Ukraine Invasion: Part 46

[MagicFox]

With thanks to all keeping these threads going 🇺🇦

**
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This is also why insignia moved from the cuff to the shoulder at the end of WWI.

Kyiv Independent Telegram Highlights

Wide swathes of Ukraine are still without power, and the number of dead resulting from the historic storms has risen to 12, with an additional 23 injured, including two children, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said on Nov. 29. https://kyivindependent.com/storm-aftermath-continues-to-impact-ukraine-authorities-raise-casualties-estimate-to-12-dead/

⚡️National Resistance Center: Russia relocated https://kyivindependent.com/national-resistance-center-russia-relocated-100-000-central-asian-migrants-to-ukraine/ 100,000 Central Asian migrants to Ukraine.
Russia is trying to alter the demographics in occupied regions of Ukraine by relocating 100,000 migrants from Central Asia, a Ukrainian government agency claimed on Nov. 29.

⚡️ Media: Blinken leaves OSCE meeting https://kyivindependent.com/media-blinken-to-leave-osce-skopje-meeting-before-lavrov-arrives/ in North Macedonia before Lavrov arrives.

⚡️Kuleba meets with Stoltenberg, discusses https://kyivindependent.com/kuleba-defense-industries/ Euro-Atlantic defense industry and agree need to work together as one system to increase arms supplies, Kuleba said on a visit to the NATO Headquarters in Brussels on Nov. 29.

⚡️Media: Ukrainian group, SBU hack https://kyivindependent.com/media-hackers-russian-labor-ministry/ Russian Labor Ministry database.
A Ukrainian hacker group working with the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) hacked into the website of Russia's Labor Ministry and obtained sensitive data concerning the ongoing invasion of Ukraine, Ukrainska Pravda reported on Nov. 29, citing an unnamed security service source.

⚡️FT: EU reshipping https://kyivindependent.com/ft-eu-reshipping-over-20-of-russian-lng-imports-to-other-parts-of-the-world/ over 20% of Russian LNG imports to other parts of the world.
Europe is reshipping 20% of its imports of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) to other parts of the world, helping Russia maximize its fossil fuel revenues, the Financial Times reported on Nov. 29.

⚡️ Media: Polish PM supports return of permit system https://kyivindependent.com/media-polish-pm-supports-return-of-permit-system-for-ukrainian-truckers/ for Ukrainian truckers.
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki told reporters on Nov. 29 that he supported the reinstatement of a permit system for Ukrainian truckers entering the European Union, Polish media wrote.

Microsoft will continue to offer cloud service free of charge to Ukrainian government institutions for another year, Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said on Nov. 29. https://kyivindependent.com/minister-microsoft-to-provide-free-cloud-services-to-ukrainian-government-for-another-year/
The free storage will extend to all Ukrainian government entities, including the military, schools, universities, and hospitals.
So far, Microsoft has provided Ukraine with $540 million in free services, technical support, equipment, and grants, Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said.

⚡️Kissinger dies at 100. https://kyivindependent.com/kissinger-dies-at-100/

⚡️ Ukroboronprom refutes claim https://kyivindependent.com/ukroboronprom-denies-russian-defense-imports-of-ukrainian-parts/ that Russian company imported Ukrainian products.

⚡️Ukraine's audit agency says https://kyivindependent.com/ukraines-audit-agency-says-state-owned-energy-company-centrenergo-in-state-of-crisis/ state-owned energy company Centrenergo in 'state of crisis.'
An audit by Ukraine's State Audit Service of the state-owned energy company Centrenergo found a number of financial discrepancies, as well as lengthy and unjustified delays on repair work for damaged energy infrastructure, the agency said on Nov. 29.
In a separate press release, the audit service said that Centrenergo had delayed much-needed repairs of critical energy infrastructure damaged by Russian attacks.

⚡️Slovakia to extend, expand https://kyivindependent.com/slovakia-to-extend-ukrainian-grain-ban/ ban on Ukrainian agricultural products

⚡️Governor: All families evacuated from 'dangerous areas https://kyivindependent.com/governor-all-families-evacuated-from-dangerous-areas-of-kharkiv-oblast/ of Kharkiv Oblast.

⚡️Bloomberg: Putin’s daughter leads https://kyivindependent.com/bloomberg-putins-daughter-leads-russias-africa-initiatives/ Russia’s Africa initiatives.
Katerina Tikhonova, Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s second daughter, is leading Moscow’s efforts to expand its influence in Africa, Bloomberg reported on Nov. 29.

⚡️Ukraine adds 600 names to child sexual exploitation registry https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-moving-forward-on-child-exploitation-registry/

Russian Major General Vladimir Zavadsky was killed near Izium in Kharkiv Oblast, Russian media, including the pro-Kremlin newspaper Lenta, reported on Nov. 29. https://kyivindependent.com/russian-media-russian-general-killed-by-landmine-in-ukraine/

⚡️Reuters: Russian oligarch's son wins appeal https://kyivindependent.com/reuters-russian-oligarchs-son-wins-appeal-against-sanctions/ against sanctions.
Alexander Pumpyansky, the son of Russian oligarch and business tycoon Dmitry Pumpyansky, has won an appeal against sanctions imposed by the European Union.

⚡️ Stoltenberg: Ukraine's ability to implement reforms during war https://kyivindependent.com/stoltenberg-ukraines-ability-to-implement-reforms-during-war-is-impressive/ is impressive.

⚡️Poll: Only 5% of Ukrainians oppose https://kyivindependent.com/poll-only-5-of-ukrainians-opposed-to-joining-eu-nato/ joining EU, NATO.

⚡️Rivne Oblast forestry officials dismissed ⚡️Rivne Oblast forestry officials dismissed (https://kyivindependent.com/rivne-oblast-forestry-officials-dismissed-amid-illicit-enrichment-scandal/) amid illicit enrichment scandal. amid illicit enrichment scandal.

⚡️ Border guards intercept $880,000 worth of smuggled cigarettes. https://kyivindependent.com/border-guards-intercept-880-000-worth-of-smuggled-cigarettes/

⚡️ Media: SBU searches Ternopil Oblast monastery https://kyivindependent.com/media-sbu-searches-ternopil-oblast-monastery-over-pro-russian-propaganda/ over pro-Russian propaganda.

Given the numbers of Russian dead in the last month, they must be throwing gigantic numbers at the Ukrainians and it's amazing Avdiivka is still holding out.

Ragnar Bjartur Gudmundsson 🇺🇦
· 2h
AT ragnarbjartur.bsky.social
⚡️ WAR IN #UKRAINE - NOV 30
■ Strikes on both sides below average but combat engagements at a high level
■ 4th highest troop losses so far, equipment losses below 7-day average
■ APVs, tanks & special equipment above 7-day average
■ Snowing on eastern front

UNITED24 Media Telegram Highlights

"For the first time in history, Russia has been denied a seat on the Executive Council of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)," stated Zelenskyy

Iran has officially confirmed its intention to purchase Su-35 and Mi-28 aircraft from Russia.
Earlier, unofficial reports indicated an agreement between Iran and the Russian Federation regarding the licensed production of Russian Ka-52 and Mi-28 attack helicopters within Iran.

Saboteurs from Russia try to cross the border 8–10 times a month.
These are the territorial borders of Sumy and Chernihiv regions. In winter, the subversives find it more difficult to carry out their actions because it is easy to see traces in the snow. They work under the cover of artillery, but their attempts are usually unsuccessful, says Yurii Povkh, a spokesman for the Operational Command "Pivnich" ("North").

Ukrainian systems "Buk" are fully equipped with modern American anti-aircraft missiles Sea Sparrow, — Air Force of Ukraine.

Poland joined the boycott of the OSCE ministerial meeting due to the participation of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. The meeting will be held from November 30 to December 1 in the city of Skopje in North Macedonia.

The General Confederation of French Beet Growers (CGB) has called for the re-export of Ukrainian sugar outside Europe to lessen competition — Bloomberg.
Ukrainian sugar imports to the bloc could reach 700,000-800,000 tons in the 2023–2024 season, the growers’ group CGB stated. That would be about double the previous season’s imports and significantly above the 21,500 ton average for the five years prior to that, European Commission data show.

More than a fifth of Russia’s liquefied natural gas reaching Europe is reshipped to other parts of the world, a practice that boosts Moscow’s revenues despite the EU’s efforts to curb them in response to the full-scale invasion of Ukraine— Financial Times.
While contracts for the so-called transshipment of Russian LNG have been banned in the UK and the Netherlands, data from 2023 suggests permitted Russian gas shipments are routinely transferred between tankers in Belgium, France and Spain before being exported to buyers in other continents.
Such ship-to-ship transfers are crucial for Russia as it attempts to make the best use of its “Arctic fleet” of tankers. The transshipment usually takes place between Russian “ice class” tankers that are used to run between the Yamal peninsula and Northwestern Europe and regular LNG tankers that then sail on to other ports, freeing up the Russian "ice-class" vessels to return north.

A satellite photo of mass burials of local residents appeared in Mariupol
Meanwhile, the UN claims that 10,000 civilians died during the entire war. [but this does not include the occupied areas!]

Live: Ukraine Telegram Highlights

🤡Russian propagandists discuss the news of the poisoning of Budanov's wife, Marianna Budanova.
According to them, Budanov himself attempted to assassinate his wife because he is "a homosexual with bipolar disorder.

🇨🇿 The Czech initiative "A Gift for Putin" has already raised almost half a million euros to purchase a Black Hawk helicopter for Ukrainian military intelligence, which is about 10% of the required amount.
This is the initiative's largest fundraiser so far. The campaign is held under the patronage of the Czech Ministry of Defense

🇸🇰 The Slovak government has extended the ban on imports of agricultural products from Ukraine for an indefinite period and expanded the list of goods. Initially, the ban applied to wheat, corn, rapeseed and sunflower seeds, and now the 14 products include honey, malt, sugar, wheat flour, barley, wheat bran and other products.

Putin recommends young scientists to give birth.
This will be more useful for Russia.

Ukraine is convinced that attempts to save the OSCE with Lavrov's help will not succeed, Kuleba said.
The minister explained that North Macedonia's consent to the Russian foreign minister's participation in the OSCE ministerial meeting was dictated by an attempt to overcome the crisis in the organization.
"If we really want to save the OSCE, we must either re-establish the organization or find a way to expel Russia," he said.

Another populist election win, Geert Wilders in Holland: www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-67504272

Sorry, see Dutch elections already covered!

Yeah, but some parties are refusing to work with him grins

if we're -really- lucky, so few people will work with him that they'll need to call another election. It's happened before.

That's a good precedent!

I'm not sure it is a good precedent to be honest. I don't agree with the man's politics but he won the most seats by a significant margin and there is a real risk of alienating voters if he's not made Prime Minister. At the end of the day it's a democracy.

The Rest is Politics podcast have done a few episodes on the rise of populism / the far right that are worth listening to. Latest one this week

The jobs and investment aspect of it has changed the politics. Defense production is so widespread in the US that many Congressional districts are seeing new, well-paid jobs being created and production facilities expanding. Congressional representatives are aware of the possible blowback if they pull the plug on those efforts. And the military supports it because it's a chance to get a lot of new, updated kit.

Here's a deeper dive into the topic if anyone is interested.

https://breakingdefense.com/2023/10/most-aid-to-ukraine-is-spent-in-the-us-a-total-shutdown-would-be-irresponsible/

Here's a rare bit of good political news from the US. Nikki Haley is surging in the polls in the Republican primaries and has just received backing from one of the Republican's biggest donors. She has very good foreign policy credentials and is a strong supporter of Ukraine. She may have a shot at beating Trump for the nomination.

She's also young, smart, and politically moderate.

https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2023/11/29/nikki-haley-koch-network-endorsement-2024-election-trump-enten-cnntm-vpx.cnn

That is a bit of good news @MissConductUS. Fingers crossed

It's the way it works here. You have to work in a consensus with several parties. Those parties do not need to go along with everything you say if they disagree strongly enough, so there has to be discussion, negotiation and horse-trading. Geert Wilders got in because a lot of people were unhappy with some of the areas that the previous govt did not handle well, such as housing, education, immigration, tax issues, immigration, but he's also so extreme a LOT of people don't want to work with him.

It's also not a precedent; it's happened several times before that no coalition has been achieved, so another election has been called.

it does mean it's less of an adversarial, winner-takes-all system than in the UK which I think is a good thing.

https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-november-29-2023

Key Takeaways:
**

• The apparent Russian failure to establish a cohesive command structure among forces defending on the east (left) bank of Kherson Oblast continues to degrade Russian morale and combat capabilities.
• The Russian “Dnepr” Grouping of Forces is increasingly comprised of disparate elements of recently transferred and degraded units and new formations, which may be contributing to this apparent lack of cohesive command structure.
• Russian authorities plan to extend criminal liability for crimes against the law on military service to participants in volunteer formations, a measure that would impact many irregular military formations and personnel on which the Russian military relies for manpower in Ukraine.
• Russian officials proposed laws that would restrict the actions of foreign citizens in Russia, likely to support continued efforts to coerce migrants into Russian military service.
• The NATO-Ukraine Council (NUC) met at the foreign minister-level for the first time on November 29 and discussed steps to increase weapons and ammunition production.
• Poland is reportedly considering sending military advisors to Finland in response to Russia's ongoing attempts to artificially create a migrant crisis on the Finnish-Russian border as part of a known Russian hybrid warfare tactic meant to destabilize NATO and the EU.
• The Russian Foreign Ministry (MFA) formally announced Russia’s termination of a nuclear reduction pact with Japan on November 28.
• Russia's efforts to generate combat power via recruitment from Central Asian countries may become a source of tension in Russia's relationship with its Central Asian neighbors.
• Adam Kadyrov, younger son of Chechen Republic Head Ramzan Kadyrov, will reportedly “oversee” the newly formed “Sheikh Mansur” volunteer battalion in a new unspecified position, possibly further indicating Ramzan Kadyrov’s desire for Adam to succeed him as head of Chechnya.
• Russian forces continued offensive operations along the Kupyansk-Svatove-Kreminna line, near Bakhmut, near Avdiivka, west and southwest of Donetsk City, the Donetsk-Zaporizhia Oblast border area, and in western Zaporizhia Oblast but did not make any confirmed advances.
• Russian Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR) Head and Duma Deputy Leonid Slutsky proposed a bill on November 28 that would grant war correspondents "combat veteran" status and associated social support benefits.
• Russian authorities continue efforts to erase Ukrainian culture and identity in occupied Ukraine.

Kyiv Independent Telegram Highlights

⚡️ France to boost ammunition supplies https://kyivindependent.com/france-to-boost-ammunition-supplies-for-ukraine-in-2024/ for Ukraine in 2024.

⚡️Von der Leyen: 480,000 EU-made shells delivered or on way https://kyivindependent.com/update-russian-missile-strike-on-donetsk-oblast-kills-2/ to Ukraine. The EU will be able to produce one million ammunition rounds per year starting from 2024, von der Leyen added, speaking at the European Defence Agency’s annual conference.

⚡️Media: https://kyivindependent.com/media-sbu-railway-tunnel/

An explosion on a key railway line in Russia's far eastern republic of Buryatia was the result of an operation of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), Ukrainska Pravda reported on Nov. 30, citing an unnamed source in the security service. [this is a key transport route between N Korea and Russia]

⚡️ Computer parts with $1.8 million worth of precious metals https://kyivindependent.com/computer-parts-with-1-8-million-worth-of-precious-metals-found-at-zhytomyr-military-unit/ found at military unit.
Some 50 metric tons of unaccounted-for computer parts containing precious metals worth Hr 65 million ($1.8 million) were discovered at a military unit in Zhytomyr Oblast, the Defense Ministry reported on Nov. 30.
An inspection uncovered containers in two garages of the military unit containing 28 kilograms of gold, 60 kilograms of silver, and 590 grams of platinum.

OSCE Skopje summit starts amid disputes over Lavrov's presence. https://kyivindependent.com/osce-skopje-meeting-starts-amid-disputes-over-lavrovs-presence/

⚡️Military intelligence: Joint operation with local resistance sabotages https://kyivindependent.com/military-intelligence-sabotage-moscow-oblast-railway-line/ Moscow Oblast railway line.
Trains in the region around Moscow were disrupted at the end of November "as a result of a special measure implemented together with the resistance movement," Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR) announced on Nov. 30.

⚡️ Border Guard: Russian sabotage groups' https://kyivindependent.com/border-guard-russian-sabotage-groups-activity-rising-in-kharkiv-oblast/ activity rising in Kharkiv Oblast.
Russian sabotage groups are attempting to cross Ukraine's border into Kharkiv Oblast increasingly more often compared to their usual target, Sumy Oblast, State Border Guard Service spokesperson Andrii Demchenko said on Dec. 1.

⚡️ Reuters: Delivery of GLSDB long-range weapons https://kyivindependent.com/reuters-delivery-of-new-us-long-range-weapon-systems-for-ukraine-pushed-to-2024/ by US to Ukraine pushed to 2024. Ukraine will likely receive its first large batch of the U.S.-pledged Ground Launched Small Diameter Bomb (GLSDB) long-range weapons, adapted to strike at a range of 160 kilometers, in early 2024, Reuters reported on Nov. 30, citing the Pentagon and sources familiar with the matter.
GLSDB can be used by the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) and has roughly twice the range compared to the munitions currently used by Ukraine, potentially strengthening Kyiv's long-strike abilities.

Ukraine war latest: Zelensky visits Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia oblasts as harsh winter looms on front line https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-zelensky-visits-kharkiv-and-zaporizhzhia-oblasts-as-harsh-winter-looms-on-front-line/

Russia's Supreme Court declared the "international LGBT social movement" to be an "extremist organization" on Nov. 30 and banned its activities. https://kyivindependent.com/russias-supreme-court-declares-lgbt-movement-an-extremist-organization/ [the hearing was held behind closed doors https://kyivindependent.com/mediazona-russian-court-hearing-on-labeling-lgbt-extremist-movement-closed-to-public-defendants ]

⚡️Bloomberg: The EU is likely to announce a proposal to use the tax profits from frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine's reconstruction in the coming weeks, Bloomberg reported on Nov. 30. https://kyivindependent.com/bloomberg-eu-to-announce-plans-to-use-frozen-assets/

U.S. Senators introduced a bipartisan bill on Nov. 28 aimed at confiscating assets of Russian oligarchs to be used towards the reconstruction of Ukraine. https://kyivindependent.com/us-senate-introduces-bill-to-confiscate-assets-of-russian-oligarchs/

⚡️ Defense Ministry: Ukraine to produce anti-air missiles https://kyivindependent.com/defense-ministry-ukraine-to-produce-anti-air-missiles-with-100-km-range-next-year/ with 100 km range next year.

⚡️Norway announces https://kyivindependent.com/norway-announces-23-million-for-ukraines-food-security/ $23 million for Ukraine's food security.

⚡️Ukraine designates Belgian gas company Fluxys as 'international sponsor of war.' https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-designates-fluxys-as-international-sponsor-of-war/

More than 2,000 Ukrainian civilians have been killed and 11,000 injured as a result of Russian shelling in 2023, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko reported on Nov. 30. https://kyivindependent.com/minister-russian-forces-kill-2-000-civilians-in-2023/

The Ukrainian military intelligence (HUR) orchestrated the hacking of television channels in Crimea to broadcast a speech by President Volodymyr Zelensky on the evening of Nov. 29, multiple Ukrainian media outlets reported on Nov. 30. https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-speech-in-crimea/

Ukraine's High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) has ordered the seizure of cryptocurrencies totaling $1.5 million from Yurii Shchyhol, the former head of the State Special Communications Service, the court announced on Nov. 30. https://kyivindependent.com/court-seizes-1-5-million-in-crypto-assets-from-former-state-communications-head/

Judicial and law enforcement authorities from seven countries have dismantled a Ukrainian ransomware group, seizing hundreds of digital equipment in the process, the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation (Eurojust) announced in a statement on Nov. 28. https://kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-ransomware-group-dismantled-by-law-enforcement/

Slovakia should prepare for "the end of the war in Ukraine and for the standardization of Slovak-Russian relations," Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said on Nov. 30. https://kyivindependent.com/fico-slovakia-normalization/

Despite the icy winter weather, the fighting rages as fiercely as it's ever done.
Apparently the Russian lines are overrun with mice (presumably the Ukrainian too)

Ragnar Gudmundsson

WAR IN #UKRAINE - DEC 1
■ Strikes above 7-day average, fewer engagements but more settlements under artillery fire
■ 3rd highest daily troop losses & biggest month so far
■ Major equipment losses, record for special equipment losses matched

UNITED24 Media Telegram Highlights

EU countries have agreed on a package of financial assistance to Ukraine worth 50 billion euros for the next 4 years
EU Budget Commissioner Johannes Gann said that none of the EU countries objected to the aid package, even in terms of volume. [no further obvious info on this]

🇦🇷Argentina does not plan to join BRICS, said the country's future Foreign Minister Diana Mondino

Orbán commented on his letter to the President of the European Council, Michel, regarding an ultimatum concerning Ukraine.
He emphasized the significance of this letter in safeguarding Hungary's independence, asserting that talks about Ukraine's potential accession to the EU are not aligned with Hungary's interests and should not be considered.

Olena Zelenska entered the top 25 most influential women in the world, — Financial Times
Estonian Prime Minister Kallas added the president's wife to the rating. "Like her husband, Zelenska has become a global symbol of resilience," she wrote.

During the speech of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia Lavrov at the OSCE, some delegates left the hall, according to the correspondent of Radio Svoboda

The OSCE ministerial meeting in Skopje was ignored by 13 of the 31 members of the NATO-EU due to Lavrov's presence.
But even those ministers who came to Skopje, after a joint dinner at which Lavrov was not present, decided not to go to the meeting itself.
These are, in particular, the US Secretary of State Blinken and the head of EU diplomacy Borrell. The heads of foreign affairs of Britain, Canada, Italy, Poland, Belgium, etc. also did not attend.

According to Bloomberg, on December 12, the European Commission is set to release the definitive draft of a plan outlining the utilization of sovereign Russian assets, frozen within the EU, for the advantage of Ukraine.
Reports estimate that over €200 billion worth of Russian sovereign assets, subjected to sanctions, remain frozen within the EU, with a majority held in the Euroclear clearing house situated in Belgium.
Data obtained as of October indicates that the sanctioned Russian assets held in Euroclear have generated profits nearing €3 billion since their freezing.

"They pushed me to the point where my fingers started falling off my body. After that, another guy and I were taken to a military hospital and had surgery. Only my fingers were amputated, and the guy’s leg was cut off to the knee”, this is how Mykyta Horban from the village of Andriivka, Kyiv region describes his experience in Russian captivity after returning back home.

Live: Ukraine Telegram Highlights

The M1 Abrams tanks, of which Ukraine has received 31, do not cope well with mud, writes https://babel.ua/news/101216-zhurnal-forbes-nazvav-brud-naybilshoyu-problemoyu-tankiv-abrams-m1-v-ukrajini American Forbes.
The problem is the air filters on the engine intake. They must be cleaned every 12 hours, and if the tank crew neglects this, it can seriously damage the Abrams engine. After that, the only option is to remove the engine and send it to Poland for a lengthy overhaul.

In an interview with AP, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky admitted that the long-awaited counteroffensive in the summer and fall did not bring the expected breakthroughs, but stressed that Ukraine was not retreating and that it needed help in increasing domestic arms production.

🇪🇺 Some EU member states opposed a provision that would significantly limit re-exports of a number of European goods to Russia during the discussion of the 12th package of sanctions - Reuters.
They believe that such a drastic ban could negatively affect world trade and wreak havoc on European companies around the world.

The Economist wrote https://www.economist.com/leaders/2023/11/30/putin-seems-to-be-winning-the-war-in-ukraine-for-now an article about Putin's chances of winning the war and how the West, due to its lack of strategic vision, is not doing enough to stop him.
Inside Russia, according to The Economist, people are used to war, the so-called elite has tightened control over the economy, and Putin can afford to pay lifetime salaries to the families of those who fight and die.

🇭🇺 Hungary will not veto the start of negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the European Union, as the rules do not provide for such a possibility. Instead, Budapest proposes not to raise the issue of Ukraine's accession to the EU at all at the summit to be held on December 14-15.

🇦🇹 Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg welcomed the decision to invite Lavrov to the OSCE meeting in Skopje.

During his speech at the OSCE meeting in Skopje, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó argued that supplying Ukraine with weapons would not lead to peace and assured that he wanted to save the lives of the Hungarian minority.
He also regretted that there were no direct contacts between Ukraine and Russia, including within the OSCE.

Not great news about the Abrams

No, if it's accurate. Perhaps there'll be a re-design coming on.

Apparently the Russian lines are overrun with mice (presumably the Ukrainian too)

The Ukrainians have been recruiting operatives to stop this happening to them throughout the war. It's well documented.

www.businessinsider.com/photos-dogs-cats-keeping-ukrainian-troops-company-on-front-line-2023-11

Here's the original Forbes article in English:

The Biggest Problem With Ukraine’s M-1 Tanks: They Don’t Like Staying Dirty - Keeping an M-1 dust-free takes rigorous maintenance

I found the summary above confusing because it made it sound like the whole tank had to be sent away for repair. This made no sense because the engines are designed to be replaced in the field in a few hours. As is clearer in the English version, only the engine has to be sent away for repairs. Part of the logistics tail for the Abrams is a supply of replacement turbine engines.

The Ukrainians are used to tanks that use diesel engines, which are less sensitive to air intake quality than the turbine engines. Every design choice involves trade-offs. The advantages of the turbine engine are more power in a smaller engine, faster acceleration, higher top speeds, and they are much, much quieter. You can hear a diesel engine tank a half mile away. You won't hear an Abrams until it's right on top of you, less than a hundred meters or so. This is a huge tactical advantage in combat.

So, while I'm sorry they have to clean the filters so often, it's a small price to pay for the crew protection and lethality of the Abrams.

Are you giving away your secret mission, *MrTiddlesTheCat"?

@MissConductUS thanks for the explanation

@MissConductUS I'm glad to read they can trigger a pulse jet system to clean the filters. I was imagining some poor soul having to clamber out with a toolbox while potentially under fire!

I'd imagine the importance of keeping to schedule was hammered home in training.