz Brigade. He left the location tagging on, which makes it very easy to geolocate the Grand Prix country club from the tiles.https://t.co/NrnmXC0HtP pic.twitter.com/DG8AtMObY2

Rob Lee  (@RALee85) January 2, 2023

Thanks fam

That's also going to lead to armed cruise missiles spending a whole lot of time flying over their own territory hoping they don't crash.

It was reported a couple months ago when some India-pattern T-90s were spotted in occupied territory.

One can do a reverse image search and see that....

Attached File


...they just took a photo that was posted and put their own "Russia stronk" spin on it.  

Estonia is drafting enabling legislation to start transferring Russian assets seized to Ukraine. Should be a large wave across Europe shortly.

IMO, the biggest value is in establish the fact of reparations, not the absolute $$ value now.  This has been a contentious issue in some people’s minds, but it’s going to be a real weapon in hammering out a peace later, or driving a future weakened Russia to the table.

Estonian Foreign Minister @UrmasReinsalu explaining why Estonia will transfer the frozen assets it has seized from Russia to Ukraine.

\uD83C\uDDEA\uD83C\uDDEA\uD83C\uDDFA\uD83C\uDDE6 pic.twitter.com/FdIjRJn1tx

— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) January 5, 2023

I was looking for that post, thanks!  

Good opinion piece in The Hill regarding strategy for ending Ukraine conflict.



here’s a way to end Putin for good
Opinion by Yulia Latynina, opinion contributor j


The long-predicted Ukrainian counteroffensive on the Zaporizhzhia front, or, rather, on Russia’s land bridge to Crimea, is currently stalled because of winter mud, but the whole Russian position along the Black Sea is hopeless.

There’s a way to end Putin for good

© Provided by The Hill
It’s basically a strip of steppe along the coast, 150 miles long and 60 miles deep, with no natural obstacles and no road network for prolonged defense. Most of it is already within the reach of HIMARS, and the rest will be soon within the reach of other armaments.


Strategically it is just as untenable as Kherson, and the Russian general staff is perfectly aware of the fact.

This is why they are digging trenches at the entrance to the Crimea peninsula. This is also why there is talk about attacking Kiev from Belarus. With a hopeless position, you have just two options: an armistice or an offensive in some other place in order to divert the enemy’s forces.

The mud is the sole reason Ukraine is not advancing right now; it may well last until spring, but sooner or later the land bridge will be cut in two, leaving Russia with two heavily fortified territories captured from Ukraine: Crimea and Donbas.

It is crucial for the world, Ukraine and Russia what comes next.

Basically, there are two possible outcomes.

First: The U.S. gives Ukraine enough weapons to free Crimea and Donbas. This would be a blow that Putin would hardly survive. Putin’s regime falls, succeeded either by a civilian administration with the likes of Russian prime minister Mishustin, or Moscow mayor Sobyanin, who were careful not to exhibit too much enthusiasm for the war, or — more likely — by a short-lived junta. The first is preferable, but any of Putin’s successors would be keenly aware of the fact that the only option to survive is to sign a peace deal, acknowledge Ukrainian territorial integrity, and try to restore relations with the free world.

The most important point is that the future Russian government would not have to cede control over Crimea or Donbass — a move that could undermine its legitimacy with the Russian electorate: because they would already be gone, lost by Putin and his corrupt regime and inefficient army.

This scenario is a win for everybody. Ukraine gets back its territory and asserts its well-earned place as a Western ally, a new regional power and one of the lawful inheritors of the breakup of imperial Russia.

Russia, like Germany or Japan after the World War II, gets a chance to remake its future.

Related video: Putin isn't 'particularly worried' about the costs imposed on his military, professor says (CNBC)


And it is amply demonstrated to other dictators — like China’s Xi Jinping or Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan — that the present world order stands; that it is inadvisable to resort to force, and that war creates problems for a dictator rather than solving them.

Ukraine is willing to use these weapons and to take back what is lawfully theirs. It’s a clear bargain — Ukrainian blood, U.S. weapons. Rarely has there been a military investment that involved such high stakes, was so bloodless for the investor, and promised such high returns.

The other option is totally dystopian. The U.S. does not supply enough weapons to take Crimea, and — especially — Donbas, for Donbas is joined at the hip with mainland Russia. It is a front with 5,000 miles of strategic depth til Vladivostok — and is much harder to take than an isolated (albeit heavily fortified) peninsula.

Putin, through propaganda and unbridled violence, keeps his stranglehold over Russia. He goes on with the war. For the last two months, he advanced at Bakhmut by several miles, spending thousands of corpses per mile. So, what’s the problem? He can mobilize wave after wave; he already indicated that he is willing to spend the lives of 300,000 Russians.

Putin can spend 100,000 corpses per year; he can spend 10,000 per year, he can even cut it down to a couple of thousand. He doesn’t need an armistice. What he really needs is a pretext to mobilize the population.

Russia would turn into a giant HAMAS, occupying one ninth of the Earth’s surface, only instead of Qassams, it launches from time to time an X-101, with its range of 3,000 miles. Putin’s brand of Nazism, which is now mostly TV and superficial, would seep in and become the religion of future Russian generations. The whole region would become mired in national hate, for hate is the feeling that rarely remains unreciprocated.

The U.S. and Europe would gradually tire of supporting Ukraine, for its economy would be unable to function properly under a constant military threat, and it is hemorrhaging brains and resources. Both Xi and Erdogan would learn that aggression pays, and they would likely embark — in their own time — on the conquest of Taiwan and Syria.

In short, the whole region would turn into the Middle East (or the Balkans before World War I), ready to blow up at any minute in nuclear conflagration, with a rabid and destitute population.

Which of the options should the U.S. choose?

I’d say it’s quite evident.

It is true that Putin is threatening a nuclear strike — but it is Ukraine he is threatening, and Ukraine is willing to take the risk. It’s hard to say how valid Putin’s threats really are, but one thing can be said for sure: In the second scenario, he would become more — not less — dangerous, and the nuclear risk would go up, not down.

It is also true that Putin tries to frighten the U.S. with the chaos that could follow his demise. The answer here is the same: The longer he stays in power, the higher the chances of total chaos after his collapse. All the consequences will be more — not less — severe. It is true that they will come later — for the next president, say — but is that really a responsible way to make a decision?

Ukraine is risking everything — not just to defeat Putin, but to preserve the current world order based on right, not might, and on the hegemony of the U.S. as the supreme arbiter of that right.

It’s easy to see which path to take.

Yulia Latynina, a journalist, worked for Echo of Moscow radio station and the Novaya Gazeta newspaper until they were shut down as part of the current war in Ukraine. She is a recipient of the U.S. State Department’s Defender of Freedom award.

Haha.