Ukraine Invasion: Part 40

[MagicFox]

40 threads, still here 🇺🇦

UNITED24 Media Telegram

The European Union and Hungary can build a prosperous Europe together if the EU abandons "Hugophobia", — Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orban. [aka Putin's pet]

Since Russia illegally occupied Crimea, EU military spending has increased by 30%, said the head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell.
However, spending by Indo-Pacific countries has increased by 40% since 2013, Borrell noted.

In Irpin, a piece of the wall with graffiti by Banksy was dismantled, the exhibit was moved to a new location

Since February, Russian hackers have been attacking Sweden under the guise of Islamists, — Bloomberg.
According to journalists, Anonymous Sudan has attacked dozens of Swedish airports, hospitals, and banks with distributed denial-of-service attacks, allegedly in response to the burning of a Koran in front of the Turkish embassy in Stockholm earlier this year.
The attackers claim they are allegedly from Africa and persecute "everyone who opposes Islam." However, Matthias Velen, who led the investigation into the hacking attacks for the cyber security service Truesec, claims that the group comprises Russians well-versed in Swedish politics and social issues.
Their apparent motivation is to create attacks aimed at increasing tensions with the country's Muslim minority and pressuring Turkey to refuse to ratify Sweden's entry into NATO flatly, Velen said.

⚡️It is necessary to provide Ukraine with everything so that Russia can retreat, — Olaf Scholtz at a meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The Ukrainian military showed the destroyed Bakhmut
"This is what Bakhmut looks like in these seconds. You may think it's fog. But it's not. It's smoke from fires and smoke shells used by the enemy in desperate attempts to break through our defenses," — the commander of the 24th Separate Mechanized Brigade named after King Danylo

Live: Ukraine Telegram

Today, Türkiye is holding presidential elections, with the main favorites being the current head of state, Erdoğan, and the opposition's Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu.

The premiere of Dmytro Komarov's special project The Year. For the first time, Dmytro Komarov had the opportunity to record a video interview with the "Iron General". The journalist and TV host had been waiting for this conversation for a year.
In the interview, Valeriy Zaluzhny shared some military secrets that can now be made public. He told how the Armed Forces managed to move equipment unnoticed by the whole country, and what actions and decisions helped Ukraine survive the first most difficult weeks of the full-scale invasion.

According to the Russian telegram channel Baza, nine Russian soldiers were killed in the crash of two Mi-8 helicopters and Su-34 and Su-35 aircraft in the Bryansk region.

https://telegra.ph/Cannibal-lecturers-How-Russia-is-preparing-children-for-future-attacks-on-Ukraine-05-13
In 20, 30 years, the children of Russians will think that we killed their fathers and grandfathers for no reason, who fought for a "just cause." If they hate us now for unclear, irrational reasons, they will now have a reason: we "killed their fathers."

Wagner Group CEO Prigozhin calls for a rebellion. He called the Russian "special military operation" in Ukraine a stupid war, the Russian soldiers saints and the only innocent ones, and the events on the frontlines a complete tragedy.

Following the news of his deteriorating health, Alexander Lukashenko did not attend the celebration of the Day of the National Flag, State Emblem and National Anthem of Belarus on May 14, the Belarusian media outlet Motalko Pomogi reported.

Zelensky reacted to information about his desire to occupy Russian villages.
"As the president of Ukraine, when I want to come somewhere, I come officially, and I don't penetrate anywhere," the president answered journalists' questions.
As a reminder, according to secret documents from US intelligence, President Volodymyr Zelensky proposed occupying Russian villages to gain leverage over Moscow.

❌Two Russian colonels were killed in Bakhmut overnight.
Colonel Vyacheslav Makarov, commander of the 4th motorized rifle brigade, and Colonel Yevgeny Brovko, deputy commander of the army corps for military and political work, were killed while "repelling attacks" - Russian Defense Ministry

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz held a press conference in Berlin.
▫️ Zelensky believes in "coalition of the fighter jets" after visits to European capitals
▫️ Without withdrawal of Russian troops, there will be no talk of peace - Scholz
▫️ We will support you as long as it takes - Scholz
▫️This year is the time to determine the end of the Russian-Ukrainian war - Zelensky
▫️ A few more visits and that's it - Zelensky in response to a journalist's question about whether Ukraine has received enough weapons for a counteroffensive

@DesdamonasHandkerchief about that explosion in the deleted tweet - keep finding conflicting reports. Ukraine says that infrastructure was hit. Others have said it must have been a stockpile, yet others say that the clip was old, as I say.

Something got hit, but uncertain what. By the quality of their silence I suspect it was something Ukraine didn't want to lose, but what exactly, who knows.

Following the news of his deteriorating health, Alexander Lukashenko did not attend the celebration of the Day of the National Flag, State Emblem and National Anthem of Belarus on May 14, the Belarusian media outlet Motalko Pomogi reported.

Already speculation on twitter that he may be dead along with the inevitable accusations of Russian poisoning - their favourite MO.

Not sure if Lushenko dying would be a positive or negative for the Kremlin.

He seems to be keeping Belarus out of active participation in the war and the Kremlin could install a more pro active puppet leader in his place but would attempts to do so cause civil unrest in Belarus? Russia has its hands full and isn't in a great place to quell unrest in neighbouring countries atm.
An interesting situation.

'President Vladimir Putin was reportedly shocked by the poor shape Lukashenko was in when they met in person on Red Square for the annual Victory Day parade' said an article by 'Ben Aris'.

Almost like looking in a mirror.

Kolya is not quite 19 so the suggested dynastic plan might unravel (in a Kim Il Sung to Kim Jong Il shuffle). One of the half-brothers, Viktor, is late 40s now and was a possible successor, but was at least semi let go. It was a Korean thing for the King to sometimes favour a younger son who was a long way from succeeding. This has possibly been the dynamic in Belarus.

My Sky newsreel tells me that Jacob Rees Mogg credits Brexit for the UK being able to help Ukraine so much. Apparently Brexit increased the UK world presence enough to allow this to happen. You couldn't make it up ! :0

isn't he the one that someone summed up with "there's something of the night about him?"

The Brexit bunch have spend so many decades claiming "It's the EU that stops us doing [random X]," that it's a soundbite they just can't give up.

I bet Rees Mogg's line started like that but, faced with the too-blatant-even-for-Mogg visibility of EU countries' help for Ukraine, it took a little turn.

@ReleaseTheDucksOfWar I believe that was Michael Howard ?

I've come to a similar conclusion in the last few months. Another huge problem the Russians have is fragmented command. We saw this in Bahkmut recently. You have separate units side by side, each with its own chain of command. They don't coordinate tactically. In Bahkmut, one unit (Wagner, I think), decided to withdraw when attacked. This created a gap in the lines and the units on either side were flanked by the Ukrainians and largely destroyed. This is going to happen again elsewhere.

If the Russians have no mobile reserve, once the UAF breakthrough all the Russians can do is harrass them.

Ah, okay. perhaps there's something about the ditch with J M-R then

Another huge problem the Russians have is fragmented command. We saw this in Bahkmut recently.

it's even worse when some of that command get killed :D

From AT wartranslated-

Tweet from Glasnost Gone:

More good news from Bakhmut. #Ukraine's deputy Defence Minister said today: Ukrainian units captured over 10 enemy positions in north & south outskirts of Bakhmut & cleared a large area of the forest area in the Ivanovo district. Russian troops captured.

twitter.com/glasnostgone/status/1657779176013799424?s=46&t=eNB9C4pL0g2Opkl4oCmOsQ

The huge explosion in western Ukraine was likely the Russians targeting a site used to store Soviet era ICBM rocket boosters.

They hit a similar site about a week ago, probably because they knew the secondary explosions would be so large. If true, the attack won't have an impact on Ukrainian ammunition availability.

Massive Explosion Rocks Town In Western UkraineIt appears that an explosives storage site near the town of Khmelnitsky detonated creating an absolutely massive explosion.

Just checking in. 🤞🏼 for a positive thread.

Checking in to one of the best info sources on this conflict on the Internet.

It is, isn’t it? These Ukraine threads have got me through some very dark times, and I am very grateful to the contributors. I have learnt so much.

I'm so grateful to everyone, they're pulling us all through. Thanks all for such important work 💙

I absolutely agree. This is the first place i come for information, I'm eternally grateful to those who scroll through somebof the stuff on twitter so I can learn but avoid some of the more sensitive images.

According to journalists, Anonymous Sudan has attacked dozens of Swedish airports, hospitals, and banks with distributed denial-of-service attacks, allegedly in response to the burning of a Koran in front of the Turkish embassy in Stockholm earlier this year.
The attackers claim they are allegedly from Africa and persecute "everyone who opposes Islam." However, Matthias Velen, who led the investigation into the hacking attacks for the cyber security service Truesec, claims that the group comprises Russians well-versed in Swedish politics and social issues.

One of the least surprising things I've read this year...

One thing to bear in mind at least with the news from the Ukrainian outlets on Telegram is that they do the best they can to verify stated infomation, but other facts can come to light later. They are generally fairly cautious and as accurate as possible in the circumstances though.

There is a lot that isn't said though, not least numbers of Ukrainian dead but more than that too, for instance when Russia -does- kill Ukrainian commanders or problems in the Ukrainian army.

Short article about a post-curfew viewing party for Eurovision in Ukraine.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/may/14/there-was-so-much-yellow-and-blue-throwing-a-eurovision-viewing-party-in-kyiv

The things that are counted. Wagner today: '20 out of 48 multi-storey buildings remain under enemy control' in Bakhmut.

Meanwhile their Telegram also has this (snipped to show top half). This is a straight online translation so it is a bit clunky. Note the emojis.

I'd be tempted to see what I could detonate at the training facility near Molkin.

Same. This thread is so helpful, really appreciate everyone who contributes.