Ukraine Invasion: Part 35

[MagicFox]

We're still here, on 35 🇺🇦

As @OwlsDance says the company can dig deeper and is more likely to the higher its profile is raised.

I suspect the microchips could be dual-use i.e. for civilian and military use. They are being ostensibly sold for civilian use but then converted at the other end by Russia to military use. Not sure if these are high end chips, which are more valuable to Russia, or lower end ones (e.g. for washing machines}.

Two Belarus related rumours:

1. Media reports claim that the Kremlin is allegedly plotting to liquidate Lukashenka, the de facto ruler of #Belarus in order to seize control of Belarusian army to use it in #Russia's invasion of #Ukraine:

https://twitter.com/alexkokcharov/status/1596462825312251904?s=61&t=WjxmG453v6QbxQkWN9gfmQ

2. ⚡️The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus, Vladimir Makei, has died, Belarusian media.

https://twitter.com/maksnafoo_fella/status/1596501703700140032?s=61&t=WjxmG453v6QbxQkWN9gfmQ

Cookerdog · Today 14:15
No, and nor should we rush to any conclusions on that.

My post above was to link the company named in the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine's list to information that is publicly available in the UK. This information is available due to statute, legitimate interest or because the company or its parent has made it available.

In doing so I am assisting in raising it above the parapet. If the report is incorrect the company can always challenge it and ask the DIU for evidence, however because this post is merely factual information I do not see how it can be challenged

With these facts …………….ought people to be contacting them to ask them to stop selling to Russia?

Would they know or care that we here on mumsnet, and others who’ve looked them up, are peeking at their heads showing above the parapet?

One could ask them:

For media enquiries, please contact:
Buchanan
Chris Lane
Toto Berger
Jack Devoy
Tel: +44 (0)20 7466 5000
Email: [email protected]

Or the auditors:

Emma Thorogood - Head of UK Corporate Affairs
+44 (0)7990 563100
[email protected]
Laetitia Lynn - Head of reputation and purpose, London, PwC UK
+44(0)7850 515835
[email protected]

Cookerdog · Today 15:08
One could ask them:

I don’t quite know why, Cookerfog, but your answer is just too
funny 🤣

Cookerdog apologies for my bad typing

“Laetitia Lynn - Head of reputation and purpose,”

Cookerdog does she truly have this title?
What could be worse for their reputation than having the purpose of supplying Putin?

Thank you @Cookerdog

The auditors won't particularly care. It's not related to the financial statements. They don't get involved in regulatory or political issues.

To guide missiles, Russia uses its own development GLONASS, an analogue of GPS, it was created in 1982 by order of the USSR Ministry of Defense.
According to intelligence, GLONASS depends on microchips produced by foreign companies. Usually, these are civilian chips, but Russians use them for military purposes. The chips receive and process coordinates from GLONASS, and missiles use this information to navigate in space and target Ukrainian civilian and energy infrastructure.
The Defence Intelligence of Ukraine has published (t.me/DIUkraine/1686) a list of foreign companies that continue to produce microchips with GLONASS support. The list includes companies from the USA, Switzerland, Canada, Belgium and Great Britain. Without foreign-made GLONASS-enabled chips, Russians will have to build their own microelectronics from scratch, the intelligence officers noted.

Whilst the comment is factually true I’m not quite sure what the point is of that observation or what the west is expected to do..there’s nothing sinister gone on behind the scenes and I’m not at all sure it is fair to start trying to point fingers at western chip suppliers.

The background for all this was a need to improve reliability/availability of satnav coverage across the globe, for example for use in the civil aviation industry.

Many manufacturers of satellite navigation world for the civil market moved away from sole use of the GPS constellation some time ago and many satnav receivers have chips and associated hardware/software that allow selective use of GPS and GLONASS, plus these days potentially Galileo and Beidou.

Reason for that being more the satellites your system can potentially access the more opportunity there is for error checking and the less chance there is of a loss of system coverage at a critical time - something that has certainly been increasingly important in civil aviation where more and more instrument approaches are predicated on satellite date being available.

Angela Richardson is the MP for Guilford, she would be able to raise it in Parliament. She's a Conservative though so I would be surprised if she listened to concerns.

If there are any constituents of hers it may be worth a letter.

House of Commons
London
SW1A 0AA
Phone: 0207 219 3000
Email: [email protected]

As a rule of thumb, if you don't have an address in the constituencies, MPs ignore you. Writing to your own MP may raise awareness.

If the intention is still to start a campaign against the UK chip companies perhaps I need to rephrase my previous post in a more digestible form..

Western Companies have been openly, legitimately, legally producing navigation equipment/chips that may use GLONASS for civilian GNSS (satellite navigation) purposes for years/decades.

There will be countless number of satellite navigation units around the world, including Russia, on equipment (e.g. aircraft, ships), in engineering stores or warehouses….all containing GLONASS compatible chips.

In February this year Russia starts a war and fits some of the chips/equipment being discussed, quite possibly obtained pre-war, to military equipment….

I’d suggest the question that needs asking is are any new devices entering Russia and if so how?

I wouldn’t start by assuming the chip companies are currently doing something underhand or illegal…..suggesting that might have unfortunate consequences.

For info:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satellite_navigation

Have a look at the satellite systems listed under GNSS-1 and GNSS-2.

I know all that. But as you also know, it is all about raising the media profile. Auditors may not resign the audit, but do communicate with the boards throughout the year.

I’d suggest the question that needs asking is are any new devices entering Russia and if so how?

And that is the point of the DIU statement isn't it?

This is not a technical chip, GPS issue, aircrew observation issue. Even though I have no doubt you are expert in that field. 🙂

I wouldn’t start by assuming the chip companies are currently doing something underhand or illegal…..suggesting that might have unfortunate consequences.

Nobody has done on this thread, including me. In fact, expressly the opposite.

But the DIU might have their own view? If so, let it run.

I think everyone has to keep in mind that

1. there can be unexpected routes into Russia that efveryone was ok with at the time and that were often legitimate then and

2. its very hard to plug some gaps and

3. for Ukraine, it's life-or-death to see these chips ending up in Russian armaments. They might not always be able to see the context. Their tracing of the chips' journey is good however, as it means that governments can follow what's going on and try to curtail it.

Putin has nothing to gain and everything to lose by liquidating Lukashenka. Belarusians aren't going to meekly follow into the trenches once Lukashenka is gone. That will be their moment to seize and everyone knows that.

Presumably the media in Belarus is not as tightly controlled as in Russia and Belarussians have a pretty good idea of what is happening on the battlefield and what is happening to the Russian mobiks. The Belarus army will have even less inclination to join the war in Ukraine. This is seriously not their war and Lukashenka's grip over his people is not iron to begin with.

The Russians have been using Belarus' hospitals to dump their wounded soldiers. If anyone knows up close and personally how badly the war is going, it will be that country (aside from Ukraine).

Having said that, Putin needs a win and Lukashenka has been reluctant to join in. Anything is possible.

www.cnn.com/interactive/2022/10/europe/belarus-hospitals-russian-soldiers-ukraine/index.html

Belorussian doctors and nurses are being gagged with the threat of repercussions on their families and the societal control is getting tight now. Protests lead to serious problems for the people. Not sure what information control is like, but Belorus is more and more repressed.

Fair enough, all agreed…

I was perhaps slightly concerned that the statement by the Ukrainian spokesman might have lead some to think there was something underhand or sinister about the fact that in some companies the west have for some years been producing equipment that was compatible with Russia’s GLONASS.

Glad that’s now cleared up.

This is confirmed:

ISW Key Takeaways

The overall pace of operations in Ukraine is likely to increase in the upcoming weeks as the ground freezes throughout the theater.

Russian officials are continuing efforts to deport Ukrainian children to Russia.

Russian officials may be trying to counteract Wagner financier Yevgeny Prigozhin’s growing influence through the promotion of other parallel Russian military structures.

Russian forces are likely using inert Kh-55 missiles designed solely to carry nuclear warheads in its campaign against Ukrainian infrastructure, highlighting the Russian military’s depletion of high-precision weapons.

Russian forces continued defensive operations against ongoing Ukrainian counteroffensive operations along the Svatove-Kreminna line.

Russian forces continued offensive operations in the directions of Bakhmut and Avdiivka.

Russian forces continued establishing fortifications in eastern Kherson Oblast.

Russian tactical, logistical, and equipment failures continue to decrease morale of Russian troops and drive searches for scapegoats.

+++

⚡️ Ukraine brings home (kyivindependent.com/news-feed/ukraine-brings-home-12-po-ws-including-civilians) 12 POWs, including civilians.

⚡️ Power cuts in Kyiv to be limited to 5 hours at a time.

⚡️ Dozens of countries allocate (kyivindependent.com/news-feed/dozens-of-countries-allocate-multimillion-financial-aid-to-support-grain-from-ukraine-program) financial aid to support ‘Grain from Ukraine’ program.
According to President Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine has raised around $150 million for the program designed to deliver Ukrainian grain to the poorest countries in Africa.

⚡️ Luxembourg donates 6 Czech-made drones to Ukraine.

⚡️ Energy Ministry: Lithuania donates over 100 generators (kyivindependent.com/news-feed/energy-ministry-lithuania-donates-over-100-generators-to-ukraine) to Ukraine.
Lithuania sent six trucks with 114 generators to Ukraine, according to the Energy Ministry on Nov. 26.
This batch is part of the 252 total generators Lithuania intends to send Ukraine.

⚡️ Belgium signs declaration supporting Ukraine’s move towards EU, NATO membership.

⚡️Utilities almost completely restored in Kyiv after latest Russian mass missile strike.
The Kyiv City Military Administration said on Nov. 27 that power, water, heat, and cell phone service are “almost completely restored” in Kyiv.

🎬 As part of its aid package, the UK has provided Brimstone 2 missiles, a precision-guided missile, to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
This aid has played a crucial role in stalling Russian advancements.

Higher losses again. If this continues it could be a sign of Ukrainian movement .. or a lot of hypothermia deaths.

ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · Today 13:13
ISW Key Takeaways
Thank you very much. I am sure I am not alone in very much appreciating your key takeaways. They provide an essential scaffolding for discussion everyday.

NOËL 🇪🇺 🇺🇦
@NOELreports
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban suddenly announced that Ukraine must remain a sovereign state so that the Russian Federation could not threaten Europe, switching to blaming its traditional enemies - migrants and "neo-Marxism".

((!!! Russia piss him off?))

[email protected] (from Twitter)
1/ Mobilised Russians in Sverdlovsk region are suffering from a mass outbreak of infectious disease, but doctors are unable to treat them due to a lack of equipment and medicine. This is likely the result of overcrowded, insanitary conditions at their training area. ⬇️

There will be more disease outbreaks while you have hungry, cold troops in poor conditions.