Right here’s a bonus Friday night time replace, largely as a result of I don’t wish to stand up early Saturday to write down the following one!
Ukrainian forces proceed to advance round Svatove, and are actually only one small city away from town’s outskirts. Mark Sumner, who’s on trip, nonetheless took the time to replace his map.
Ukraine is on the sting of that ridgeline that overlooks Svatove and the roads supplying it. In case you’ve missed it, I’ve mentioned why Svatove is so vital right here, and in much more element right here. This can be a very cool group story exploring the topography of Svatove.
Down in Kherson, the traces haven’t moved a lot shortly. The Russian puppet mayor of Kherson introduced an “evacuation” of town on Thursday, then Friday mentioned “nevermind,” so undecided what he’s so panicked about. We’re in that place once more the place Ukraine isn’t saying a lot, and Russian Telegram isn’t panicked. They must be correctly panicked to inform the reality, in any other case they simply invent wonderful victories to maintain themselves.
Although it seems, even that isn’t sufficient for the Russian authorities. From pro-Russian Telegram:
9 Russian army correspondents and army correspondent initiatives without delay danger falling below legal expenses for discrediting the [Russian Federation] Armed Forces. These are: Igor Strelkov, Semyon Pegov (WarGonzo), Yuri Podolyaka, Vladlen Tatarsky, Sergey Mardan, Igor Dimitriev, authors of GreyZone, Rybar and, out of the blue, Kristina Potupchik. The content material of their TG channels is already being analyzed for fakes, defamation, and different prohibited and punishable issues.
In keeping with our data, the assertion to Roskomnadzor with the requirement to verify the work of the above authors was signed personally by the Chief of the Common Employees. On the a part of the Prosecutor Common’s Workplace, the case is being dealt with by the top of the division for supervision over the implementation of the legislation on federal safety, terrorism, extremism and interethnic relations. The reason being the criticism of the Ministry of Protection and its selections throughout the [Special Military Operation].
How lengthy the verify will final remains to be unknown. But when the corpus delicti is collected, and the guilt is established, the army correspondents will both get off with a positive, or obtain as much as three years in jail. pleasant hearth
Rybar has confirmed the information. The inclusion of GreyZone is attention-grabbing, as that’s the Telegram outlet for Wagner mercenaries. There have been persistent rumors of a rift between Wagner CEO Yevgeny Prigozhin, “Putin’s Chef,” and different Russian elites like Minister of Protection Sergey Shoigu (who one way or the other nonetheless hasn’t been thrown out a window). Throwing GreyZone in a gaggle together with different stalwart Russian nationalists can be nice cowl for any effort to discredit Wagner and Prighozhin.
Need to hear a shaggy dog story?
Belgorod is a Russian metropolis only a few kilometers up the highway from Kharkiv, which Russia has used as their central logistical hub throughout their battle. So this occurred:
No joke, Russia one way or the other managed to destroy its personal rail traces. After which, to rejoice this own-goal, they did it once more.
They actually destroyed their very own electrical substation! Right here’s the second of arrival:
Alright, alright, critically evaluating the scenario, there’s an opportunity that Ukraine launched that assault. However given the timeline above, I actually hope it was a second own-goal in a single day, as a result of that’s a hell of loads funnier.
Let’s verify in on how Russia’s draft is coming alongside.
I ponder why the draft commissioners themselves don’t get on a bus to the entrance. They look like in much better situation than the poor saps getting dragged off as a substitute:
The passivity of the Russian psyche blows me away. It’s a complete society constructed across the notion that life is shit, however that’s okay as a result of you’ll be able to drown the ache away with vodka.
Regardless of how unhealthy or incompetent Russian authorities are, nobody protests. Those that might afford it fled, and everybody else simply rolls with it. In the meantime, Russia is doing every part attainable to kill a few of these guys off earlier than they’re even in Ukraine, the place they’ll doubtless freeze to dying in trenches if a Ukrainian shell doesn’t get them first. I imply, take a look at the photograph on the high of this story. It’s apparent that none of those conscripts are correctly outfitted for freezing rain and the bitter chilly that’s quick approaching.
I’ve typically written that the problem with new weapon programs isn’t coaching the operators, it’s coaching the upkeep crew. For instance, a Patriot air protection system operator trains for 13 weeks earlier than heading off to their unit (the place seasoned NCOs proceed their schooling), whereas the troopers who keep it practice for 53 weeks—a full 12 months, or 4 instances as lengthy!
In apply, that is what it appears to be like like in Ukraine:
At any time when these programs want upkeep, they should be trucked overseas, again to Poland, Lithuania, or Romania, the place individuals who know what they’re doing can carry these programs again on-line. As you’ll be able to think about, it’s an extremely inefficient workaround. Presumably, there are Ukrainian mechanics and upkeep individuals studying from NATO personnel doing the repairs, however that takes time.
It’s doubtless the largest purpose the U.S. and allies haven’t outfitted Ukraine with Western battle tanks, and it’s completely the explanation Ukraine hasn’t gotten Western warplanes.
Woah …
In 1989, my unit supplied MLRS help for a cavalry unit patrolling the Czechoslovakian border. Two days after the Berlin Wall fell, a few Military buddies and I snuck into East Germany to take items of the border wall, after which went to Berlin to seize our piece of the wall. That’s me with the punk rock hair and leather-based jacket, on the then-East-West German border grabbing myself a historic memento:
Loopy to suppose neither of these nations exist anymore in that configuration.
As lots of , my son is making his means by means of a pre-Ranger program, and can begin Ranger college in two weeks. This can be a good mini documentary on one of many first ladies to graduate from the college, which additionally provides a reasonably good luck on the grueling college:
You received’t be shocked to be taught that the incel “Manosphere” has attacked these ladies, making an attempt to belittle their accomplishment. They declare “particular therapy” that features the very same pre-Ranger program that my son is presently attending. So dastardly! Additionally, they complain that one of many ladies was about to give up, and a few normal talked her out of it. You see, male quitters don’t get a pep speak the way in which the women did. Not truthful!
However let me provide a bit of additional context for that video: There may be an anecdote about Mountain Part that’s fairly telling. Sooner or later throughout that section, college students should hike up a mountain carrying 100-pound rucksacks (no exaggeration), water, and a full squad’s value of weapons (which incorporates heavy machine weapons). It is an all-night, all-day ordeal, all uphill, made worse by extreme sleep deprivation and hunger. Within the video, a man says he was carrying additional weaponry and couldn’t do it anymore. Take a look at him: sturdy man, appears to be like a superb 160-170 lbs. So he asks for assist carrying his load, and nobody steps ahead (“all of them regarded like deers in headlights”) apart from the 150-pound feminine protagonist, including much more weight to her load.
Fuck anybody who belittles their accomplishments. Most wouldn’t final the primary hour.
On this week’s episode of The Downballot we get medieval on the normal media for its appalling show of ableism within the wake of John Fetterman’s current NBC interview; recap the completely wild goings-on in Los Angeles, the place Metropolis Council President Nury Martinez simply resigned after a racist tirade was caught on tape; dive into the unexpectedly shut race for governor in Oklahoma; and spotlight a brand-new database from Each day Kos Elections exhibiting how media markets and congressional districts overlap.
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