Ukraine Invasion: Part 42

[MagicFox]

Setting this up early given the speed of current events

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Meeting with Russian Navy Commander-in-Chief Admiral Nikolai Yevmenov in Beijing, the minister (Li Shangfu) also advocated for stronger communications at all levels between Moscow and Beijing

Thank you to all for your excellent contributions. Still lurking, as ever, but coming out of the shadows for a moment.

I thought the above was an interesting comment, which I picked up from @ReleaseTheDucksOfWar's comprehensive post upthread.

Perhaps a bit of public diplomacy speak to say that the Chinese aren't all that happy with the lack of information from the Russians regarding. recent events? Unusual for them to make comments like that in the public domain.

UNITED24 Media Telegram

The first batch of M1F1FEP tanks arrived in Poland

The Russians have concentrated more than 180,000 soldiers in the east, said Cherevaty, the speaker of the Eastern Group of Forces. [as you say, @Surplus2requirements :( ]

According to Admiral Rob Bauer, head of the NATO military committee, about 94% of Russia's ground forces are currently engaged in the war, Reuters reports.

In an interview with CNN, Zelenskyy urged Biden to invite Ukraine to NATO now, even if Ukraine becomes a member of the Alliance after the end of the war.

Ukraine's counteroffensive against Russian forces is difficult because of landmines and other obstacles, but Ukrainian forces are right to proceed with caution, said the head of NATO's military committee, Admiral Rob Bauer

President Zelenskyy and Chancellor Scholz discussed the formats of security guarantees for Ukraine.

🇺🇦🇸🇪 Zelenskyy had a telephone conversation with the Prime Minister of Sweden, Ulf Kristersson.

A factory for the production of drones may become operational in Russia at the beginning of 2024, — the coordinator of strategic communications of the US National Security Council, John Kirby. "The Russian-Iranian military partnership appears to be deepening and working both ways: from Iran to Russia and from Russia to Iran," CNN quoted Kirby as saying.

State Reconstruction has started preparatory work on constructing main water pipelines for the regions affected by the explosion at Kakhovskaya HPP, — said the Deputy Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine, Mustafa Nayem.
"Implementation of the project will provide water to at least one million residents of Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, Mykolaiv, and Kherson regions. The water pipeline will be laid literally from scratch; international partners are involved in procuring and logistics pipes of the required diameter and powerful pumps," said Nayem.

In Russia, a case was opened against the international alcohol holding "Global Spirits" (owner of the "Khortytsia" brand) and its beneficiary, Ukrainian businessman Yevhen Chernyak, was wanted for supporting the Armed Forces of Ukraine
In London, near the headquarters of Unilever, activists installed a sign "Helps to finance the war of the Russian Federation in Ukraine."

Unilever still does business in the Russian Federation, in 2022 the company paid $331 million in taxes there.

Due to the weakening of the ruble, imported cars in Russia will rise in price by 15-20%, — Rossiyskaya Gazeta.

The Russians shelled Pervomaiske in the Kharkiv region with a high-explosive shell — 16 victims are currently known, including seven children.

Only in the Bakhmut direction — somewhere around 50 thousand.

Live: Ukraine Telegram

🛩 Foreign Minister Kuleba said that "one of the countries" promised Ukraine to start training Ukrainians on F-16 fighter jets last month, but due to a calculation error, this did not happen.
The minister explained that it is a very complicated process: training pilots and engineers, preparing infrastructure, "making the necessary legal decisions on the transfer of aircraft."

Russian telegram channels say the ZSU are not abandoning attempts to flank Bakhmut from two sides and are succeeding, the situation is becoming more difficult after Wagner forces were replaced by Russian regular forces.

EU considers proposal to create a subsidiary of sanctioned Rosselkhozbank with SWIFT access as a concession to Moscow to save grain deal - FT.
Last week, Russia said it saw no reason to extend the grain deal beyond July 17, accusing the West of "outrageous" actions against the agreement.

Writer Victoria Amelina, who was injured in Kramatorsk during a Russian missile attack, dies in a Dnipro hospital
Victoria was in a restaurant with a delegation of Colombian journalists and writers when the building was hit. [I wonder how many Columbians were injured, too]

Wagner cemetery desecrated (https://twitter.com/wartranslated/status/1675801252586766336) in Vladivostok: in Russia, which is "as united as ever", someone desecrated a Naval cemetery and removed Wagner flags along with some Russian flags as well.

Former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili joined the regular court session online. His assistant posted photos and videos of how he looks now.

❗️❗️Meta believes that Kyiv is part of Russia. [fucking hell!]

Happy Independence Day @MissConductUS

I accidentally wandered into an art exhibition today and came across a series of portraits for mass murderers - Putin was, appropriately, amongst them, in company with Pol Pot, Idi Amin and other monsters that he belongs with.

Happy Independence Day @MissConductUS !

❗️Meta believes that Kyiv is part of Russia. [fucking hell!]

Hmm either this particular meta employee needs a Geography lesson or they are a Putin sympathiser. It’s a shame we can’t see Oleksandr’s response to that last message though

Not sure if the story about two UK Peers ( politicians of sorts, members of the House of Lords at Westminster) attending an event at the Russian Embassy last month has made may waves outside the UK...looks like at least one of these gentleman is another person in need of history and geography lessons:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jul/02/british-peers-attended-russian-ambassador-party-in-london-balfe-skidelsky

Was listening to the Rest is Politics the other day and they were talking about Boris and his cronies attending Russian events previously too.

https://amp.theguardian.com/politics/2019/jul/26/boris-johnson-security-evgeny-lebedev-perugia-party

Ah, yes, if I recall it correctly that's the time, post a major conference, he ditched his protection, went for an evening out with his besties and then next morning turned up looking even more dishevelled than normal at the local airport to catch a flight home..

I'm sure the intelligence and counter intelligence folks in London didn't raise any eyebrows..at all.....

So many questions, many of which will I think remain unanswered.

Thank you, and thanks to @Natsku as well. We are picking blueberries to celebrate the holiday, with a BBQ planned for later.

Enjoy your blueberries (personally I prefer bilberries though they are more of a pain to pick)

@MissConductUS Wishing you and your family a Happy Independence Day. What a great idea to pick blueberries. Those fields look lush. I think you will have good pickings.

Thank you for the service of the great people who serve in the US Armed Forces. My US colleagues reminded me (jokingly) that the 'divorce' was not amicable. But we seemed to have got over it and moved on 😁

@MissConductUS

Any particular take on this alleged Russian build up numbering tens of thousands north of Bakhmut?

It's worrying. It could be regarded either as a huge threat or a huge target. Probably both I suppose.

Happy Independence Day!

marqs AT MarQs
Ukraine's Ministry of Health released instructions on what to due in case of an explosion at the Zaporizhzhia NPP

Оперативний ЗСУ AT operativno_ZSU (Operational news of the Armed Forces, the situation at the front and everything about Ukraine)
In the event of an explosion at the ZNPP, residents of the potential radiation accident zone must be prepared for a possible evacuation, - Ministry of Health

If authorities have officially notified a radiation emergency, stay indoors or get out as soon as possible. Stay tuned for further announcements and follow the instructions from the authorities. In case you are advised to evacuate, pack the list from the Ministry of Health in your suitcase or backpack.

ATTENTION! If you are in the zone of a radiation accident, you can leave the buildings only after the relevant instructions of the authorities. Local authorities will inform you of the location of evacuation points, as well as the safest travel routes if you are evacuating in your own car.

marqs AT MarQs
Russian state-owned nuclear company Rosenergoatom claims that Ukraine is going to attack the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant using precision weapons and kamikaze drones on the night of July 5 - RIA

This comes after Ukrainian intelligence claimed that Russians have placed explosives on the roofs of reactors 3 and 4 at the Zaporizhzhia NPP. Also IAEA reported the plant was disconnected from the main voltage line overnight and is now running on an auxiliary line.

^^

marqs AT MarQs
Russian state-owned nuclear company Rosenergoatom claims that Ukraine is going to attack the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant using precision weapons and kamikaze drones on the night of July 5 - RIA

If there was an attack on the Zap NPP, I don't think anyone will doubt it was a false flag attack by the Russians. I wonder why Russia would give such a precise date? I presume it is a lie upon a lie upon a lie but to what end?

So they can simulateanously claim they issued a warning for an attack they definitely didn't do.

Remember it the world of Russia, you say you didn't do something whilst also claiming responsibility for it because you then edit your response according to the audience you want to target. The audience rarely listens to the big picture - it will only listen to a portion of what its told that night by the propagandists who write the narrative.

So some will hear:
"We blow up the plant aren't we strong in facing the nazi scum. The stupid Nazis were so cruel they didn't listen to our warning"

Others will hear:
"We are completely innocent. We would never do such a thing. It was those Nazis what did it".

Either way, it covers multiple bases.

It's purely political. Russia/Putin couldn't stand the humiliation of losing Bakhmut. It's their only victory in over a year. It still has no operational or strategic value. The only reason they attacked there in the first place was because it was very easy to get troops and supplies to.

It's not a threat. The Russians really don't seem capable of large, coordinated offensive operations at this point. Having all of these troops (50-70k is what I see from usually reliable sources) is great news for Ukraine. Fixing those troops around Bakhmut means that they're not available in the south, where Ukraine does want to advance.

So, in short, it's the usual Russian politically driven micromanagement of the conflict. Thank God for stupid enemies.

@Usou - thanks for the Independence Day wishes. 😀

I'm hoping that China has made it clear that any nuclear 'incident' will not be popular.

I can’t work out whether to be worried about Zaporizhzhia and tomorrow. I almost don’t have the energy for it any more and will be so pissed if Russia is able to impact my mental health…..again!

Locals seem so stoic! How do they go on as normal in the face of such terror.

It's doing my head in as well. I feel so angry that I'm having to consider they might actually fucking do it

do people think that they will do it ?

I was speaking about it in work and my colleagues said I was being dramatic 🙄

Yes I do, unless it’s made abundantly clear that there will be actual consequences and I don’t trust in that having happened unfortunately.