Ukraine Invasion: Part 56

[MagicFox]

The (free) world has gone mad. Slava Ukraini 🇺🇦

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A Ukrainian F-16MLU has been spotted, with visible traces of the use of the M61A1 “Vulcan” cannon.

For anyone going ? the give away is the black soot mark on the fuselage just below and slightly aft of the cockpit of the furthest F-16.

Four U.S. Soldiers Reported Missing During Military Exercises in Lithuania
Four American soldiers have gone missing during military exercises near the Belarusian border in Lithuania.

The ARV they were in has been found this morning, submerged in water.

NATO clarifies comments that four missing US soldiers had died during training in Lithuania

The ARV is huge, and notoriously difficult to get into and out of, so it's quite possible they drowned.

Wouldn’t they have found them by now if they had drowned?

Wouldn’t they have found them by now if they had drowned?

It's quite possible that they have, but won't announce it until next of kin notification and some level of investigation has happened.

It's quite possible that they have, but won't announce it until next of kin notification and some level of investigation has happened

Very much agree that is a possibility..there’s usually a whole protocol to be followed to try and make sure next of kin get details before the media.

Oh that's sad, those poor people :(

You have to consider this from the point of view of the families of those deployed for this exercise. They've all heard about the accident. They all know about the possibility that it might have been their relative who was in the ARV, based on their soldier's role and training. They are entitled to get the news before it's announced to the public.

Training accidents are fairly common, unfortunately. Training strives to be as realistic as possible, including taking place on difficult terrain in less than optimal condition. Live ammunition is commonly used, and it's often done in darkness. The idea is to make it as close to actual combat conditions as possible, so that your chances of surviving combat are maximized.

Poor sods.

I do hope that MTG will be donating her brain to medical science. Got to find out what went wrong with it.

Preferably while still alive

They'd have to find MTG's brain first.

When my daughter was serving in Afghan she'd go silent intermittently and we wouldn't hear anything from her for a day or so; this was because if someone was killed, "radio silence" would go into force until their family had been told in person. The forces really didn't want anyone to learn by reading it on social media that someone they loved had been killed.

@AskingQuestionsAllTheTime

The forces really didn't want anyone to learn by reading it on social media that someone they loved had been killed.

Absolutely agree, even pre-social media it could be a race against time to get kin informed before the MSM/local media were on some poor unfortunates door step…

Is it remotely possible that the sad deaths of four US personnel will give the US 'government' (I use the word loosely) any pause for thought in their gung-ho attitude towards Putin, or will they just spin it as usual to blame NATO and Ukraine and Europe? I expect I'm being naive to even think it's possible.

If it is a training accident, I don't think anyone will make a connection between the deaths and Trump's stance toward Russia and Ukraine. As I said previously, they are distressingly common.

How many troops are dying in training accidents – and why?

The only thing that makes this incident stand out, based on what we know now, is that it happened in Europe. Most deaths in training happen in the U.S. for the simple reason that most of our military training is done here. Shifting the blame would be difficult because the training was taking place under US Army command and because it was presumably an accident.

Thanks @MissConductUS I am clutching at straws here.

Watched a documentary about one of our aircraft carriers. There had been a death on one of the escort ships (possibly a suicide, it was filmed during the pandemic with crews often being isolated in their messes). Everyone knew when the family had been informed because the WiFi was turned back on.

Could someone take over the roundup for Saturday please ? Going away for two nights and the internet is very patchy.

Sorry @DucklingSwimmingInstructress I’m also away from Saturday to Tuesday weekend or I’d help out.
Will try to do Monday as usual but I’m not sure how much time/wi-fi access I’ll have.

https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-march-26-2025

Key Takeaways:

• The details of the ceasefire agreements on energy strikes and maritime operations in the Black Sea that US, Ukrainian, and Russian officials reached on March 24 and 25 remain unclear.
• Russia and Ukraine exchanged accusations of strikes and ceasefire violations, although the ceasefire terms remain unclear.
• Russian officials explicitly rejected US President Donald Trump's recent suggestion that the United States could be involved in operating the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP).
• The European Union (EU) will likely maintain sanctions on Russia despite Russian demands for Western sanctions relief as preconditions for a temporary ceasefire with Ukraine in the Black Sea.
• Russian forces recently advanced in Kursk Oblast, near Toretsk, Velyka Novosilka, and in western Zaporizhia Oblast.
• Ukrainian forces recently advanced in Belgorod Oblast and near Toretsk.
• Russia continues to reorganize drone detachments into new units, likely as part of an ongoing effort to establish the Russian Unmanned Systems Force (USF).

@DucklingSwimmingInstructress I can do the Kyiv Ind Telegram and the usual ISW on Saturday. Do you need Sunday as well?

I'm also away this weekend. I might be able to do Sunday late at night depending on when we get home.

Just Saturday would be lovely, thank you! :) Sunday Ill be back midday.

@DesdamonasHandkerchief I can do monday a bit later on, no problem.

https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-march-27-2025

Key Takeaways:

• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reiterated on March 26 that discussions are ongoing about the details of the temporary ceasefire agreements on energy infrastructure strikes and maritime operations in the Black Sea.
• Russia continues to strike Ukrainian critical and civilian infrastructure under the cover of the ceasefire on energy infrastructure strikes — which is not in line with US President Donald Trump's goal of using the temporary ceasefire to facilitate a lasting peace in Ukraine.
• The Ukrainian General Staff reported that the March 19 to 20 Ukrainian drone strike against Russia's Engels Airbase destroyed a large number of cruise missiles and strategic fuel reserves as Ukrainian officials reported that Russia is prioritizing the production of high-precision missiles.
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Russia is preparing for a spring offensive in Sumy and Kharkiv oblasts.
• Ukraine's European allies met in Paris for a Coalition of the Willing summit on March 27 to discuss their ongoing support for Ukraine, a monitoring system to ensure ceasefire compliance, and the possible deployment of a "deterrent force" in Ukraine.
• Ukrainian forces recently advanced near Borova, Toretsk, Pokrovsk, and Kurakhove. Russian forces recently advanced in Kursk and Sumy oblasts; near Lyman, Toretsk, and Pokrovsk; and in western Zaporizhia Oblast.
• The Volunteer Society for Assistance to the Army, Aviation, and Navy of Russia (DOSAAF), which promotes patriotic and military education and has been involved in Russian volunteer recruitment efforts, elected Denis Dobraykov as the new DOSAAF Chairperson on March 27.

Bill Browder (X): “A Russian scientist who opposed Putin’s war, fled Russia & found work at Harvard was detained at Logan Airport returning from a French academic conference and has been sent to an immigration detention center in Louisiana for deportation to Russia”

It appears those who oppose Putin are now being arrested and deported to Russia to be dealt with in the way that Putin deals with any opposition. Meanwhile, Rumeysa Ozturk remains in detention for writing an editorial for her college newspaper in support of Palestine. She was snatched off the street by ICE near tufts university campus

That’s absolutely awful! The poor woman must be terrified!