OT subject but worth a main-stream read- OT News Feeds...

lousubcap

Thursday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Ukrainian forces are unlikely to recapture Crimea from Russia soon, Pentagon officials told lawmakers in a classified briefing last week. The assessment, which was conveyed to members of the House Armed Services Committee, will frustrate leaders in Kyiv who consider retaking the peninsula one of their key goals. Alexander Ward, Paul McLeary and Connor O’Brien report for POLITICO. 

The Treasury announced sanctions yesterday against 22 people it says have helped Russia obtain weapons. The sanctions target the network’s leader, Russian arms dealer Igor Zimenkov, alongside his son and several other members, for supplying Russia with “high-technology devices” and “being involved in multiple deals for Russian cybersecurity and helicopter sales.” Kelly Garrity reports for POLITICO. 

The next round of U.S. military aid is expected to include longer-range smart bombs for the first time, people familiar with the matter have said. The package could be announced as soon as Friday, and comes as the U.S. and its allies move to provide modern battle tanks and other advanced weaponry to Ukraine ahead of an expected Russian offensive later this month. Nancy A. Youssef and Doug Cameron report for the Wall Street Journal. 

Ukraine’s defense minister said that Kyiv believes that Russia will mark the first anniversary of its invasion with a renewed offensive. “We think since they believe in symbols, they will attempt something around Feb. 24,” Oleksii Reznikov said in an interview. “They can attempt a push on two axes,” Reznikov said, adding that the Donbas and the south were likely targets. Mick Krever, Arnaud Siad and Yulia Kesaieva report for CNN. 

The E.U. will double the number of Ukrainian troops it trains to 30,000, E.U. foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell announced yesterday. The announcement - the latest show of support for the embattled country - came as Borrell and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen arrived in Kyiv for meetings with Zelenskyy’s government. Laurence Norman reports for the Wall Street Journal."

lousubcap

Friday Russia-Ukraine update:

"The E.U.’s top officials are due to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv today. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel, as well as 15 European commissioners, have traveled to Kyiv for the summit, which is expected to focus on Ukraine’s reconstruction and its candidacy for membership to the bloc. Erin Mendell reports for the New York Times. 

A bipartisan group of senators yesterday urged President Biden to delay the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey until Turkey approves Sweden and Finland’s admission to NATO. The group of 27 senators wrote in their letter that Turkey’s failure to ratify the two Nordic country’s admission or present a timeline for ratification “threatens the Alliance’s unity at a key moment in history, as Russia continues its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.” Haley Britzky reports for CNN. 

And an article by Former SECDEF Robert Gates on Crimea:

https://news.usni.org/2023/02/02/losing-crimea-would-escalate-russian-ukraine-conflict-former-defense-secretary-says?utm_campaign=dfn-ebb&utm_medium=email&utm_source=sailthru&SToverlay=2002c2d9-c344-4bbb-8610-e5794efcfa7d  "

lousubcap

Cardboard box demand and the economy-article here:

https://thehustle.co/02032023-cardboard/?utm

nolaegghead

I think we should take the opportunity to use this proxy war to dump old military equipment and clear some of the bone yards and warehouses.  But it doesn't matter what I think except to annoy some forum members.

Gulfcoastguy

nolaegghead said:

I think we should take the opportunity to use this proxy war to dump old military equipment and clear some of the bone yards and warehouses.  But it doesn't matter what I think except to annoy some forum members.

I thought that was what most countries were doing. 

fishlessman

nolaegghead said:

I think we should take the opportunity to use this proxy war to dump old military equipment and clear some of the bone yards and warehouses.  But it doesn't matter what I think except to annoy some forum members.

I thought we were keeping the old Abrams and building new ones to send😁

nolaegghead

fishlessman said:

nolaegghead said:

I think we should take the opportunity to use this proxy war to dump old military equipment and clear some of the bone yards and warehouses.  But it doesn't matter what I think except to annoy some forum members.

I thought we were keeping the old Abrams and building new ones to send😁

Throws some bones to the defense contractors to custom build a low end, cheaper model and they don’t have to pull all the tech off the US versions.

lousubcap

Monday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Ukraine’s defense minister Oleksii Reznikov is set to be replaced, Ukraine’s top parliamentarian has said. According to a Telegram post by David Arakhamia, leader of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s party in parliament, Maj. Gen Kyrylo Budanov, who is known for having predicted Russia’s full-scale attack on Ukraine, will step into the role. Reznikov, who was appointed defense minister in November 2021, will be named minister of strategic industries to strengthen military-industrial cooperation. Justine McDaniel, Kyle Rempfer and Isabelle Khurshudyan report for the Washington Post. 

Moscow and Tehran are moving ahead with plans to build a new factory in Russia that could make at least 6,000 Iranian-designed drones for the war in Ukraine. According to officials from a country aligned with the U.S. a high-level Iranian delegation flew to Russia in early January to visit the planned site for the factory and discuss details to get the project off the ground. The two countries are aiming to build a faster drone that could pose new challenges for Ukrainian air defense, the officials said. Dion Nissenbaum and Warren P. Strobel report for the Wall Street Journal. 

Former Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett has said in an interview that Russian President Vladimir Putin told him he would not try to kill Zelenskyy.This promise was made during a trip to Moscow shortly after Russian invaded Ukraine. According to Bennett, who served briefly as a mediator at the start of the war, his mediation efforts also resulted in Putin dropping his vow to seek Ukraine’s disarmament and Zelenskyy promising not to join NATO. AP reports.

Fierce battles being fought in Ukraine’s Donetsk region are making the situation “very difficult”, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, as Kyiv braced for a possible Russian offensive this month before the first anniversary of its invasion of Ukraine.

Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov told a news conference on Sunday that Russia will launch a major offensive in the coming weeks, but Ukraine has the soldiers and resources to repel such an attack.

The head of Russia’s private Wagner militia said on Sunday that fierce fighting was ongoing in the northern parts of the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, the focus of Russian forces’ attention for weeks.

Ukrainian forces remained in control of the village of Bilohorivka in the Luhansk region, Governor Serhiy Haidai said on Sunday, adding that the situation there is tense, but under control. Bilohorivka is the last part of Luhansk held by Ukrainian forces."

lousubcap

An interesting Russia-Ukraine point of view from The Rand corporation:

https://breakingdefense.com/2023/02/rand-experts-fear-stalemate-frozen-conflict-in-ukraine/?utm_campaign=dfn-ebb&utm_medium=email&utm_source=sailthru&SToverlay=2002c2d9-c344-4bbb-8610-e5794efcfa7d  

lousubcap

Russia-Ukraine Tuesday update;

"Ukraine expects Russia to mobilize up to half a million additional soldiers in the coming months. This is according to Vadym Skibitskyi, deputy head of Ukrainian Defense Intelligence. “Those 500,000 are in addition to the 300,000 mobilized in October 2022,” Skibitskyu said, adding that this “proves that Putin’s Kremlin has no intention of ending this war.” Tim Lister and Maria Kostenko report for CNN. 

Russian forces in eastern Ukraine appear to be stockpiling ammunition and building up troop reserves.  Serhiy Hayday, head of the Luhansk region’s military administration said that Russian forces are doing so in preparation for a renewed offensive that could begin in weeks. Maria Kostenko and Mick Krever report for CNN.

Serhiy Haidai, Ukraine’s governor of the mainly Russian-occupied Luhansk province, said Russia is pouring in reinforcements for an offensive that could begin as soon as next week.

Fierce battles in Ukraine’s Donetsk region “are very difficult”, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy said, as Ukraine braced for a possible Russian offensive this month before the first anniversary of its invasion of Ukraine.

Russia’s defence ministry said its forces had taken control of Mykolaivka, a village in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, state media reported.

Russia’s state Investigative Committee said it was examining the alleged use of chemical weapons by Ukrainian forces near the eastern towns of Soledar and Bakhmut. Ukrainian forces said they had never used chemical weapons anywhere at any time. Russia’s claims could not be independently verified."

lousubcap

Wednesday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is believed to have landed in the U.K. this morning. During his surprise visit Zelenskyy will meet U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak along with Ukrainian troops being trained by British forces, and address Parliament, U.K. officials said. The U.K. also announced today that it would send more military equipment to Kyiv to help counter a possible Russian spring offensive. Sophie Tanno, Mick Krever and Radina Gigova report for CNN. 

President Biden may visit Poland later this month, around the anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Reports of the potential presidential trip come following the announcement of a $10 billion deal to provide Poland with advanced rocket launchers and other weaponry. Doug Cameron and Sabrina Siddiqui report for the Wall Street Journal. 

Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands announced a joint initiative yesterday to send around 100 Leopard 1 tanks to Ukraine, some of which could arrive “within a few months.” The new plan, announced as Germany’s defense minister met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv, comes in addition to Germany’s agreement last month to send 14 of its more modern Leopard 2 tanks. Erika Solomon reports for the New York Times.

Ukraine national security chief Oleksiy Danilov said in an interview the Kremlin was expected to target the northeastern Kharkiv or southern Zaporizhia regions in a new thrust.

Russia says Western arms shipments to Ukraine are dragging the military alliance NATO into the conflict with a potentially “unpredictable” level of escalation.

Switzerland is close to breaking with centuries of tradition as a neutral state, as a pro-Ukraine shift in the public and political mood puts pressure on the government to end a ban on exports of Swiss weapons to war zones.

The Paris mayor says there should be no Russian delegation at the Paris 2024 Olympics as long as the war is continuing.

Russia has demanded that the United States embassy in Moscow stop spreading what Moscow regards as fake news regarding its military operation in Ukraine and has threatened to expel US diplomats, the TASS news agency reported."

lousubcap

Thursday Russia-Ukraine update:

"The U.K. has said it is looking into sending fighter jets to Ukraine, following Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s impassioned plea before the U.K. parliament yesterday. U.K. officials said that defense secretary Ben Wallace has been asked to examine what jets the country might be able to give Ukraine, but warned that this was a “medium to long term” solution. Jasmine Cameron-Chileshe, George Parker, John Paul Rathbone, Robert Wright and Roman Olearchyk report for the Financial Times.

The possible U.K. delivery of fighter jets to Ukraine will “escalate and prolong” the war and “make it more painful,” according to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov. “Fundamentally, these actions of countries will not change the outcome of the conflict and will not change the trajectory that our country is following in terms of achieving its goals,” he added. Anna Chernova reports for CNN. 

Zelenskyy also visited France yesterday, where he met with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. During this meeting, Zelenskyy repeated his demands for fighter jets and longer-range missiles. Both the German and French leaders pledged to support Ukraine in its war with Russia for as long as necessary. Angela Diffley reports for France 24. 

Zelenskyy addressed E.U. lawmakers today, renewing his appeal for his country to become part of the E.U.. The Ukrainian President underlined that Ukraine shares values with Europe, rather than with Russia, which he said is trying to take Ukraine back in time. Nic Robertson reports for CNN. 

SpaceX has taken steps to limit Ukraine’s use of the company’s satellite internet connections for military purposes. SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell said that Starlink, as the company’s satellite-internet business is called, was “never intended to be weaponized,” adding that Ukraine had used it in ways that weren’t part of their agreement. The network can still be used by the military for typical communication purposes and to help coordinate humanitarian aid, Shotwell said. Micah Maidenberg reports for the Wall Street Journal. 

Russia’s embassy to Britain on Wednesday warned London against sending fighter jets to Ukraine, saying such a move would have “military and political consequences for the European continent and the entire world”, the TASS news agency reported.

The United States, which has refused to send Kyiv F-16 fighter jets, is expected to announce a $2bn weapons package in coming days that would include rockets with bombs that double the range of those it sent last year.

Western partners could deliver the first battalion of Leopard 2 battle tanks to Ukraine in the first three or four months of this year, German defence minister Boris Pistorius said on Wednesday during a trip to Warsaw.

Russian attacks remained intense on Wednesday in the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions, said Ukrainian officials. Moscow’s forces concentrated on the areas of Kupiansk, Lyman, Bakhmut and Avdiivka, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said on Facebook.

Kyiv says it expects Moscow to broaden that offensive with a big push as the February 24 anniversary of the invasion approaches."

lousubcap

Friday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Russian paramilitary organization Wagner Group is no longer recruiting convicts from prisons, its founder has said. The announcement could signal a change in Wagner’s role in Russia’s efforts to seize territory in eastern Ukraine. Without prisoners to fill its ranks, the group will either need to find another source of recruits or shift away from the high-casualty strategy that has characterized its assault so far. Ian Lovett reports for the Wall Street Journal. 

The Pentagon is urging Congress to resume funding a pair of top-secret programs in Ukraine suspended ahead of Russia’s invasion last year. If approved, the move would allow American Special Operations troops to employ Ukrainian operatives to observe Russian military movements and counter disinformation. Defense officials are preparing a proposal for lawmakers’ consideration in the coming months, and a determination is unlikely to come before the fall. Wesley Morgan reports for the Washington Post. 

The Ukrainian military relies on coordinates provided or confirmed by the U.S. and its allies for the vast majority of strikes using its advanced U.S.-provided rocket systems. The disclosure, confirmed by three senior Ukrainian officials and a senior U.S. official, reveals a deeper and more operationally active role for the Pentagon in the war. The targeting assistance serves to ensure accuracy and conserve limited stores of ammunition for maximum effectiveness, according to the U.S. official. Isabelle Khurshudyan, Dan Lamother, Shane Harris and Paul Sonne report for the Washington Post. 

Two Russian missiles crossed into Romanian and Moldovan airspace before entering Ukraine on Friday, Ukraine’s top general said. Separately, an air force spokesperson said that Ukraine had the ability to shoot down the missiles but did not do so because it did not want to endanger civilians in foreign countries. Reuters reports. "

lousubcap

US Just shot down an unmanned object in the skies over northeastern Alaska. It was flying at around 40K feet.  F-22 did the deed.

JohnInCarolina

lousubcap said:

US Just shot down an unmanned object in the skies over northeastern Alaska. It was flying at around 40K feet.  F-22 did the deed.

If that also turns out to be Chinese made I’m going to have a lot of questions.

Legume

Why did they stop making F22s?  Don't they radically outperform the F35 except for electronics?

HeavyG

Legume said:

Why did they stop making F22s?  Don't they radically outperform the F35 except for electronics?

I thank the main reason was expense.

Legume

Well that's dumb, they're cool.

lousubcap

F-22's can't land on an aircraft carrier.  The F-35 is one of the more now cost-over run and challenged defense programs in history.  Conceived in the mid 1990's as the Joint Strike Fighter (all things to all military branches) in the post Cold War it became the gubmint cash cow to keep the strike aircraft industry line afloat.

And here we are. 

Just like the BGE, the F-35 does many things fine but not the best of things the best...FWIW-

For the record, the Defense Department made a big mistake with the multi-purpose air frame but the congress and public expected a post cold-war peace dividend and here we are. 

Botch

I'm a retired USAF Mx/facility engineer involved directly with both the F-22 and F-35 Mx campuses here at Hill (for my last 4 years), and I approve the above posts.   

Gulfcoastguy

Yes the F35 should have been made in two different airframes. The first would be Navy designed. The AirForce can use Navy planes but not the reverse. The second would be for the Marines and Brits and would basically a Harrier replacement. Common components when possible but not if it kills the performance of that version.

lousubcap

Monday Russia-Ukraine update:

"President Biden will visit Poland later this month for the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. During the three-day visit, which will start on Feb. 20, Biden will meet with Polish President Andrzej Duda and leaders of other NATO allies. Michael D. Shear reports for the New York Times. 

NATO is set to host a two-day gathering of defense ministers in Brussels starting tomorrow. Ukraine’s appeals for advanced military aid, including fighter jets, are likely to be on the agenda, amid concerns from some members about the depletion of the West’s own stocks of weapons. Rachel Pannett and Leo Sands report for the Washington Post.  

The Russian paramilitary organization Wagner Group claims to have taken the village of Krasna Gora on the outskirts of Bakhmut. This is according to a statement made by the press service of Yevgeny V. Prigozhin, the group's founder. The claim is yet to be confirmed by Russia’s Defense Ministry. Shashank Bengali reports for the New York Times. "

lousubcap

Tuesday Russia-Ukraine update:

"NATO defense ministers are meeting in Brussels today. The meeting is part of a series of diplomatic gatherings this week, which includes a meeting with the U.S.-led Ukraine Defense Contact Group, the larger group of countries supporting Ukraine militarily and financially. Ukraine’s request for Western fighter jets and other weaponry is likely to be high on the agenda, as concerns grow about the impact of the war on allied stockpiles. Steven Erlanger reports for the New York Times. 

Ukraine’s military yesterday barred aid workers and civilians from entering Bakhmut, in what could be a prelude to a Ukrainian withdrawal from the strategically important city. Ukraine’s military said that while it still held Bakhmut, the one remaining major road it can use to deliver troops and supplies, or evacuate the wounded, was under Russian fire. Andrew E. Kramer reports for the New York Times. 

In a televised address, Moldova’s pro-European president accused Russia of trying to overthrow its democratic system of government and promote pro-Russian forces on the country’s border with Ukraine. President Maia Sandu said that Moldovan security forces had stopped an initial plan to seize control last fall, preventing pro-Moscow factions from using widespread protests over rising energy prices to force the fall of the government. Sandu’s accusations mirror those Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy laid before E.U. leaders in Brussels last week. James Hookway reports for the Wall Street Journal.

Two Dutch F-35 fighters intercepted three Russian military aircraft near Poland and escorted them out, the Netherlands’ defense ministry said late yesterday. "The then unknown aircraft approached the Polish NATO area of responsibility from Kaliningrad," the statement said, adding that the aircraft were later identified as Russian. Reuters reports. "

Edit to add the following:

"Russia's invasion forces appear to have begun a major new offensive to take more territory from Ukraine, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters Monday in Belgium.

"The reality [is] that we're seeing the start" of a new offensive, the alliance chief said, "because we're seeing what Russia is just now, what President Putin [is] doing now is sending thousands and thousands of more troops, accepting a very high rate of casualty, taking big losses, but putting pressure on the Ukrainians." 

According to the British military, "The current operational picture suggests that Russian forces are being given orders to advance in most sectors, but that they have not massed sufficient offensive combat power on any one axis to achieve a decisive effect."  

The eastern city of Bakhmut seems to be the focus of Russian forces. The regional governor Pavlo Kyrylenko said in an interview, "There is not a single square meter in Bakhmut that is safe or that is not in range of enemy fire or drones," according to Reuters, reporting Tuesday from Kyiv. "Bakhmut's capture would provide a stepping stone for Russia to advance on two bigger cities in Donetsk—Kramatorsk and Sloviansk—and give Moscow new momentum after months of setbacks following its invasion last Feb. 24," Reuters writes. "

lousubcap

Wednesday Russia-Ukraine update:

"The U.S. military is considering sending Ukraine weapons and ammunition seized in recent months off the coast of Yemen from smugglers suspected of working for Iran. Transferring the weaponry would be an unprecedented step given the U.N. arms embargo requires the U.S. and its allies to destroy, store, or get rid of seized weapons. According to U.S. officials, Biden administration lawyers have been looking at whether the resolution creates any scope for such a transfer. Dion Nissenbaum, Gordon Lubold and Benoit Faucon report for the Wall Street Journal. 

Russia has “lost strategically, operationally and tactically,” in Ukraine, Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, said yesterday. Following a meeting in Brussels of countries supporting Kyiv, Milley said that Russian President Vladimir Putin was wrong in thinking he could quickly defeat Ukraine and “fracture the NATO alliance,” adding that “NATO and this coalition has never been stronger.” Emily Rauhala, Kelsey Ables, Ellen Francis and Erin Cunningham report for the Washington Post. 

Russian forces have made incremental progress in the last day or two in trying to capture Bahkmut, but it is unclear if it will fall, White House spokesperson John Kirby said.

Moscow’s troops have been targeting Ukrainian positions along the front line in the Donetsk region, according to local officials. Only about 5,000 civilians are left in the city of a pre-war population of about 70,000, regional Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko said.

More From General Milley's remarks:

"Speaking in Brussels today after 54 defense ministry delegations met at the latest sitting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, Milley also noted that 22 countries have pledged infantry fighting vehicles, while 16 nations have committed to send Kyiv “artillery and munitions.” A total of nine countries are supporting the supply of air defense systems.

“Ukraine will integrate recent commitments of armored vehicles, infantry fighting vehicles and tanks with fires that achieve the effect of synchronized ground maneuver,” said Milley.

He did not list the 11 tank suppliers specifically, but did refer to the growing number of countries partnering on the international Leopard main battle tank coalition involving Canada, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal and Spain.

Milley did confirm, however, that the US, Czech Republic and the Netherlands are currently “in the process” of delivering refurbished Soviet-era T-72 tanks. The US has pledged a contingent of Abrams main battle tanks as well."

lousubcap

Frictionless conduit with more on Russia-Ukraine (Weds):

"Russia is using an estimated 97% of its army for the ongoing invasion of Ukraine, Britain's military chief Ben Wallace said Wednesday. He also said those Russian soldiers are experiencing "First World War levels of attrition" due to the tough resistance Ukraine's defenders are putting up—with a great deal of support from partners like the U.K., the United States, and the European Union. 

Moscow's gains so far have "come at a huge cost to the Russian army," Wallace told the BBC before heading into Wednesday's defense ministerial at NATO headquarters in Brussels. "We now estimate 97% of the Russian army, the whole Russian army, is in Ukraine," Wallace said. 

Another British expert told the BBC he expects the war to last into at least 2024. "Russia is losing a lot of people and a lot of equipment and there is a real question about how far they can sustain an offensive for a long period," Malcomb Chalmbers of the Royal United Services Institute told the BBC on Wednesday. 

Meanwhile stateside, there's been a slight erosion in U.S. support for arming Ukraine compared to three months into the Russian invasion. That's according to a new survey from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. And in a way, that makes a good bit of sense—because the U.S. had not been arming Ukraine's military before May 2022 at all like it has in the eight months leading up to late January, which is when the survey of more than a thousand people was conducted.                         

The good news for Kyiv: "Strong bipartisan support continues" among Americans, the survey's authors write, with 84% of Democrats in favor of the U.S. playing "at least a minor role" in helping Ukraine defend itself compared to 70% of Republicans who feel the same way. Those numbers were 94% for Democrats, and 74% for the GOP back in May. (Just 24% of respondents said they think the U.S. shouldn't be involved in helping Ukraine at all; that number was 19% in May.) 

There's also been a decline in support for sanctioning Russia even if it damages the U.S. economy; 55% of those polled in March favored that scenario. But that number dropped to 36% in January. Read over the rest of the findings, via AP, here.

By the way: U.S. officials have reportedly told the Ukrainians that U.S. support won't last forever. That's according to the Washington Post, reporting Monday. 

Don't look now, but Russia is sending balloons over Ukraine—possibly for reconnaissance, and possibly to exhaust air defense systems, Reuters reported Wednesday in a short writeup from the capital.

lousubcap

Thursday Russia-Ukraine update"

"Russia launched a "massive missile attack on critical infrastructure facilities" in Ukraine overnight, firing at least 36 missiles, the Ukrainian Air Force said in a post on Telegram. At least 16 of the missiles were destroyed by Ukrainian air defenses, the post said. Energy generation has not been affected by the strikes. Olga Voitovych and Radina Gigova report for CNN.   

The head of the Russian paramilitary organization Wagner Group has claimed to have founded the Internet Research Agency, a shadowy company that has carried out Russian information warfare across the globe. The admission by oligarch Yevgeniy Prigozhin affirms his role at the center of Russia’s aggressive interventions on the world stage, on the ground and online. Aaron Gregg, Andrea Salcedo and Natalia Abbakumova report for the Washington Post. 

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has said that Belarus will not send troops to Ukraine unless the country is attacked. “We are peaceful people, we know what war is and we don’t want war,” Lukashenko said at a press conference in Minsk at the Palace of Independence. Lukashenko also said that Russia has “never asked” him to join or start a war, adding that “Russia is our ally, legally, morally and politically.” Fred Pleitgen, Zahra Ullah and Claudia Otto report for CNN. 

The Pentagon is reviewing its weapons stockpiles and may need to boost military spending after seeing how quickly ammunition has been used during the war in Ukraine. This is according to Gen. Mark Milley, chair of the joint chiefs of staff, who said that the war in Ukraine is forcing U.S. planners to reconsider assumptions made in recent decades that had led military strategists to retool capabilities for counter-terrorism and irregular combat theaters such as Iraq and Afghanistan. Felicia Schwartz reports for the Financial Times.

Ukrainian officials said air defences in the south downed eight Kalibr missiles fired from a ship in the Black Sea, but other missiles struck northern and western Ukraine as well as the central regions of Dnipro and Kirovohrad.

Russia earlier said it had broken through two fortified defence lines in Ukraine’s east as it continued attacks on Ukrainian positions in the east.

Ukrainian forces have repelled some Russian attacks but the situation remains difficult, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s office said on Wednesday.

Russian forces have launched attacks on several settlements, including Paraskoviivka on the northern approaches to Bakhmut, and on Opytne and Klishchiivka villages on its southern approaches, Ukrainian military analysts said.

Meanwhile, six Russian balloons were spotted over Kyiv and most were shot down after being engaged by air defences, the capital’s military administration said."

nolaegghead

Saw this unattributed quote:

"War isn't Hell. War is war, and Hell is Hell. And of the two, war is a lot worse."

lousubcap

Some great reading regarding Fox News and the law suit filed by Dominion voting machines- (Quite a picture of the big $$ at play).

"Blockbuster revelations about CNN’s chief rival, Fox News Channel, aired in a new filing in the $1.6 billion lawsuit over Fox’s coverage of the 2020 presidential election results.

The internal communications revealed by Dominion Voting Systems paint a stark and damning picture — a split screen between the false and conspiratorial claims beamed to Fox viewers about rigged Dominion voting machines, and the private, candid opinions of the network’s hosts and executives, who repeatedly admitted to each other that the claims were utter, unsourced garbage.

Dominion’s 200-page filing not only lays out a tale of rank hypocrisy, but it weaves a broader narrative about what drove the campaign of disinformation — documenting the panic inside the network’s ranks after conservative discontent over its early (and accurate) call of Arizona for JOE BIDEN translated into a viewership boom for its less scrupulous competitor, Newsmax, as an aggrieved DONALD TRUMP lashed out at Fox.

“He could easily destroy us if we play it wrong,” primetime host TUCKER CARLSON texted his producer just two days after the election — one of dozens of frank admissions aired by Dominion.

And so, the filing argues, fears of lost viewers and lost profits led Fox’s most powerful figures to indulge baseless claims of conspiracy and fraud and, in some cases, move to sideline news reporters who took basic steps to fact-check claims made by the likes of SIDNEY POWELL and RUDY GIULIANI on the network’s airwaves.

Here are some of the most eye-popping revelations ... 

ON POWELL AND GIULIANI: In a series of text messages, Carlson, SEAN HANNITY and LAURA INGRAHAM lambasted Powell and Giuliani for peddling conspiratorial goods without evidence. “Sidney Powell is lying. **** ****,” Carlson wrote to Ingraham on Nov. 18. “Sidney is a complete nut. No one will work with her. Ditto with Rudy,” Ingraham responded.

WHAT MURDOCH REALLY THOUGHT: Fox Chairman RUPERT MURDOCH called the idea that the election was stolen “really crazy stuff.” Shortly after the election, his top execs circulated a New York Post piece urging Trump to “stop the ’stolen election’ rhetoric” and “get Rudy Giuliani off TV.” They also openly fretted about whether Hannity, Ingraham and Carlson would indulge the conspiracy theories on their shows.

RATINGS VS. FACT-BASED JOURNALISM: Emails and texts in the filing suggest that Fox’s top executives and stars were less worried about factual accuracy than about ratings crashing after viewers who bought into Trump’s election lies began to seek out different channels that would support their biases.

While one Fox exec called Newsmax’s ratings surge “troubling”and said the channel trafficked in an “alternative universe,” they also argued that the trend “can’t be ignored.” Another said the message had been sent out internally that the network was now on “war footing.”

According to the filing, Fox did a quick about-face to protect its brand — leaving journalists at the network who reported the truth about the election in the crosshairs:

— On Nov. 9, 2020, host NEIL CAVUTO cut away from White House press secretary KAYLEIGH McENANY as she made unsubstantiated claims of a stolen election. “I can’t in good countenance continue to show you this,” Cavuto said on the air. For this, Fox News Senior VP (and former Trump White House press aide) RAJ SHAH labeled Cavuto a “brand threat” in a message to top corporate brass.

— Hannity and Carlson tried to get Fox News reporter JACQUI HEINRICH fired for fact-checking a Trump tweet about Dominion and noting that there was no evidence of votes being destroyed.

“Please get her fired. Seriously… What the ****?” Carlson texted Ingraham and Hannity on Nov. 12, 2020. “It’s measurably hurting the company. The stock price is down. Not a joke.”

Hannity exploded on top execs, including one who panicked and wrote that Heinrich “has serious nerve doing this and if this gets picked up, viewers are going to be further disgusted” with Fox. (CNN’s Oliver Darcy reported last night that Heinrich was “blindsided” by this disclosure.)

— On Nov. 19, 2020, after Fox broadcasted the now-infamous Giuliani and Powell press conference about Dominion, then-White House correspondent KRISTEN FISHER got in trouble for fact-checking their bogus claims.

Per the filing: “Fisher received a call from her boss, BRYAN BOUGHTON, immediately after in which he emphasized that higher-ups at Fox News were also unhappy with it, and that Fisher needed to do a better job of, this is a quote, respecting our audience.”

— In one of the most bizarre bits, the filing reveals that Powell’s Dominion voting conspiracy came in part from an email Powell received from a tipster who claimed that ANTONIN SCALIA was secretly murdered while on a human-hunting expedition — and who claimed to be “internally decapitated” (“The Wind tells me I’m a ghost, but I don’t believe it,” the tipster wrote in the email).

Host MARIA BARTIROMO, who agreed to have Powell on her show after reading this email, never told viewers about the source of Powell’s claim. As Fox’s then-managing editor in Washington BILL SAMMON said of the network’s coverage at the time: “It’s remarkable how weak ratings make good journalists do bad things.”

THE BIG PICTURE: Last night, WaPo’s Erik Wemple called the evidence “the most piercing look at the internal goings-on at Fox News in its quarter-century history.”

But will Dominion, which is seeking $1.6 billion from a company that the NYT says has about $4 billion cash on hand, win the suit? Defamation cases have a high bar, and Dominion will have to prove “actual malice” — that the network peddled information it knew was erroneous, or was “reckless” in not doing its homework to ensure it was accurate.

In a statement, Fox News did not directly dispute any of the factsaired in Dominion’s filing, but said the company “mischaracterized the record, cherry-picked quotes stripped of key context, and spilled considerable ink on facts that are irrelevant under black-letter principles of defamation law.” A spokesperson also said Dominion “refused to agree to allow FOX to make its response to that motion public,” and that “the reason for Dominion’s refusal will be clear when the public response is finally released on February 27.”

While the filing is more than 200 pages, the choicest bits run only 30 pages starting on page 14. Worth noting: Much of the filing was redacted, so there are surely more revelations to come."

lousubcap

Friday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that he will not concede any Ukrainian territory in a potential future peace deal with Russia. In an interview with BBC News, he warned that making territorial compromises would lead Russia to “keep coming back.” Allegra Goodwin reports for CNN. 

Canada supports the establishment of a special tribunal to investigate war crimes committed by Russia in Ukraine, the country’s Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly confirmed yesterday. Speaking from Kraków, Poland, days after meeting with Zelenskyy, Joly highlighted that the International Criminal Court and International Court of Justice “don’t necessarily have the mandate” to be able to prosecute alleged Russian crimes. Joseph Gedeon reports for POLITICO. 

Moldova’s Parliament approved another pro-Western prime minister yesterday. The appointment of Dorin Recean, a close ally of head of state President Maia Sandu, comes as the country grapples with the economic ruptures and heightened security threats caused by Russia’s war in neighboring Ukraine. Prior to the approval vote, Recean outlined his plans for Moldova before Parliament, which include pressing ahead with the country’s E.U. candidacy. Margherita Stancati reports for the Wall Street Journal. 

Since the start of Russia’s war with Ukraine, U.S. and European security services have ramped up their campaign to identify Russian spies. While Russia retains significant intelligence capabilities, its spy agencies have sustained greater damage in the past year than at any time since the end of the cold war, U.S. and European security officials have said. Moreover, the magnitude of the campaign appears to have caught Russia by surprise, officials added, reducing its ability to carry out influence operations in Europe, stay in contact with informants, or provide insights to the Kremlin on key security issues. Greg Miller, Souad Mekhennet, Emily Rauhala and Shane Harris report for the Washington Post.

Echoing a pattern of heavy aerial bombardment at times of Ukrainian battlefield or diplomatic advances, Russia launched 32 missiles in the early hours of Thursday, Ukraine’s air force said. Half were shot down, it added, a lower rate than usual.

Russia has usually carried out its biggest waves of air attacks in daylight, striking energy facilities, but Ukrainian officials suggest Moscow is starting to adapt its strategy, including using air balloons for reconnaissance.

Russia and Ukraine exchanged 101 prisoners of war in their latest prisoner swap, authorities said.

lousubcap

Europe has gotten the message thanks to Putin:

"MUNICH, Germany — Ukrainian President VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY and Europe’s two most powerful leaders had similar messages at the Munich Security Conference: It’s time to focus more on making and sending weapons.

That’s a bold answer to one of the biggest questions being asked at the annual gathering this year: After 12 months of war, how much more can Europe take? The continent, alongside the U.S., has provided Ukraine with the weapons it requested to push back VLADIMIR PUTIN’s forces. But that effort has stretched Europe’s defense-industrial base thin, and it’s unclear nations as a whole can keep up with the insatiable demand.

Zelenskyy aimed to rally the West to continue providing Ukraine’s “David” with the slings required to slay Russia’s “Goliath,” in his words. “Speed is crucial,” he said, because Putin “wants the world to slow down.”

German Chancellor OLAF SCHOLZ, speaking immediately after the Ukrainian leader, called on Europe to develop a “high-performing arms industry” that can churn out the materials and equipment regional nations want. “We need a permanent production of the most important weapons we are using,” he said, with European countries “all work[ing] in the same direction.”

French President EMMANUEL MACRON followed, booming that it behooved Europe as a whole “to invest more in defense. If we want peace, we need the means to achieve it.” That wasn’t just for the continent’s sake but for Ukraine’s. A stronger Europe made for a stronger partner for Kyiv, perhaps giving the capital leverage for if and when peace talks with Russia become acceptable for both sides. "Production capacities need to be ramped up," he said. There will be no peace in Europe until the “Russian matter has been solved.”"