Not hardly, but nice try. It's the Putin effect. In recent years, Russia has proven itself dangerous enough for European countries to crank up their defense spending. Only a mentally defective person would credit Trump with causing defense spending to jump up this year based on something irresponsible he said a few days ago (it takes weeks or months for a country to put together a budget and get it passed). And what he was saying a few years ago had no impact until Russia invaded Ukraine. Imagine THAT. Eighteen countries in NATO are now meeting their 2% obligation for defense spending. NATO: Record 18 states expected to meet 2% defense spending threshold this year | CNN
new weapons wreaking havoc on Russia. Russia losing a lot of very expensive weapons and ships lately 'Epic Detonation' of Russian Grad System Hints at GLSDBs' Ukraine Arrival (msn.com) New footage circulating online appears to show Ukrainian-operated U.S. bombs taking out Russian artillery pieces in a hotspot of clashes between Moscow and Ukraine, indicating that new, long-awaited weapons have arrived in Ukraine. Open-source intelligence and war tracking accounts shared a brief clip purportedly showing what one described as the "epic detonation" of two Russian BM-21 Grad self-propelled multiple rocket launchers near the Moscow-controlled Luhansk city of Kreminna. The footage prompted speculation that Kyiv may have received United States-supplied Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bombs (GLSDBs). The weapons, able to strike up to 90 miles away, had been expected to arrive in Ukraine any day now. A Pentagon spokesperson told Newsweek on Thursday that the Defense Department defers to Kyiv to announce when they receive any new capabilities "in order to preserve the tactical advantage it provides on the battlefield."
That video is kinda funny. Those weapons are blown to smithereens to the tune of Stevie Wonder’s “I just called to say I love you” and the resulting heart-shaped debris clouds.
that constant intel stream from locals in occupied ukraine is priceless now that they have these GLSDB's. cheaper than himars, easier to move around, cheaper so they can deploy them closer to the lines
Clear secondaries in that explosion. Going to have a hard time selling Ukraine accidentally hit a Little Russian orphanage staffed by Orthodox nuns.
I forgot we only gave them the limited range HIMARS. These guys likely believed they were out of range. The range line up and changed with the deployment of these weapons. Put any assemblage of men or machines or supplies together anywhere within 60 miles of the line and kiss them goodby Ukrainian forces alleged first-time use of US GLSDB missiles against Russian targets (msn.com) The delivery of these weapons to Ukraine could pose another hurdle for Russia. The Ukrainian Armed Forces can now reach beyond the front lines using mobile rocket artillery systems such as HIMARS. Previously, with the GMLRS rockets, this system allowed targets within a range of 43-53 miles to be hit. According to the Defense Industry Europe service, after their first usage, the Russians were forced to move most of their large warehouses beyond this range, positioning them more than 62 miles from the front. Given the new threat from the GLSDB missiles, they may have to make further adjustments to avoid destruction.
A needless slaughter … https://www.moonofalabama.org/2024/02/the-end-of-the-avdeevka-cauldron.html#more
Jailed Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny has reportedly died in jail, just hours after joking with a judge. Live updates: Alexey Navalny, Russian opposition leader, has died I think that Biden should give a eulogy of the opposition leader from the White House, describing him as the best Russian leader in the last century.
A good British article comparing the success of the U.S. Navy against Houthi missiles vs. the collapse of the Russian Black Sea navy versus Ukrainian drone boats and missiles. It also goes into some detail on the difficulties for China to try to attack an aircraft carrier. History has been made as ballistic missiles finally used against warships for real
Ukraine's special forces destroys a Russian Kasta-2E2 radar station, which was guarding Kharkiv, Sumy, and Belgorod Oblasts. Somebody is getting the battlefield ready for the arrival of F-16's. Ukrainian special forces destroy advanced Russian Kasta-2E2 radar station - Video
