BREAKING: INVASION HAS BEGUN..... Putin's "3-day war"... NOW... 1 YEAR 338 DAYS ...WAGNER HEAD SAYS GROUP STANDING DOWN AFTER CLAIMS OF DEAL
- Thread starter lightbright
- Start date
Russian Hit Team Feared in Suspected Poisoning of U.S. Citizens
One woman said she found the door to her hotel room open and recalled a strange aroma before a “vivid numbness” came over her.
www.thedailybeast.com
Former U.S. Special Forces Soldier Is Killed in Ukraine
Nick Maimer had cautioned against indifference to the war, noting that the bloodshed is “not happening to someone else, it’s happening to our fellow humans.”
www.thedailybeast.com
Where you at @babygwirl18 ?
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko shows a Kh-47 Kinzhal missile shot down by a Ukrainian Air Defence unit, at a compound of the Scientific Research Institute in Kyiv, Ukraine, May 12, 2023.
The UK Ministry of Defence said in an intelligence update on Wednesday that Russia has prioritized attempts to neutralize Ukraine's improved air defence capabilities after it "achieved the first ever shoot-down of a KILLJOY air-launched ballistic missile."
KILLJOY is NATO's term for Russia's advanced Kinzhal missiles, which Russia has previously described as unstoppable.
Ukraine said on Saturday that it achieved the first-ever shoot down of a Kinzhal over its capital city, Kyiv, using a US-made Patriot air defense system.
On Tuesday it said it had shot down six more Kinzhal missiles over the city.
Insider has not been able to independently verify the claim.
The UK MOD did not say how many Russian Kinzhal missiles it believes have been destroyed, merely stating that Russia had lost "several more" KILLJOY missiles in its efforts to target Ukraine's defense systems.
It's also not clear how successful Russia's efforts have been.
Russia's defence ministry said on Tuesday that a Russian missile destroyed one Patriot air defense system in Kyiv. Ukraine refuted the claim, The Guardian reported.
Two US officials told The New York Times that one Patriot system had been damaged but that it was still operational.
Patriot systems make for easy targets due to the signals they emit, but their best chance of taking out a Kinzhal is actually when they are the target, one expert told Insider.
The US decided to give Ukraine the Patriot defense system last year, after Ukraine asked allies for air defense help to repel Russian attacks. Ukraine has at least two Patriot air defense systems.
Ukraine's air defenses have become increasingly important in the war, with Russia targeting cities far from the front lines.
Ukraine's defenses, which also include missile systems from the UK and other countries, have stopped many of those attacks.
The destruction of the Kinzhal missiles was a psychological blow for Russia.
The missile's manufacturer, Rostec, had claimed "there is no countermeasure" to it, with Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu in August calling it "impossible neither to detect it nor to intercept," as Insider's Ryan Pickrell previously reported.
The UK MOD said that the apparent vulnerability of the missiles "is likely a surprise and an embarrassment for Russia: Russian President Vladimir Putin has touted the system as undefeatable."
Meanwhile, experts have disputed the idea that the missile can be called "hypersonic," as they don't have the ability for sustained hypersonic flight, even though they can reached those speeds.
Embarrassed by Ukraine downing its 'unstoppable' missiles, Russia is now scrambling to attack its air defenses, UK intel says
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko shows a Kh-47 Kinzhal missile shot down by a Ukrainian Air Defence unit, at a compound of the Scientific Research Institute in Kyiv, Ukraine, May 12, 2023.
- Russia's new priority is targeting Ukraine's improved air defense systems, the UK MOD said.
- This comes after Ukraine shot down Kinzhal missiles that Russia bragged were unstoppable.
- Russia claimed it destroyed one Patriot air defense system, but US officials said it was still operational.
The UK Ministry of Defence said in an intelligence update on Wednesday that Russia has prioritized attempts to neutralize Ukraine's improved air defence capabilities after it "achieved the first ever shoot-down of a KILLJOY air-launched ballistic missile."
KILLJOY is NATO's term for Russia's advanced Kinzhal missiles, which Russia has previously described as unstoppable.
Ukraine said on Saturday that it achieved the first-ever shoot down of a Kinzhal over its capital city, Kyiv, using a US-made Patriot air defense system.
On Tuesday it said it had shot down six more Kinzhal missiles over the city.
Insider has not been able to independently verify the claim.
The UK MOD did not say how many Russian Kinzhal missiles it believes have been destroyed, merely stating that Russia had lost "several more" KILLJOY missiles in its efforts to target Ukraine's defense systems.
It's also not clear how successful Russia's efforts have been.
Russia's defence ministry said on Tuesday that a Russian missile destroyed one Patriot air defense system in Kyiv. Ukraine refuted the claim, The Guardian reported.
Two US officials told The New York Times that one Patriot system had been damaged but that it was still operational.
Patriot systems make for easy targets due to the signals they emit, but their best chance of taking out a Kinzhal is actually when they are the target, one expert told Insider.
The US decided to give Ukraine the Patriot defense system last year, after Ukraine asked allies for air defense help to repel Russian attacks. Ukraine has at least two Patriot air defense systems.
Ukraine's air defenses have become increasingly important in the war, with Russia targeting cities far from the front lines.
Ukraine's defenses, which also include missile systems from the UK and other countries, have stopped many of those attacks.
The destruction of the Kinzhal missiles was a psychological blow for Russia.
The missile's manufacturer, Rostec, had claimed "there is no countermeasure" to it, with Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu in August calling it "impossible neither to detect it nor to intercept," as Insider's Ryan Pickrell previously reported.
The UK MOD said that the apparent vulnerability of the missiles "is likely a surprise and an embarrassment for Russia: Russian President Vladimir Putin has touted the system as undefeatable."
Meanwhile, experts have disputed the idea that the missile can be called "hypersonic," as they don't have the ability for sustained hypersonic flight, even though they can reached those speeds.
Oh shit 
Oh shit
None of the russian channels I follow are mentioning this, still waiting on the talking points I guess.
They stepped on their own bullshit earlier this week with the story about "dirty" depleted uranium bomb going off being interrupted by their we destroyed a Patriot system bullshit. 
Pro-war Russian nationalists led by Igor Girkin said on Friday that a new group they had set up was entering politics to save Russia, which they warned was in danger of turmoil or even collapse due to military failures in the Ukraine war.
Nearly 15 months since President Vladimir Putin sent troops into Ukraine in what he called "a special military operation", Moscow says it has still not achieved all of its aims as its forces brace for a Ukrainian counteroffensive which is backed by the United States and the NATO military alliance.
The Russian nationalist group, known as the "Club of Angry Patriots", said it was entering politics as an opposition party without any formal or informal instruction from the Kremlin but said it saw Putin as the only true guarantor of stability in modern Russia. The club was founded on March 17.
Girkin, a former Federal Security Service (FSB) officer who helped Russia annex Crimea in 2014 and then organise pro-Russian militias in eastern Ukraine, said the group hoped to prevent the collapse of Russia.
"A systemic crisis is brewing in Russia - or it is already in the grip of crisis - while the temperature of society is rising," Girkin told Reuters. "We are on the cusp of very grave internal political changes of a catastrophic character."
www.reuters.com
Things continue to go as planned...
Nearly 15 months since President Vladimir Putin sent troops into Ukraine in what he called "a special military operation", Moscow says it has still not achieved all of its aims as its forces brace for a Ukrainian counteroffensive which is backed by the United States and the NATO military alliance.
The Russian nationalist group, known as the "Club of Angry Patriots", said it was entering politics as an opposition party without any formal or informal instruction from the Kremlin but said it saw Putin as the only true guarantor of stability in modern Russia. The club was founded on March 17.
Girkin, a former Federal Security Service (FSB) officer who helped Russia annex Crimea in 2014 and then organise pro-Russian militias in eastern Ukraine, said the group hoped to prevent the collapse of Russia.
"A systemic crisis is brewing in Russia - or it is already in the grip of crisis - while the temperature of society is rising," Girkin told Reuters. "We are on the cusp of very grave internal political changes of a catastrophic character."
Pro-war nationalists say they are entering Russian politics to counter turmoil
Pro-war Russian nationalists led by Igor Girkin said on Friday that a new group they had set up was entering politics to save Russia, which they warned was in danger of turmoil or even collapse due to military failures in the Ukraine war.
www.reuters.com
Things continue to go as planned...
Ukraine's Zelenskyy arrives in Hiroshima for G7 summit as world leaders sanction Russia
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived Saturday in Japan for talks with the leaders of the world's most powerful democracies, a personal appearance meant to galvanize global attention as the nations ratcheted up pressure on Moscow for its 15-month invasion of Ukraine.
Will U.S. send Ukraine F-16 fighter jets? NATO ambassador says not 'right now'
The United States' ambassador to NATO says it is 'entirely' up to other countries to decide whether they want to supply Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets, but it's not something the Americans have plans to do 'right now.'
G7 urges China to press Russia to end war in Ukraine, respect Taiwan's status, fair trade rules
The Group of Seven wealthy democracies united Saturday in urging China to pressure its strategic partner Russia to end its war on Ukraine.
Russian private army head claims control of Bakhmut, war's longest battle
The head of the Russian private army Wagner claimed Saturday that his forces have taken control of the city of Bakhmut after the longest and most grinding battle of the Russia-Ukraine war, but Ukrainian defense officials denied it.
Playing the Nuclear Card Is Putin’s Version of Flop Sweat
There is little question that Ukraine can prevail over Russia if its allies can remain steadfast against Putin’s ever-emptier threats.
www.thedailybeast.com
Wagner claims victory in Bakhmut but Kyiv insists fighting is not over
Vladimir Putin's comments come just hours after Wagner said it had been victorious in Bakhmut following more than 200 days of fierce fighting and bloodshed.
Man, listen, those F-16s are so superior to anything russia can put up it will be a turkey shoot.
But now is when putin will be most dangerous because those Falcons change everything. His plan was attrition after he saw Ukraine wasn't folding after a few weeks. He figured he has way more soldiers to send into the meat grinder, and Ukraine would run out sooner or later. But with superior western weapons and now air superiority he's backed into a corner.
Those T-14 tanks ain't getting made fast enough because of the crippling sanctions and Falcons are tank killers to boot.
Shit gonna get cray cray. As in possible nuclear cray cray.
But now is when putin will be most dangerous because those Falcons change everything. His plan was attrition after he saw Ukraine wasn't folding after a few weeks. He figured he has way more soldiers to send into the meat grinder, and Ukraine would run out sooner or later. But with superior western weapons and now air superiority he's backed into a corner.
Those T-14 tanks ain't getting made fast enough because of the crippling sanctions and Falcons are tank killers to boot.
Shit gonna get cray cray. As in possible nuclear cray cray.
This is what they are known for which makes the freethinker™ support baffling
www.cbsnews.com
Russia's Wagner Group accused of using rape and mass-murder to control an African gold mining town
A U.N. report says Russian and domestic forces killed civilians in an African mosque. CBS News' investigation into the Wagner Group has found the truth even more gruesome.
www.cbsnews.com