Ukraine Invasion: Part 38

[MagicFox]

🇺🇦 38th thread for information sharing, solidarity and community 🇺🇦

@Mb76 it was packed! I enjoyed every second. It was their first big since the war started so the energy level was very high. I will try and post a video if I can.

Live: Ukraine Telegram

Petro Oleshchuk, commander of the Ukrainian Air Force, said that since September, Ukrainian air defense forces have shot down more than 650 cruise missiles and more than 610 Iranian kamikaze drones.
He recalled that Ukraine has already received various Western air defense systems, such as NASAMS, IRIS-T, Crotale, Gepard anti-aircraft systems, and others. In the near future, the Air Force expects to receive Patriot and SAMP-T anti-aircraft missile systems.

American businessman Elon Musk called the Revolution of Dignity a "coup." An article by American political scientist John Mearsheimer was shared on social media, in which he wrote that for Russian President Putin, the 2014 Euromaidan, which he calls a "coup," and the overthrow of fugitive President Viktor Yanukovych were the last straw in the Ukraine issue.
Mykhailo Podolyak, an advisor to the head of the Presidential Office, responded to Musk's statements. "Free societies influence states through dialogue and elections. Enslaved societies take to the streets to get rid of repressive states. This is the base of Freedom, Elon Musk. There have never been coups in Ukraine, but there have always been free people," he explained.

🇪🇸 Spain is repairing its Leopard 2A4 tanks for Ukraine, "they are in a deplorable condition," said Defense Minister Margarita Robles. The tuning will be completed soon, and this will allow them to be integrated into a battalion along with tanks from other countries. At the same time, Spain has already begun training the crews of these Leopards and the teams that will be engaged in their maintenance.

Medvedev threatens to destroy humanity: We do not need a world without Russia
Deputy Head of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev threatens that if the question of Russia's existence is raised, the existence of human civilization itself will be in question.
"If the question of the existence of Russia itself is seriously raised, it will not be resolved on the Ukrainian front. It will be resolved along with the question of the further existence of the entire human civilization. There should be no ambiguity here. We do not need a world without Russia."

At night, an earthquake with a magnitude of 3.3 occurred in Transcarpathia. Its epicenter was at a depth of 2 km near the village of Velyka Dobron, 19 km west of Mukachevo.

🇧🇬Bulgaria Resumes Production of 122mm Shells for the Ukrainian Armed Forces - The New York Times.

CIA Director William Burns said that Russians are helping Iran develop its missile program. In exchange, the Iranians give Russia weapons that it uses in the war against Ukraine. The CIA sees signs that Russia is also considering providing Iran with fighter jets.

Activists of the Yellow Ribbon movement in Sevastopol, Yalta and Simferopol turned the symbols of the Russian invasion Z into blue and yellow hourglasses, meaning "The time of de-occupation is approaching."

Medvedev threatens to destroy humanity: We do not need a world without Russia
Deputy Head of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev threatens that if the question of Russia's existence is raised, the existence of human civilization itself will be in question.
"If the question of the existence of Russia itself is seriously raised, it will not be resolved on the Ukrainian front. It will be resolved along with the question of the further existence of the entire human civilization. There should be no ambiguity here. We do not need a world without Russia."

He really is a fucking bellend isn't he.

UNITED24 Media Telegram

In Belarus, 1.5 million people could be mobilized for the needs of the army. This is every sixth citizen
This can be done in the event of declaring martial law and the country's transition to "military lines", said the State Secretary of the Security Council of Belarus Aleksandr Volfovich, writes BelTA.
"And our population is more than 9 million, so the remaining 8 million will, of course, work in industry, teach, treat, grow bread. Because you can't stop life, but you have to do it during the war," he said. [sounds insanely stupid idea to me]

Ukrainian defenders have destroyed more than 650 cruise missiles and 610 Shahed UAVs since September
Commander of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Lieutenant General Mykola Oleschuk

In 2023, the sanctions programs of the West expanded by 42%, the undisputed world leader in these programs is Russia, more than 11,000 sanctions have been imposed against it, according to Atlantic Council experts

Almost 40% of the British sacrificed for the help of Ukraine, and about 81% of the population are still concerned about the influence of the war
It is currently known that the British Humanitarian Program DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal has brought up more than £400 million to help, including £25 million, in compensation by the UK government.

Lukashenko's visit to China is probably aimed at helping Russia and China to circumvent Western sanctions, – the Institute for the Study of War (ISW)

Due to fears of a counteroffensive of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the Russians are strengthening the defense of the temporarily occupied territories, – The General Staff

Germany handed over 6 more BIBER bridge-layers and Zetros trucks to Ukraine

Russian ships are moving further and further away from the coast controlled by Ukraine, probably because of the fear of being hit by long-range weapons, — the spokeswoman for Operational Command "Pivden" ("South") Nataliya Humenyuk

"By the end of spring, we will repair 110 houses in Bucha," – reported the American organization Global Empowerment Mission (GEM)

What can change the situation at the front and how much the enemy loses manpower per day, – the Minister of Defense of Ukraine, told in an interview with the Italian publication La Repubblica
Key theses:
▫️Air defense systems "Iris-T", "Patriot" and NASAMS will already change the situation at the front in the spring.
▫️Currently, Ukraine has not yet received Patriot air defense systems, but our military is training to use them.
▫️We asked our partners for new BMPs such as Bradley, Spartan, Mastiff, and of course fighters.
▫️A big Russian offensive is already underway, we call it "creeping" because they are sending waves of "Wagner" military or former prisoners against us to win back a few meters of land.
▫️In the Bakhmut direction, Russia loses 500 soldiers killed and 900 wounded every day.
▫️Bakhmut is a stronghold.

During the war with Ukraine, Russia spent 114.4 billion dollars a year, that is, approximately 10 billion dollars a month. This is a third of all revenues of the Russian budget for 2021, – Forbes
The largest expenditure items were:
▫️ Provision of troops – about $36 billion;
▫️ Salary of the military – $24.7 billion;
▫️ Compensation to the dead and injured – $29.1 billion;
▫️ Destroyed Russian military equipment – $25 billion

In Machulishchy, Belarus, as a result of two explosions, an AVACS A-50U aircraft of the Russian Air Force with flight number RF-50608 (flight number "43 red", serial number 0093479377, serial number 60-05) was significantly damaged: the front part, the central parts of the aircraft, avionics were damaged and radar antenna
The Russian Air Force has only 9 such aircraft, and improved ones (with the "U" modification) – 6. One such aircraft serves 19 people (5 pilots, 11 radio technicians, and 3 engineers).
The cost of such an aircraft is 330 million dollars.

The president of the Czech Republic compared Putin to Hitler

The Russians are preparing to flee from Kherson region to Crimea
According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the movement began in Oleshki and Skadovsk. Thus, since February 21, the departure of local collaborators to Bakhchisaray, Simferopol and Kerch has been recorded. Already on February 24, the invaders announced the so-called evacuation of all those willing.

💡In Odesa, there was an emergency disconnection of the high-voltage line

Beijing shied away from a direct response to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's offer to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping
"China maintains contacts with all parties to the conflict, including Ukraine," said Mao Ning, the representative of the Chinese Foreign Ministr

Oryx infographic with a comparison of equipment losses of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and the Armed Forces of Ukraine. There is an interesting huge gap in the lost command and staff vehicles (command posts), there is a version that the reason is that the Russian commanders very boldly run away when they smell something burning.

Medvedev ranting away like the local park drunk again.

Washington Post Telegram

Analysis: Biden faces new pressures over U.S. support in Year 2 of Ukraine war

(www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/02/25/biden-ukraine-aid/?utm_source=telegram&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=wp_main)
The war in Ukraine has entered its second year, and with that come fresh challenges for President Biden. Whether ensuring that Ukraine has the necessary equipment to fight off the Russian invasion or prodding Western allies to do more to hold together domestic public opinion, the longer the war goes on, the greater those challenges will be.
For Biden, the domestic political implications so far have been generally favorable. As the 2024 presidential campaign unfolds, the debate over U.S. support and leadership is likely to become more pointed. The result could be more questions about the president’s handling of the effort.

Here is the latest from Ukraine:

(www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/02/27/russia-ukraine-war-latest-updates/?utm_campaign=wp_main&utm_medium=social&utm_source=telegram)

• U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan warned China that there would be “real costs” if Beijing decides to provide military aid to Russia.

• CIA Director William J. Burns echoed concerns about China providing military aid to Russia, stating in a separate CNN interview that the U.S. is “confident” China is “considering the provision of lethal equipment,” but that it would be a “very risky and unwise bet.”

- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed a senior military official without explanation, according to a one-line decree posted Sunday. Eduard Moskalyov, commander of Ukraine’s joint forces, was removed from his role just less than a year after he was appointed. [only report of this, and that's a major role]

• Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that the West is trying to dismantle Russia. In an interview with the state-owned Rossiya 1 channel, he said of the United States: “They have one goal: to scatter the former Soviet Union and its main part, the Russian Federation.”

That’s because he is exactly that. Probably drugs too

Ah amazing! I only learned about Antytila from that Ed Sheeran duet about a year ago. They are great!

we are going to see Okean Elzy in London in April. Them I have known since I was a student. A pen pal I had in Lviv sent me an audio tape, of Okean Elzy when they were just a local student band. It’s incredible how far they have gone in 30 years. I am so looking forward to seeing them live!

Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that the West is trying to dismantle Russia. In an interview with the state-owned Rossiya 1 channel, he said of the United States: “They have one goal: to scatter the former Soviet Union and its main part, the Russian Federation.”

deflecting as usual. He’s doing a perfectly good job of dismembering Russia as it is

@Mb76 Indeed

Putin doesn't seem to realise - or rather accept - that the Soviet Union was dismantled in 1991

As you say, he's doing a good job of creating the circumstances in which those parts of the USSR that didn't managed to escape the dominant Russian controlled centre of the Russian Federation may finally be able to do so

@mb76 I have some of the Okean Elzy music on iTunes. Always up for other suggestions if you have any 🙂

I think it’s inevitable that Russian federation will eventually break up into many smaller independent countries. All empires fall in the end. Putin knows this and it’s his biggest fear. I believe his actions by starting the war he can not win, will only accelerate this process.

Of course! I listen to their music on Spotify.

If you don’t mind YouTube - there are two live shows that I am really fond of.

This one was recorded last April at Easter, still in the early days of the war in a Kyiv metro station - I find it incredibly moving and quite emotional to watch

and this one (2.5 hours long) - from 6 years ago - live at Dnipro Arena - convert dedicated to 25 years of Ukraine independence. Again this is moving and emotional because this is from a happier time… I hope Ukraine will be happy again and soon

@Mb76 have you got another link for the metro station one? it wont play for me

@Mb76 thank you very much 🙂 will give that a go in a minute as I turn my work laptop on AGAIN 😐

The first group of Ukrainians to train on the Bradley have completed their course.

www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-soldier-us-training/32276564.html

I'd expect to see them in action in three to four weeks.

How about this one

Another must listen interview with Fiona Hill, this time with Rory Stewart and Alistair Campbell: podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/leading/id1665265193?i=1000601688658

@@Mb76 thank you, that works. Think Ill have to be careful about watching it, the horror can be overwhelming. I know Ukrainians have to ~live~ through and with it, but I need to be able to function!

We have said goodbye to our wonderful Ukrainian guests who became friends, who lived in our annex. They are moving to Warsaw for several reasons. It's the right move and positive for them, onwards and upwards, but it has been wonderful having them here. Really going to miss them.

www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/ukraine-conflict-updates

Key Takeaways

Russian officials are promoting an information operation that falsely frames Russia’s war in Ukraine as existential to the continued existence of the Russian Federation.

Russian officials continue to conduct information operations in an attempt to discourage the Western provision of military aid to Ukraine.

Ukrainian military officials continue to respond to Western concerns over Ukrainian capabilities and suggest that Ukrainian forces are preparing for a spring counteroffensive in southern Ukraine.

A reportedly captured Russian military manual suggests that Russian forces are implementing new assault tactics to compensate for the current limitations on combat capability in light of continued offensive failures.

The manual suggests that Russian forces are trying to adopt smaller and more agile combined arms formations than were employed earlier in the war.

The tactics of the assault detachment additionally suggest that the Russian military may be attempting to institutionalize tactics used to marginal tactical effect by the Wagner Group in Bakhmut.

US Central Intelligence Director William Burns stated on February 25 that the CIA is confident that Chinese leadership is considering the provision of lethal equipment to Russia but has not made a final decision or provided lethal aid to Russia.

Ukrainian officials stated that Russian forces have been concentrating and escalating operations along the Luhansk Oblast front line.

Russian forces continued to conduct ground attacks northwest of Svatove and near Kreminna.

Russian forces continued to conduct ground attacks across the Donetsk Oblast front line, and Russian sources widely claimed that Wagner Group forces made territorial gains north of Bakhmut.

Ukrainian officials reported that Russian forces continue to focus on establishing defensive fortifications in east (left) bank Kherson Oblast and Crimea.

Russian forces are continuing to expend their already limited stocks of precision munitions.

Russian officials announced that all social support measures will enter into force in occupied territories on March 1.

Kyiv Independent Telegram

⚡️US says China will face
(kyivindependent.com/news-feed/us-says-china-will-face-real-costs-if-it-supplies-russia-with-weapons-for-war-in-ukraine)'real costs' if it supplies Russia with lethal aid for war in Ukraine.
U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told CNN that the U.S. was "laying out both the stakes and the consequences" of such a decision in diplomatic talks with China.

⚡️German minister: US, Germany and Poland may hold (kyivindependent.com/news-feed/german-minister-us-germany-and-poland-may-hold-joint-maneuvers) joint maneuvers.
Washington is negotiating with Berlin and Warsaw on conducting joint military exercises in Poland in response to the Russian threat to NATO's eastern border, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said on television on Feb. 27.

⚡️General Staff: Russian proxies in occupied parts of Kherson Oblast preparing (kyivindependent.com/news-feed/general-staff-russian-proxies-in-kherson-oblast-preparing-to-leave) to leave.
Moscow-installed occupying authorities in Kherson Oblast's towns of Oleshky and Skadovsk prepare to "escape" to the Russian-occupied Crimea, fearing a Ukrainian counteroffensive, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on Feb. 27.

⚡️Media: Belarus increases
(kyivindependent.com/news-feed/media-belarusian-border-guards-increase-surveillance-on-exits-from-country)border control on exits following alleged partisan attack.

⚡️UN chief: Russian invasion caused (kyivindependent.com/news-feed/un-secretary-general-russia-unleashed-widespread-death-destruction-and-displacement) 'the most massive violations of human rights'.
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said on Feb. 27 that the Russian invasion of Ukraine had triggered "the most massive violations of human rights we are living (through) today."

⚡️International commission (kyivindependent.com/news-feed/international-commission-to-track-down-ukrainian-children-illegally-brought-to-russia) to track down Ukrainian children illegally brought to Russia.
The European Commission and Poland on Feb. 27 announced a joint initiative to find Ukrainian children illegally taken by the Russian army from occupied territories.

⚡️CEO of Ukraine's railway monopoly Ukrzaliznytsia resigns. (kyivindependent.com/news-feed/ukrzaliznytsia-chief-resigns)
Oleksandr Kamyshin, CEO of Ukraine's state-owned railway monopoly Ukrzaliznytsia, announced his resignation on Feb. 27.

⚡️US treasury secretary visits (kyivindependent.com/news-feed/us-treasury-secretary-visits-kyiv) Kyiv, meets Zelensky.

⚡️Ukrenergo restores (kyivindependent.com/news-feed/electricity-restored-to-odesa-after-unexpected-power-outages) electricity to Odesa after unexpected power outages.

Can Ukraine maintain and optimally use its modern Western tanks? (kyivindependent.com/national/can-ukraine-make-optimal-use-of-western-tanks-and-attack-vehicles)
Ukraine hopes to receive up to two brigades of tanks, on top of many infantry vehicles from Western allies. But there are two main obstacles to using the tanks — the first being their delivery schedule and the second being logistics and maintenance. @MissConductUS @notimagain

⚡️Media: Wizz Air to suspend (kyivindependent.com/news-feed/media-wizz-air-suspends-all-flights-to-and-from-chisinau) all flights to and from Chisinau over security risks.
There is a growing concern that Russia's war against Ukraine might spill over into neighboring Moldova.

Agriculture Minister: Russia's grain corridor sabotage could lead to higher food prices (kyivindependent.com/business/interview-mykola-solskyi)
Russia’s blockage of Ukrainian seaports triggered a global food crisis.

⚡️Ukraine receives (kyivindependent.com/news-feed/ukraine-receives-first-tranche-of-1-25-billion-in-aid-from-us) $1.25 billion tranche out of $9.9 billion in aid from US.

⚡️EU submits (kyivindependent.com/news-feed/eu-submits-statement-of-protest-calling-for-saakashvilis-release) statement of protest calling for Saakashvili's release.
The EU Ambassador to Georgia Pawel Herczynski has submitted a statement of protest to Georgia calling for the release of imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili so that he can receive medical treatment.

⚡️(kyivindependent.com/news-feed/japan-sanctions-head-of-concern-kalashnikov-rosbank)
Japan introduced additional sanctions against 39 Russian individuals, including the head of Russian weapons maker Concern Kalashnikov, 73 Russian companies, and Rosbank, according to a Japanese Foreign Ministry statement published on Feb. 28.

⚡️General Staff: Ukraine repels (kyivindependent.com/news-feed/general-staff-ukraine-repels-60-russian-attacks-over-past-24-hours) 60 Russian attacks over past 24 hours.

The loss of a Russian A-50 aircraft in an alleged partisan attack on a Belarusian airfield in Machulishchy will "likely leave six operational A-50s in service, further constraining Russian air operations," the U.K. Defense Ministry reported on Feb. 28.

~only~ 550 dead.

The manual suggests that Russian forces are trying to adopt smaller and more agile combined arms formations than were employed earlier in the war.

Well, that's the stupidest thing I've heard in a while. Their basic organizational unit is the Battalion Tactical Group (BTG), which has about 800 men, 10 tanks and 60 APCs. It proved to be too small to be self-sufficient in combat. The American equivalent is the regimental combat team, which is roughly five times bigger.

Silly Russians.

UNITED24 Media Telegram

China joins sanctions against Russian aviation

Air transportation between Russia and China may decrease by 60-70% in the near future, according to the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation. This is stated in the letter of the deputy head of the department, Valentin Ivanov, to the head of "Support of Russia" Aleksandr Kalinin.

The fact is that Beijing refuses to give guarantees that it will not impose an arrest at the request of third countries as part of Western sanctions.

At the same time, China was in the top 10 most popular destinations in the Russian Federation even when it was possible to fly to Europe. Now that Western countries have closed their airspace to Russian aircraft, flights to China may also be drastically reduced.

In addition, China refuses to allow dual-registration aircraft into its airspace.
Because of this, almost 50% of the planes that Russian airlines have at their disposal cannot fly to China. They were stolen and re-registered, but the first registration is important for China.

[reading between the lines, Chinese law means that the stolen planes cannot land. The The fact is that Beijing refuses to give guarantees that it will not impose an arrest at the request of third countries as part of Western sanctions. is interesting because it indicates that China is -still- trying to walk a narrow line, even though in some ways it's moving towards supporting Russia]

Oh I'm interested at that reaction to the news of smaller, more agile, formations, MissConductUs. You know your business.

To me, a civvy who knows very little except moments in military history such as the Boer War, when the tiny, dust-coloured Boer commando units initially had great success against the massed bright red line of the British Army, small and agile sounds a positive thing.

Have the Russian high command done the same as me, and read about "small and agile" but not understood its appropriate use?

UNITED24 Media Telegram

China's "peace plan" puts the victim and the aggressor on the same level, — EU diplomat Josep Borrell on the official website of the European Union. At the same time, he noted that the EU will analyze China's proposals.

We were impressed by how quickly the Ukrainians use what we send to restore the power grid, – US Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm

Pavlovsky, a well-known political technologist of the Kremlin, died. At the age of 72, the Russian political technologist, who implemented the Kremlin's ideology in Ukraine, Gleb Pavlovsky, died.
Pavlovsky is the founder of the Fund for Effective Politics. He was known as a key Kremlin political strategist during Vladimir Putin's first term as president. His foundation developed Putin's first election campaign.

‼️Russia is accumulating attack aircraft near the borders with Ukraine, — representative of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine Andrii Chernyak
Chernyak also added that the Ukrainian air defense system is getting stronger every day.

Switchblade 600 kamikaze drones from past US aid packages are already on the front lines. Last week, they destroyed two Russian anti-aircraft systems, — Taras Chmut, director of the Come Back Alive Foundation

Poland will send the next batch of Leopard 2A4 tanks to Ukraine within a few weeks, – the head of the Polish Chancellery [the ~next~?]

Russian troops may intensify offensive actions in the Zaporizhzhia direction, Colonel Oleksiy Dmytrashivskyi, the spokesman for the joint press center of the Tavrian Defense Forces, said.

❗️Taiwan announced a new $59 million aid package to Ukraine
The funds will be used to help victims of Russian crimes, as well as to rebuild the civil infrastructure of Ukraine: hospitals, schools, churches, etc.

CIA Director William Burns finally realized that Putin was preparing to attack Ukraine after a visit to Moscow in November 2021, – Politico
Last winter, Putin noted that Europeans' attention was focused elsewhere: German Chancellor Angela Merkel had ended her political career and French President Emmanuel Macron was preparing for elections.
Putin also reckoned that during the cold winter, energy prices would be high, and it would be difficult for Europe to form a coalition capable of imposing serious sanctions. So he did not count on a powerful Western response to the invasion. [plus the US looked weak after the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan]

❗️The enemy launches the Shahed UAVs to determine the coordinates of the air defense system, the Air Force spokesman said

The Israeli missile and drone warning system will be tested in Ukraine for 4 months, – Times of Israel with reference to the Ambassador of Ukraine Yevhen Korniychuk
According to the diplomat, Ukraine still has not received the system promised by Israel. At the initial stage, its deployment will be a pilot project that will cover, for example, a large city.

The US did not receive an official notification from the Russian Federation about the suspension of participation in the START I, — State Department

The 1st Ukrainian battalion completed training on the "Bradley" BMP

The forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are concentrated on the border with Transnistria in accordance with the threat that is hypothetically possible, — the head of the press center of the Operational Command “Pivden” ("South")

Ukraine has six months to return the territories seized by Russia, then the West will try to force Kyiv to agree on peace
Bild writes about this with reference to sources in the US and German governments.
According to the interlocutors of the publication, this will happen if the Armed Forces of Ukraine do not achieve significant success on the battlefield.
"Both in the USA and in Germany, behind closed doors, the governments claim that Ukraine must return the territories by autumn. If this fails or only partially succeeds, the pressure to force negotiations will be increased," the publication says.

Mass Media's Role in the War Between Russia and Ukraine. Face-to-face with Jeffrey Trimble

Russia increases oil sales despite sanctions
A year after the start of the full-scale war in Ukraine, the maritime export of oil from the Russian Federation approached the pre-sanction level.

The head of the US Treasury stated that there are "obstacles" to the transfer of frozen assets of the Russian Federation to Kyiv
According to Yellen, who visited Kyiv today, the Russian Federation should pay for the damages caused to Ukraine. But there are "serious legal obstacles" to fully withdrawing $300 billion from the Russian central bank and transferring it to Kyiv.

❗️Budanov believes that China will not yet supply weapons to Russia
The head of Ukrainian intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov, does not share the opinion that China can supply Russia with weapons.
"At this point, I don't think China will agree to transfer arms to Russia, I don't see any indication that such things are even being discussed."

🇧🇪Belgium froze Russian assets worth a total of 58 billion euros and blocked transactions related to Russia for 191 billion euros

Kazakhstan began the first deliveries of the Druzhba oil pipeline to Germany, replacing Russian oil in a German refinery
Thus, deliveries of Russian oil through the northern branch of the Druzhba oil pipeline to Europe have completely stopped, only the southern branch delivers to Slovakia and Hungary.

Microsoft Flight Simulator has officially presented new content for its simulator — AN-225 "Mriya"
All proceeds from the sale of the "Mriya" add-on in Microsoft Flight Simulator will go to a special account for the restoration of the AN-225.

🇪🇺 The EU has extended for a year the sanctions against Belarus related to internal repression and the regime's support for the war against Ukraine
▫️Ban on entering the EU;
▫️Freezing of assets for persons included in the list — currently there are 195 persons, including Oleksandr Lukashenko;
▫️Freezing of assets of 34 organizations;
▫️In addition, individuals and legal entities from the EU are prohibited from directly or indirectly providing funds to persons included in the list.

The world's largest taxi service — Uber is finally leaving the Russian market
The 29% stake will be sold at a discount of at least 50% and will amount to $925 million.

Lockheed Martin plant is preparing to increase production of the HIMARS system after it proved itself well on the battlefield in Ukraine, — Reuters
In particular, it is planned to increase the production of HIMARS launchers from 48 to 96 per year.

The general director of Rheinmetall noted in an interview that the air defense systems Skyranger and Skynex AA Systems are already located in Ukraine.

Only 3-4 people knew about the invasion plan and told Putin what he wanted to hear to advance their career, the CIA chief said
(www.cbsnews.com/news/william-burns-cia-director-%20face-the-nation-transcript-02-26-2023/?intcid=CNM-00-10abd1h)▫️ Putin values the loyalty of his team more than their competence.
▫️ Improving prospects for future negotiations will depend on progress on the battlefield. This will be decided by the Ukrainian side.
▫️ China is considering the possibility of supplying lethal weapons, but the Chinese are very careful about this issue and no decision has been made.
▫️ The alliance between Moscow and Tehran is moving in a "very dangerous" direction: Moscow is helping Tehran develop its missile program, receiving weapons in exchange.
▫️ Putin is "too confident in his ability to destroy Ukraine."

The former commander of the US ground forces in Europe, Ben Hodges, showed an approximate plan for the counteroffensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Crimea
He proposes first to launch long-range strikes on the military infrastructure and bases of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation. Then some objects will be struck by drones, and in the third — Ukrainian troops will enter the peninsula.