Russia Ukraine Update Thread - part 2

originally posted by: MidnightWatcher
Luckily, it was a dud.

But it looks like Russia has escalated to firing missiles at nuclear reactors well outside the current battlefield.

A Russian general went on the record recently stating if Ukraine doesn't want to be part of Russia then, essentially, Ukraine needs to be wiped off the map. Its one of those if we cant have Ukraine then no one will mentalities. The Russian in question was the commander of the troops that took the nuclear power plant.

I am unfamiliar with the source the article is in - alternet.

Russian general threatens to bomb nuclear power plant

One of Russia's top military commanders has threatened to blow up the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Enerhodar, Ukraine after heavy shelling over the weekend sparked fears of a potential radioactive catastrophe. The facility was captured by Russian forces on March 3rd, nine days after President Vladimir Putin launched his unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.

According to a Telegram post by Energoatam, a Ukrainian state nuclear agency, Major General Valery Vasiliev of Russia's Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Protection Troops told his battalions that "there will be either Russian land or a scorched desert" in the region encompassing Europe's largest atomic energy station.

Energoatam wrote that Vasiliev had added that "as you know, we mined all the important objects of the Zaporozhye nuclear plant. And we do not hide this from the enemy. We warned them. The enemy knows that the station will be either Russian or nobody's. We are ready for the consequences of this step. And you, the liberating warriors, must understand that we do not have a second way. And if there is the most severe order - we must fulfill it with honor!"

click link for full article.


ETA - video footage of explosion near nuke plant (300 meters / 1000 ft).

MSN - Watch: Russian missile strikes within 300 metres of Ukraine nuclear power plant
Twitter link
This what what they are saying on the link -
"Shortly. Viyna. Day 208. Videodagest Briefly. War. Day 208. Video digest" - courtesy babelfish translation.

Question for anyone who knows -
What happened to our Russian contingent that followed this thread?

* - Explosion was reported near Kharkiv

* - Russian army conducted missile strike at infrastructure in Chuhuiv district at about 1am

* - 2 explosions were reported in Melitopol

* - Russian aviation destroyed residential house in an air strike in Bakhmut at about 1am, 2 people could under the rubble

* - Explosion was reported in Synelnykove district

* - Explosions reported in Nikopol

* - U.S. defense official said "tanks are on the table" for Ukrainian forces but Ukraine will need to show the ability to maintain more modern variants to receive them. Western countries have already provided Ukraine with Soviet-era tanks

* - Occupation authorities in parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine say "members of public chambers" call for hold referendums on annexation by Russian Federation immediately

* - Kryvyi Rih was shelled with MLRS Smerch - head of regional administration

* - Missile strike reported in Kryvyi Rih

* - French Foreign Minister: Russia's aggression against Ukraine is an attack on the foundations of the United Nations

* - 3 killed in as shelling at market at Tesktylnyk in Donetsk

* - Ukrainian military in Bilohorivka of Luhansk region

* - Head of regional administration of Luhansk region Haidai: Ukrainian military have liberated and fully secured Bilohorivka in Luhansk region

* - Russian troop accumulation point was reportedly hit in Nova Kakhovka

* - New explosions at airfield in Melitopol

* - Ukrainian flag raised in Yarova, Donetsk region

* - Russian base was destroyed in occupied Kadiivka, Luhansk region

* - Russian troops are shelling both banks of Kakhovka water reservoir. Water supply cut off in Enerhodar

* - Ukrainian military repelled Russian attacks at Mykolaivka Druha, Vesela Dolyna and Bakhmut, - General Staff of Armed Forces of Ukraine says in the morning report

* - Ukrainian aviation conducted 21 air strikes yesterday against 16 areas of Russian forces rally, bases and 5 air defense units. Ukrainian artillery and missile forces conducted strikes at over 14 Russian military objects , - General Staff of Armed Forces of Ukraine says in the morning report

* - At Pivdenny Buh direction Russian army shelled areas all along frontline. Over 18 settlements were shelled, including Bila Krynytsa, Myrolyubivka, Vysokopillia, Andriivka, - General Staff of Armed Forces of Ukraine says in the morning report

* - At Novopavlivka and Zaporizhzhia direction Russian artillery shelled Vuhledar, Velyka Novosilka, Mali Scherbaky, Myrne, Vilne Pole and Vremivka, - General Staff of Armed Forces of Ukraine says in the morning report

As a reminder

Just so people know and understand. Information from war zones can become confusing as there will no doubt be info released from the players (on both sides) involved that might not necessarily be true.

As such take everything as a possibility and NOT as absolute truth.

The very first casualty in a war is the truth and all warfare is based on deception

Resources - Where most of the updates come from.
* - Flightradar24 - tracks flights worldwide
* - Live Ukraine control map 1 - updates on the ground
* - Ukraine Control Map 2
* - Ship radar
* - Military vessel tracker
* - Institute for the Study of War (ISW)
* - Stopfake - Countering Russian propaganda about Ukraine
* - MilitaryLand - Maps

Youtube resources -
* - Speak the Truth
* - War in Ukraine
* - Artur Rehi - Estonain soldier
* - Daily Report

Social media resources -
* - Twitter - Jomini of the West - Battlefield Maps

a reply to: Xcathdra

What happened to our Russian contingent that followed this thread?

They up in other threads asking people about iraqi WMD when people counter their arguments.

They started ordering teachers from a military school to Ukraine ?


Russia staffs 4 battalions to be deployed in Ukraine with teachers – General Staff


If true it shows they have difficulties to find new cannon fodder.

Some issues with new Wagnerities


Mercenaries From Wagner PMC Rebel And Refuse To Fight In Ukraine


NEW: Ukraine's successful offensive to retake most of Kharkiv oblast has inspired many Russian volunteers to refuse combat: senior US defense official



The Wagner website has been hacked: “Ukrainian IT Army here. We now have your website personal data. Welcome to Ukraine. We’re waiting for you 😈”

a reply to: Xcathdra


At least russia is putting less effort into hiding what we always knew their intentions and methods would be if allowed.

Still frightening to see other humans say such things.

originally posted by: Xcathdra
ETA - video footage of explosion near nuke plant (300 meters / 1000 ft).

MSN - Watch: Russian missile strikes within 300 metres of Ukraine nuclear power plant
Twitter link
This what what they are saying on the link -
"Shortly. Viyna. Day 208. Videodagest Briefly. War. Day 208. Video digest" - courtesy babelfish translation.

Here's a "stupid" question: Why does that video suddenly jump from 19:48 to 19:54?

Those are the very 6 seconds when a missile should be visibly coming down, but we never see it, because the video "mysteriously" jumps ahead.

I'll call a duck duck, and say that the jump is there because there was no missile to see, and that would mean that explosion happened "on its own", because... that's what you get when you keep your ammo depot close to a source of potential high-voltage electrical discharges (i.e. plant's transformer station).

Why would Ukrainians keep their ammo close to a nuclear power plant?

Because that's the safest place to keep it (ignoring the problem of electrical discharges, of course), just like the safest place for Ukrainian (and U.S.) army is right smack in the middle of Kiev, because -- unlike Americans -- Russians would never strike a target with potentially significant "collateral damage"... which, from a military perspective, is a terrible weakness in their tactical approach to fighting U.S. forces in Ukraine (and also on the Russian soil, soon to come), but it's their funeral, so they can do whatever they want with their coffin, too.

If you don't think that Ukrainians would be stupid enough to keep their ammo near a nuclear power plant, just remember that they already accused Russians of doing exactly the same thing, so that accusation alone is undeniable evidence that Ukrainians would do it as well... and almost certainly are, as evidenced by that video.

a reply to: Kenzo

Russia trying to avoid the "mobilisation" word.

Wonder if the teachers will be serving tooth to jowl with the scum of the earth, recruited from Russian prisons. Poor teachers.

a reply to: Xcathdra


I have a strong hunch about Melitipol, but only a hunch.

Thank you, today's updates may have helped me validate a new online 'source'.

a reply to: clusterfok


Did you see an ammo dump?

Or what happens when an ammo dump is hit?

I didn't.





Good catch on the video cut though, I'll keep an eye out for an uncut version.

a reply to: clusterfok


Is this the video you're talking about?

twitter.com...



Perhaps someone else can explain the time display 'jumping'?

Is it one of the weird compression things that some older security camera systems would do?





Either way, I see some of the missiles arriving in that video, Ukraine said there were 8 of them this time, after what looked like a single dud earlier.

What I don't see is any of the tell tale signs that an ammo dump was hit.

What it does look like is multiple low angle (cruise missile) strikes on high voltage transformers and lines 1000 feet from a nuclear power plant.

originally posted by: MidnightWatcher
a reply to: clusterfok


Did you see an ammo dump?

Or what happens when an ammo dump is hit?

I didn't.





Good catch on the video cut though, I'll keep an eye out for an uncut version.

I can't see anything in that video, and that's my point.

Yep, I know what happens when an ammo dump gets hit. You get fireworks that can last for hours, but you're probably thinking of small caliber rifle ammo. I was thinking more of artillery shells. You get one big boom, and that's it.

It's impossible to tell either way, so there's really no point in trying to have discussion about it.

Instead, I'd like to clarify my stand on the Russian tactical weakness of not hitting civilian targets with obvious military value.

You know that story of two guys running from a bear, where one guy says to the other: "I don't have to run fast. I just have to run faster than you."

Assuming that Russians have studied Boyd's theory on warfare, they're probably thinking that they have to act like angels in order to win the moral(e) warfare. That couldn't be further from the truth. They only have to be slightly more moral than the other (U.S.) side... and U.S. is extremely hard to catch up to (in terms of becoming more immoral than the U.S.), with its history of Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria... not to mention the whole bloody and (almost unimaginably) sick history of the CIA in Latin America.

If Russians were smarter, they'd pay less attention to the moral side of fighting U.S., and more to the mental and physical ones, where they're seriously lagging behind.

19 September Update

Key Takeaways

* Urgent discussion on September 19 among Russia’s proxies of the need for Russia to immediately annex Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts (much of the latter of which are not under Russian control) suggests that Ukraine’s ongoing northern counter-offensive is panicking proxy forces and some Kremlin decision-makers.

* Ukrainian counter-offensive successes are degrading morale among Russian units that were regarded as elite prior to the invasion of Ukraine.

* Ukrainian forces are likely continuing limited and localized offensive operations across the Oskil River and along the Lyman-Yampil-Bilohorivka line.

* Russian forces continued ground attacks south of Bakhmut.

* Ukrainian forces are continuing to strike Russian military, transportation, and logistics assets in Kherson Oblast.

* Ukrainian and Russian sources identified three areas of kinetic activity on September 19: northwest of Kherson City, near the Ukrainian bridgehead over the Inhulets River, and in northern Kherson Oblast near Olhine.

* The size of volunteer units Russia can generate is likely decreasing.

More at URL above.

Cheers

originally posted by: paraphi
a reply to: Kenzo

Russia trying to avoid the "mobilisation" word.

Wonder if the teachers will be serving tooth to jowl with the scum of the earth, recruited from Russian prisons. Poor teachers.

Unless I'm mistaken, the "teachers" are military personnel who were on assignment as instructors at the military school.

Cheers

originally posted by: clusterfok

originally posted by: MidnightWatcher
a reply to: clusterfok


Did you see an ammo dump?

Or what happens when an ammo dump is hit?

I didn't.





Good catch on the video cut though, I'll keep an eye out for an uncut version.

I can't see anything in that video, and that's my point.

Yep, I know what happens when an ammo dump gets hit. You get fireworks that can last for hours, but you're probably thinking of small caliber rifle ammo. I was thinking more of artillery shells. You get one big boom, and that's it.

It's impossible to tell either way, so there's really no point in trying to have discussion about it.

Instead, I'd like to clarify my stand on the Russian tactical weakness of not hitting civilian targets with obvious military value.

You know that story of two guys running from a bear, where one guy says to the other: "I don't have to run fast. I just have to run faster than you."

Assuming that Russians have studied Boyd's theory on warfare, they're probably thinking that they have to act like angels in order to win the moral(e) warfare. That couldn't be further from the truth. They only have to be slightly more moral than the other (U.S.) side... and U.S. is extremely hard to catch up to (in terms of becoming more immoral than the U.S.), with its history of Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria... not to mention the whole bloody and (almost unimaginably) sick history of the CIA in Latin America.

If Russians were smarter, they'd pay less attention to the moral side of fighting U.S., and more to the mental and physical ones, where they're seriously lagging behind.

Even large shells will cook off after the initial boom, and we'd see shells launching themselves periodically, this is what it looks like when very high voltage transformers are struck.

a reply to: clusterfok


In what possible way has russia behaved 'morally'?




In what possible way has the US not?

We aren't in Ukraine.

Retrograde sailing.

some of Russia's Black Sea fleet submarines were forced to retreat. Russia’s Navy has relocated some of its submarines from the port of Sevastopol in Crimea to Novorossiysk in Krasnodor Krai, southern Russia, according to the latest intelligence briefing from the British Ministry of Defence.

Cheers

Russian duma just made some tweaking to criminal code, since they want to prevent troops surrender/ refuse .


Russian State Duma has just unanimously approved the amendments adding "mobilisation" and "martial law" terms to the Criminal Code





If surrender , 3 to 10 years....does any other country has this kind of laws ?

originally posted by: Kenzo

Russian duma just made some tweaking to criminal code, since they want to prevent troops surrender/ refuse .

If surrender , 3 to 10 years....does any other country has this kind of laws ?

It was nice of them to let everyone know that what russia called fake western propaganda just a few days ago is actually true.

russia has an extremely serious morale problem in addition to their serious troop number problem, no other explanation for what the duma just did.

a reply to: MidnightWatcher

We aren't in Ukraine.

"I miss Kansas, Toto!"



Cheers