Update from Ukraine | Biden Says NO to F-16 Jets supply for Ukraine

Update from Ukraine | Biden Says NO to F-16 Jets supply for Ukraine | Ruzzia celebrates too early

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EflFnHcQzdo

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SUMMARY Military MAPS & COMMENTS here:

https://militaryland.net/news/invasion-day-340-summary/ https://militaryland.net/maps/deployment-map

Article

NATO allies should shift to “war economy” - military committee chief
29.01.2023 15:41
https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-economy/3661533-nato-allies-should-shift-to-war-economy-military-committee-chief.html

In the wake of Russia’s unprovoked aggression toward Ukraine, NATO member states should move to the “war economy” in peacetime.

That’s according to Dutch Admiral Rob Bauer, Chairman of NATO’s Military Committee.

“We have to increase defense industry production and there are already more and more talks on the subject at the national level. This could mean prioritizing certain raw materials, certain production capacities needed for the defense industry rather than the civilian one. Those priorities should be discussed about, partially, a war economy in peacetime,” Bauer said.

In the last 25 years or so, the global economy has been operating on the principle of “now and then”, but the significant war-related material and technical losses have exposed how weak this approach is, according to the official.

“Both sides spend a lot of ammunition and destructive material: battle tanks and aircraft. Both sides need to buy a lot of raw materials and ammunition to keep fighting. The problem for both is that the Western and Russian defense industry must increase their production,” Bauer argued.
Stockpiles of arsenals “are usually not needed, but as soon as they are needed, it’s crazy,” he noted.

A change in public mentality will be required to achieve this transition, an extreme that he has described as “difficult”.

“We have to make sure that the Russians don’t win the war in Ukraine. If they do we will have a much bigger problem in terms of money and defense: the Russians will be on our borders,” the senior official has warned.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, the Ukrainian defense forces eliminated about 126,160 Russian invaders from February 24, 2022, to January 29, 2023, including 650 soldiers in the last day alone.

Moreover, Ukrainian defenders destroyed 3,197 enemy tanks (+8), 6,366 armored combat vehicles (+22), 2,195 artillery systems (+7), 453 MLR systems, 221 air defense systems, 293 warplanes, 284 helicopters, 1,947 tactical unmanned aerial vehicles, 796 cruise missiles, 18 warships/cutters, 5,037 trucks and fuel tankers (+10), and 199 units of specialized equipment.

Macron says will not rule out France sending fighter jets to Ukraine

https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20230130-live-deadly-russian-shelling-targets-kherson-kyiv-calls-for-faster-arms-supplies

ARTICLE

How the US helped Ukrainian soldiers repair artillery on the battlefield
January 30, 2023
Defenseview
https://www.defenceview.in/how-the-us-helped-ukrainian-soldiers-repair-artillery-on-the-battlefield/?utm_id=951185

When the M777 155 mm cannon on the front lines stopped working, Ukrainian soldiers immediately called a hotline with a group of American experts for help.

“What should I do? In what ways can I proceed? “The Ukrainian serviceman approached a team of American military experts working at a base in northeastern Poland and asked them.

The conversation took place in private chat groups on mobile devices, making it possible for American troops and private military contractors to offer assistance to the Ukrainian military at any time and from any location.

One of the American technicians swiftly advised the Ukrainians to take the howitzer’s back bolt off and then showed them how to use a needle to tighten it. The 155 mm weapon kept firing thanks to this soldier’s attentiveness to orders.

Quickly, one of the American experts instructed the Ukrainians to remove the howitzer’s back bolt and demonstrated how to tighten it with a needle. Since he followed orders, the 155 mm weapon could keep firing.
The United States and other NATO members are hesitant to send soldiers to Ukraine for this mission for fear of sparking a full-scale military conflict with Russia. Since this is the case, the hotline is the best option for assistance.

The US support group is stationed at a military base in Poland. They say Ukrainian soldiers on the front lines often ask for instructions on how to repair how to fix artillery, and this need is increasing. The support team had 50 members a few months ago, but this number will increase to 150 in the next few weeks.

This group currently has about 20 US service members; the rests are employees and civilian contractors. They hope the team will continue to grow as new sophisticated weapons arrive in Ukraine, as well as new chat rooms set up to help.

“A lot of times, we get requests for support right on the front lines, where artillery battles could be happening right when we help them fix the problem as quickly as possible,” one technician said. “Sometimes we have to wait a bit until the Ukrainian soldiers can get to a safer location.”

According to one officer, the fundamental issue was that Ukrainian troops were overusing their weapons by firing at an excessive pace for an extended period. Due to the high turnover rate, American troops frequently return weapons to the depot for cleaning or servicing.

This officer said that after firing thousands of rounds continuously, the slits in the barrel of a howitzer were almost completely worn out. “They are using this artillery in a way that we didn’t expect,” said the US officer on the support group. “We’re really learning from them by seeing how much the weapons can endure and their limits.”

Shipping weapons abroad for repair is not something the Ukrainian military is fond of doing. When it comes to military equipment, the United States claims that the Ukrainians fix 99 percent of the issues and keep using them.
In addition to discussions about the incident of howitzers, the support team also received requests for help from soldiers who were hit by gunfire or armored vehicles that had stalled.

“A lot of cases when they’re on the front lines, they can’t record video because the mobile network has problems,” said a US soldier in charge of maintenance. “They usually take pictures and send them to the chat group so we can diagnose the problem.”

An American soldier said that after many online tutorials, Ukrainian artillerymen had improved their skills in repairing weapons, even mending broken parts of the cannon.
The Ukrainian soldier explained that the damaged cannon was once again operational after being welded together, claiming that this had previously been impossible.

To provide guidance, American specialists must first assess the issue, devise a solution, and translate the information into Ukrainian. They intend to purchase automated translation technology from the market so that they may swiftly view the content given by Ukrainian soldiers.
As more sophisticated Western weapons systems are brought to Ukraine, the maintenance crew intends to improve its troubleshooting skills and stockpile a wider range of replacement components.

The group predicted that the US-sent Patriot air defense missile system to Ukraine would be difficult to maintain since it would necessitate more specialized knowledge.
This organization is a node in a growing European-wide supply chain that sends weaponry to Ukraine.

In addition to sending their own equipment, various countries have also set up repair assistance teams across the world to help Ukraine.

“As we move more advanced equipment like the Stryker, M2 Bradley, and main battle tanks, maintenance will have to increase,” said Douglas Bush, assistant secretary of the Army for Procurement, identify. “I think we’ve seen the challenges, and the Army knows how to deal with them.”

Earlier Ukrainian president Zelensky said the situation in eastern Ukraine is very difficult. President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine needed new weapons and faster delivery to cope with the “very difficult” situation in Donetsk when Russia repeatedly attacked.

“The situation is very difficult. Bakhmut, Vuhledar, and other regions in Donetsk are regularly subject to Russian attacks.

They are constantly trying to break through our defenses,” Zelensky said. Video demonstration on the night of January 29.

“Russia wants the conflict to prolong and exhaust our forces. So we must accelerate actions, speed up supplies and open up new weapons options for Ukraine.”
President Zelensky made his latest call to step up arms supplies just days after Germany and the US agreed to provide combat tanks to Ukraine.

He said on January 28 that Ukraine urgently needed US-made ATACMS missiles with a range of about 300 km, which Washington has so far refused to provide. An adviser to President Zelensky said that negotiations on the supply of long-range missiles and fighter jets were proceeding “rapidly.”

In his latest comment, Mr. Zelensky pledged to ensure that “our pressure will be greater than our opponents’ offensive capabilities,” which means “partners need to maintain defensive support for us.”

“The enemy does not care about their manpower, and despite a large amount of damage, they still maintain the intensity of their attack,” he said. “Facing this requires extraordinary fighting spirit and the full awareness of the soldiers that defending Donetsk is also protecting the whole of Ukraine.”

BIG EXPLOSION! Russia There Has Been a Big Accident at Moscow’s Vnukovo Airport!
Ozillo News
29.01.23 4:00 p.m. EST
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2jFajnkAgc
Tensions continue to rise in the Ukraine-Russia war. While the Russian Army is attacking many regions in Ukrainian territory, the Ukrainian Army continues to respond to these attacks with all its might. There was a big accident in Russia today. A Mi-8 helicopter from the Russian Presidential Administration’s Special Flight Unit Russia crashed at Moscow’s Vnukovo airport. “While landing at Vnukovo, a Mi-8 helicopter collided with the ground and was damaged. Injuries have been reported, according to early statistics.” According to confirmed sources, the helicopter is part of Russia’s Special Flight Unit. The tragedy is believed to have been caused by a pilot error.

Considering how fast the Biden administration changes its mind, I would not hold them to this.

VIDEOS

1. Do you support Putin? 100 Russians.
1420 MOSCOW
January 28, 2023
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQui4yzo8Hc

2. 😳 I thought the war would be a little different! Interview with a convict from the Wagner PMC
Lviv.Media
1-30-2023 11:30 a.m. EST
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdXPJs3bnWg

“Oleg Pyatikh from Murmansk was in prison for drug trafficking when representatives of the Wagner PMC visited his colony. He did not want to serve his full sentence, so he immediately agreed to become a stormtrooper for the terrorist organization.

He is one of the few Wagner convicts who managed to survive the battles near Bakhmut in December last year. In an interview with Lyubomyr, Oleh does not hide his motives: he is ready to kill for the sake of early release from prison. However, the war turned out to be not quite what he had imagined, so the occupier no longer wants to return to the front.”

3. The enemy launched a massive attack! Vladimir Raschuk on the defense of Bakhmut
Lviv.Media
Ukrainian Language: Select ‘CC’; then click on ‘Settings’ ‘Subtitles’; & select English.
1-30-2023 12:05 p.m. EST

“Vladimir Raschuk was an actor before the full-scale invasion. And after February 24, he became a soldier of the Svoboda battalion of the National Guard of Ukraine. Now Vladimir and his twin cities are defending their homeland in the Bakhmut direction. But they didn’t just talk about Bakhmut. But also about his native Mariupol, about his family and difficult relations with his father, who supports Russkiy Mir. Finally, does the military plan to return to acting after the victory?”

00: 00 Start
00:27 situation near Bakhmut
04:19 Blagodatnoye
05: 35 tasks of the Russians
07: 13 about wagnerists
11: 53 about relatives
13: 31 conflict with my father
14: 36 about Native Mariupol
15: 50 about the Ukrainian language
19:07 acting during the war
20:16 the most painful moment in the war
21:20 the most joyful moment in the war
22: 04 Ukraine after the victory

Biden is obviously confused. The F16’s for Ukraine are OK. It’s the F15’s he has to save for us.

ARTICLE

Regional
Belarus Weekly: European Parliament calls for special tribunal for Putin, Lukashenko
by Maria Yeryoma January 27, 2023 3:16 pm
https://kyivindependent.com/regional/belarus-weekly-european-parliament-calls-for-special-tribunal-for-putin-lukashenko

-The week marks the 160th anniversary of the 1863 uprising against Russian imperial rule. The January uprising led by Kastus Kalinouski was an attempt to re-establish a joint Polish, Lithuanian, and Belarusian independent state. The most prominent Belarusian military formation fighting for Ukraine bears his name.
-Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko claims Ukraine offered to sign a non-aggression pact. Ukraine responded by saying it never planned aggression in the first place.
-The European Parliament adopts a resolution for a special tribunal for Russian and Belarusian top military leadership, including Lukashenko.
-A government-controlled committee will be established in Belarus to decide whether exiled dissidents can return to Belarus without the threat of prosecution.
-Belarusian Parliament passed legislation to help eradicate the remaining political parties opposing the regime and switch the country to a de-facto one-party system.
-The Belarusian KGB takes hostages to stop reports about Russian military movement on the railroads.
-The wife of a political prisoner receives a 2-year sentence over an interview with local media that was retroactively labeled “extremist.”
-A street musician is on trial for singing a song in Ukrainian.

**Lukashenko claims Kyiv asked Minsk to sign non-aggression pact

Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko claimed on Jan. 24 that he was asked to sign a non-aggression pact with Ukraine.

“They are asking us not to go to war with Ukraine in any circumstances, not to move our troops there,” Lukashenko said. “They are proposing we conclude a non-aggression pact.”

Lukashenko revealed the alleged proposal at a meeting of Belarusian state and law enforcement officials. He also once again spread a series of unsubstantiated claims.
He did not elaborate on the claim of some sort of pact.
“We did not intend and do not intend to attack Belarus,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said in response to Lukashenko’s mention of a proposed agreement. However, Zelensky did not directly respond to the allegations.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said he had “no information” regarding Lukashenko’s non-aggression pact claims.

Belarus is a co-belligerent in Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine. Ukrainian intelligence reported on Jan. 25 that there are currently 5,800 Russian troops stationed in Belarus.

On Jan. 21, Ukrainian intelligence noted that “there is no threat from Belarus on a full-scale group operation.”

**Belarus to create state-controlled committee to ‘welcome’ exiled dissidents back into country

On Jan. 24, Belarusian dictator Lukashenko reiterated the need to return “fugitives” – the term used by Belarusian officials in reference to exiled opponents of the regime – back to the country.

Prosecutor General Andrei Shved announced the creation of an interdepartmental commission to decide whether a dissident can return to the country without facing charges.
Since 2020, hundreds of thousands of Belarusians have left the country.

40,000 Belarusians are residing in neighboring Lithuania. 86% of them reported fear for their safety in Belarus.
At least 100,000 Belarusians were part of the Polish Social Security system as of November 2022, according to Poland’s Social Security agency.

The stagnant Belarusian economy is lacking at least 100,000 workers. Lukashenko has repeatedly been claiming that there should be a way for the “fugitives” to return home after “compensating for the damage.”

Meanwhile, the Belarusian Border Committee reported detaining 52 “extremists” at the border upon returning to Belarus in 2022.

Political prisoner Tatsiana Kurylina, who believed the authorities’ promise and returned to Belarus, now awaits trial facing up to 15 years behind bars for administering a Telegram chat.

Exiled opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya urged Belarusians not to trust the regime’s promise.

**Belarus passes bill further restricting political parties

On Jan. 25, the Belarus parliament passed a bill “On political parties and other public associations,” imposing further restrictions on their creation and existence.

The bill raises the minimum number of political party members from 1,000 to 5,000 and requires that political parties’ founders are born in and reside in Belarus.

According to Belarusian state news agency BelTA, political parties may be disbanded “in the event of war propaganda, terrorist, extremist, and other activities prohibited by the law, activities that harm the state (or) public interests, as well as the receipt of funds and other property from foreign sources.”

The bill also proposes to “lift the ban on financing political parties from the central budget or local budgets,” said BelTA.

**More Belarusian railway saboteurs arrested

Three more Belarusian activists who were arrested for having disrupted the transit of Russian troops and equipment toward Ukraine have gone to trial in the city of Mahiliou.

According to human rights watchdog Viasna, the closed trials of Dzmitryi Klimau, Uladzimir Auramtsau, and Yauhen Minkevich began on Jan. 23. They are charged with treason and participating in “extremist activities.”

At the beginning of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, Belarusian activists attempted to disrupt the transit of Russian supplies and personnel toward Ukraine.

The activists’ actions are said to have helped thwart the Russian attack through Belarusian territory.

**European Parliament calls for special tribunal for Putin, Lukashenko

The European Parliament, on Jan. 19, voted for the creation of a special tribunal that could prosecute Putin and Lukashenko for crimes of aggression against Ukraine.
The European Parliament noted that the tribunal “must have jurisdiction to investigate not only Vladimir Putin and the political and military leadership of Russia, but also Aliaksandr Lukashenka and his cronies in Belarus.”
The vast majority of lawmakers backed the non-binding resolution. President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the announcement, calling on “all our partners to support such a tribunal.”

**Wife of jailed journalist sentenced to two years in prison

Belarusian authorities sentenced Darya Losik, the wife of jailed journalist Ihar Losik, to two years in prison following an interview where she said her husband was illegally convicted.

The Belarusian Prosecutor General’s Office claimed that Darya “positioned herself as the wife of a ‘political prisoner’” in her interview with independent broadcaster Belsat, which Minsk has labeled an “extremist group.”
Darya was convicted of facilitating so-called “extremist activity” one day after the trial started.

Ihar Losik, a freelance writer for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) and the author of a Telegram channel that was the mouthpiece for political protests in 2020, was earlier sentenced to 16 years in prison.

In July 2022, Losik was labeled a “terrorist” by the state.
Ihar and Darya Losik have a four-year-old daughter, Polina, who is reportedly staying with Darya’s parents.

*Belarusian musician taken to trial for singing Ukrainian song

Belarusian singer Meryem Herasimenka is on trial in Minsk.
She was detained in August 2022 for performing a song by Ukrainian band Okean Elzy on Minsk’s Zybitskaya Street.
Herasimenka was accused of “actively participating in groups that grossly violate public order.” If convicted, the singer could face up to four years in jail.

Belarusian law enforcement also published a recording in 2022 in which she is shown confessing to participating in the protests that followed the fraudulent 2020 Belarusian presidential elections and donating to Ukraine’s military.
Following her detention in 2022, Belarusian authorities reportedly arrested several street performers.

No F16s... Okay. He’ll give them a fleet of F22s and F35s so the Chinese can reverse engineer the secret stuff in those aircraft. Just like with the Abrahms tanks.

Jets that zero Ukrainians can pilot. Sounds like a great plan.
Macron is Napoleon Bonaparte reborn...

Just the other day this headline popped up.

Pentagon Won’t Rule Out F-16s for Ukraine: ‘We’re Not Going to Take Anything Off the Table
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2023/01/27/pentagon-wont-rule-out-f-16s-ukraine-were-not-going-take-anything-off-table/

ARTICLE

Russia Tries to Trick Ukrainian Soldiers With Radio Surrender Message
By Brendan Cole
1/30/23 11:12 AM EST

https://www.newsweek.com/russia-ukraine-bakhmut-surrender-trick-message-1777557

Ukrainian troops were seen laughing at a radio announcement telling them to surrender because their leadership had deserted them, in a video clip that has been widely viewed online.

War Translated, which tweets about the war in Ukraine, shared a video it said showed Ukrainian soldiers reacting to a radio broadcast telling them Ukraine’s military leadership had surrendered Bakhmut and Marinka in the Donetsk oblast.
VIDEO: https://twitter.com/i/status/1620001460720369664

“Your command is not intending to transfer fresh forces to help you,” the message said. “You are being lied to.”

It said that the mobilized residents of Ukraine had been “deceived by the authorities and generals in Mariupol and Volnovakha,” who had been “promised help but were thrown into the slaughter.”

A clip shared on social media apparently shows Ukrainian soldiers laughing at a radio announcement claiming that the Ukrainian leadership had surrendered Bakhmut and Marinka.

“Most of them will never return home, you have a final chance to save your life,” the announcement said, as it called for troops to abandon their positions, withdraw as a whole unit and record a video saying that their command had abandoned them. “This will become proof of your innocence,” it added.

The passengers in the car who were wearing military uniforms, can be heard laughing at the announcement, which was made in Russian, rather than in Ukrainian.

As of Monday afternoon, the unverified clip, in which a location wasn’t given, had been viewed more than 74,000 times. War Translated added the message that Russia had attempted “hybrid warfare.”

[Russia tries into hybrid warfare: Russian radio plays messages to Ukrainian soldiers telling them the Ukrainian leadership made a decision to surrender Bakhmut and Mar’inka. The soldiers are laughing this off. pic.twitter.com/MSKf2YXu6y
— Dmitri (@wartranslated) January 30, 2023]

“Russian radio plays messages to Ukrainian soldiers telling them the Ukrainian leadership made a decision to surrender Bakhmut and Marinka. The soldiers are laughing this off,” added the War Translated account, which has 281,000 followers and was contacted by Newsweek for further information.

The clip sparked a lively thread from Twitter users, one of whom wrote: “when a psyop goes sideways.” Another wrote, “How hilarious that they think that asking Ukrainians to surrender in Russian will work out well. They couldn’t find even one Ukrainian to read the text.”

It comes following claims by the Moscow-aligned Wagner mercenary group that it had captured the village of Blahodatne, located around six miles north of Bakhmut, which has been the scene of a fierce battle for months.

However, the next day, Ukraine denied the claims the Russian forces had made about the village, which lies just west of Soledar, a salt-mining town that fell to Russia earlier in January.

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW), said on Saturday that Wagner mercenaries were “exhausted” and that their assault on Bakhmut “likely culminated with its surge on Soledar.” The New York Times and Reuters have reported that the Wagner Group suffered heavy casualties.

The ISW said Russian forces are “likely preparing” to launch an offensive of their own in the Luhansk Oblast and they are adding weight to their offensives around Bakhmut.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the upcoming delivery of Western weapons, including the big ticket items of Leopard 2 tanks from Germany and Abrams armored vehicles from the U.S. will lead to a “significant escalation.”

“It’s a dead-end situation,” he told reporters on Monday, according to Reuters.

*https://wartranslated.com/

1. Soviet propaganda voice in WW2 Finnish front, called Moskovan Tiltu (Tiltu of Moscow)
“Finnish soldiers, come to get some bread!”

Finnish Soldiers shouted back:
“You come to get some butter on your bread!”

2. Hanoi Hannah - GI!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3VeKnW9cNo&t=1s

Colluding with the ground is never good

#8 - LOL. I’m stealing that.

AUDIO

1. ‘Do I have to get on my knees?’: Russian soldier calls Ukrainian surrender hotline – audio
Guardian News
Jan 27, 2023 RUSSIA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gE6qNVLUoew
“More than 6,500 Russian military personnel have sought to surrender through a special ‘I Want To live’ hotline, Ukraine’s government has claimed, with the call centre said to have been recently moved to a secret location to avoid Moscow interference.

Vitaly Matvienko, spokesperson at the department for prisoners of war, said those who had made contact through the service had been verified as serving in the Russian forces using their personal data and service number.

Between 15 September, when the hotline launched, and 20 January, it is claimed that 6,543 Russian personnel contacted the Ukrainian government to surrender themselves into their custody, often from the frontline.

VIDEO

1. Wagner defector details brutal executions he witnessed
CNN
Jan 30, 2023 10:30p.m. EST
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lMOvPi2BEw
In a CNN exclusive, former Wagner mercenary Andrei Medvedev tells CNN’s Anderson Cooper about how the brutality he witnessed led him to defect.

2. Hear what ex-Putin aide says about Putin’s recent behavior
CNN
Jan 30, 2023 9:30 p.m. EST.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFNf4F9aiIw

“Russian political analyst and former speechwriter to Vladimir Putin, Abbas Gallyamov, dissects the Russian president’s behavior and what could be coming next.

3. RUSSIAN SOLDIERS KEEPS ENDING IN UKRANIAN CAPTIVITY || 2023
Warthog Defense
Jan 30, 2023 1:40 p.m. EST
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHnKuj132Hc

4. LEAKED Calls Reveal Russian Propaganda Brainwashing!
Combat Veteran Reacts
Jan 30, 2023 7:30 p.m. EST
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRfp6I66SaY

5. Private armies and total social inequality: the crisis in Russia is getting worse
UATV English
Jan 30, 2023 10:45 a.m. EST
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JJDdjlTuvM

Russia is preparing for a long war – the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported. The reorganization of Russia’s economy and the military-industrial complex testifies to the preparations for transferring Russia to martial law.

Such a decision will allow the Putin regime to ignore the Russians’ requests completely. According to analysts, the split in Russian society is deepening.”

6. UKRANIAN ARTILLERY DESTROYED RUSSIAN COMMAND POST IN BAKHMUT AREA || 2023
Warthog Defense
Jan 30, 2023 7:00 a.m. EST
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fivlImWKCZQ