War in Ukraine

Suspend Slovakia from NATO on his inauguration day, if elected.

 

Russians are complaining that artillery shells are arriving empty, with no explosives loaded in them. Click.

Video shows Russian soldier ranting about tank shells arriving with no explosives in them: 'With these rounds, we aren't going to win this war'

 

I wish there were a means for that sort of thing, but the North Atlantic Treaty had no such provision that I’m aware of. It’s one of the things we should propose as part of a renegotiation that includes mandatory defense expenditures and mandatory forward deployments. One member state has too many opportunities under the current arrangement to undermine the whole alliance.

 

I honestly don’t know. Russia has airborne radar (Ukraine doesn’t), and it might be able to tell the difference between real aircraft and UAS. If that’s the case, and I would assume it is, then it could alert ground-based systems to only turn on their targeting radars when manned aircraft are inbound. But complete speculation on my part.

 

There is a possibility that the U.S. could supply ATACMs with cluster munitions inside of them, which would apparently be really bad for Russia. These could be used to shut down military airports for extended periods of time. They might also destroy multiple aircraft as well as SAM systems.

Ukraine Getting ATACMS Cluster Variant Would Be A Big Problem For Russia

 

Adopt a rule that allows for it, it's Slovakia....what the hell are they going to do? In the interim, I would not allow them to participate in any meetings where any information even remotely sensitive is discussed or share any non-public info with them.

 

It’s a treaty. It would have to be reratified by all member states. And I agree with doing that. I’m just saying it’s not the only rule that should be renegotiated.

 

Putin’s forces pushed back as Kyiv ‘gradually gaining ground’ in counteroffensive

It seems to be becoming more obvious that the Ukrainians are steadily pressing forward. Nothing decisive yet. But certainty a positive trend.

 

I understand that it's a treaty. But again, what are they going to do about it if the rules are bent? It's about to become as close to an enemy state as there is in NATO.

 

Well, they’re not going to do anything about it. But mostly that’s because NATO won’t do anything about it. Hungary and Turkey have been intransigent in the past, too, and NATO just pointedly ignored it.

 

Another country slips outside of the Russophobic orbit.

 

Hardly. They average a new prime minister about every ten months (did you not read the first sentence in the quote?). That's about all it takes for the PM's corruption to come to light and give him a bad name. Fico, who has a history of corruption, will get a bad FICO score and be gone by next July. Then they will likely have a wiser president that recognizes the long-term threat from Russia and acts accordingly. And it doesn't seem that most of Slovakia is leaning towards supporting Russia--they are just being a bit selfish with their money at the moment. I'm sure they know if they went too far with the idea of support for Russia (or opposition for Ukraine), that Europe would stop doing business with them.

Besides, Slovakia has already given Ukraine about as much military aid as they can be expected to give (for a poor and backwards country), so I don't think Ukraine was counting on much more from them.

 

Looks like another unfortunate accident.

 

and someone launched a major cyberattack on russian airports

'Massive cyberattack' disrupts Russian airports; Moscow's economy struggles: Live updates (msn.com)

Russia blamed a "massive cyberattack from abroad" for crashing its airline booking system and delaying hundreds of flights. Russia's flagship airline Aeroflot said the issue caused delays of up to an hour at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo International Airport. Aeroflot’s subsidiary Rossiya Airlines reported similar delays.

Russian state conglomerate Rostec, which operates the system called Leonardo and also is a major defense contractor in Russia, later told Reuters in a statement the attack had been "successfully repelled."
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NATO is finalizing ammunition contracts worth more than $2.5 billion that will allow member nations to replenish depleted stockpiles and provide Ukraine with the firepower needed to drive invading Russian forces out of the country, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Thursday.

Restocking ammunition has been a recurring problem for both sides in a war that has dragged on for more than 19 months with no foreseeable conclusion. Stoltenberg, during an unannounced visit to Kyiv, said Ukraine was “gradually gaining ground” in the crucial counteroffensive that began more than three months ago. And he said Ukraine is "closer to NATO than ever before."

 

Two Buttons

 

Sounds like Russia answered its own question. Putin is planning on increasing defense spending by 70% next year. Obviously, they were not serious about offering to leave Ukraine. I don't know if Russia can afford a 70% increase in defense spending (or any other kind of spending), but that's what they want to do.

Russia unveils huge spending hike to battle 'hybrid war'

 

Wagner transport plane crashes and burns in Mali

Il-76 Cargo Jet's Disastrous Landing In Mali Captured On Video (msn.com)

https://x.com/front_ukrainian/status/1706977045257834498?s=20

 

Russia's list of friends and happy neighbors gets smaller all the time. Khazakhstan now commits to complying with sanctions against Russia.

Kazakhstan confirms intent to comply with sanctions against Russia

 

Germany wilts under the pressure, cancels Taurus missile shipment to Ukraine fearing "confrontation with Russia".

WSJ: Scholz blocks transfer of Taurus missiles to Ukraine due to fear of Russia

 

Germany has drug out everything with Ukraine. Has not been a good partner at all. And Germany just blocked the sale of Typhoon fighters to KSA also. It seems that the russian influence runs deep in germany