Hehehehe https://www.cnbc.com/2023/05/10/putins-one-tank-military-parade-was-an-embarrassment-for-russia.html Putin’s ‘one-tank’ military parade was an embarrassment for Russia, analysts say PUBLISHED WED, MAY 10 20235:10 AM EDTUPDATED 53 MIN AGO Holly Ellyatt@HOLLYELLYATT SHARE KEY POINTS Russia’s scaled-down Victory Day military parade on Tuesday showed not only Russia’s insecurities over possible Ukrainian attacks but also highlighted the country’s depleted military resources, analysts noted. May 9 is a public holiday in Russia when it commemorates the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. It’s arguably the most important day in Russia’s public calendar and history. The appearance of only one Soviet-era tank at Russia’s usually massive military parade raised eyebrows. A Soviet T-34 tank, the only tank on display in Russia’s Victory Day parade on May 9, 2023, rolls through Red Square. Contributor | Getty Images News | Getty Images Russia’s scaled-down Victory Day military parade showed not only Moscow’s insecurities over possible Ukrainian attacks but also highlighted the country’s depleted military resources due to the conflict, political analysts said. May 9 is a public holiday in Russia when it commemorates the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. It is arguably the most important day in Russia’s public calendar and history, forming a central part of the country’s modern national identity. This year’s military parade through Red Square in Moscow and celebrations around the country were noticeably smaller than in previous years or entirely canceled, with six regions (including annexed Crimea) and at least 20 cities halting their commemorations. In Moscow on Tuesday, the military parade was more downbeat, with no fly-past or “Immortal Regiment” processions — which are usually large-scale public events to commemorate those killed in World War II. There were also far fewer troops and military hardware on show than in previous years. The fact that only one Stalin-era tank was on display in the military parade through Red Square was particularly eye-catching, analysts noted. “It would be hard to image a more fitting symbol of Russia’s declining military fortunes than the sight of a solitary Stalin-era tank trundling across Red Square during the country’s traditional Victory Day celebrations on May 9,” Peter Dickinson, the editor of the UkraineAlert blog at the Atlantic Council, commented Tuesday. “For the past two decades, Vladimir Putin has used Victory Day to showcase modern Russia’s resurgence as a military superpower, with dozens of the very latest tanks typically taking part in each annual parade. This year, however, the only tank on display was a T-34 model dating back to World War II.” Previous years’ Victory Day parades have seen Russia display long lines of tanks. Here, a Russian T-90A tanks rolls through a previous parade on Red Square. VASILY MAXIMOV/AFP/Getty Images Dickinson noted that, “inevitably, the embarrassing absence of tanks at this year’s Victory Day parade has been widely interpreted as further evidence of Russia’s catastrophic losses in Ukraine,” a point echoed by the U.K. Ministry of Defense. Commenting Wednesday, the ministry noted that “the make-up of Russia’s annual Victory Day Parade in Red Square highlighted the materiel and strategic communications challenges” the Russian military is facing 15 months into the war in Ukraine. “Over 8,000 personnel reportedly took part in the parade, but the majority were auxiliary, paramilitary forces, and cadets from military training establishments,” the ministry noted in its latest intelligence update on Twitter, adding that “the only personnel from deployable formations of regular forces were contingents of Railway Troops and military police.” A spokesperson for the Russian Defense Ministry wasn’t immediately available for comment when contacted by CNBC. Vladimir Putin’s claim to crowds in Red Square that “a real war is being waged against our Motherland” despite the fact that Russia invaded its neighbor Ukraine. Noting the one solitary “vintage” T-34 tank on display, the U.K.’s Defense Ministry said that despite heavy losses in Ukraine, Russia could have fielded more armored vehicles but that “the authorities likely refrained from doing so because they want to avoid domestic criticism about prioritising parades over combat operations.” The Atlantic Council’s Dickinson noted too that the banning of this year’s Immortal Regiment marches, usually massively popular affairs when the Russian public get a chance to commemorate their loved ones lost in WWII, “was an even bigger blow” and that the Kremlin was likely concerned that family members of Russian soldiers killed in Ukraine could seek to participate. Participants carry flags and portraits of people, including Red Army soldiers, during the Immortal Regiment march on Victory Day, which marks the 77th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, in Moscow, Russia May 9, 2022. Shamil Zhumatov | Reuters “With Russian officials still in denial over the disastrous consequences of the Ukraine invasion, the last thing the Kremlin wanted was for thousands of grieving relatives to gather in public and draw attention to the scale of the tragedy,” Dickinson noted. the whole of Ukraine was laughing at Russia’s one tank. Ukraine continues to distance itself from Russia’s sphere of influence and orbit and on Tuesday, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy submitted a draft law to the Ukrainian Parliament proposing that May 8 be known as “the Day of Remembrance and Victory over Nazism in the Second World War” rather than May 9, as in Russia and other former Soviet republics. He said that from now on, May 9 would be known in Ukraine as “Europe Day,” with Zelenskyy noting that “we will commemorate our historic unity — the unity of all Europeans who destroyed Nazism and will defeat Ruscism,” a word Ukraine uses to describe “Russian fascism.”
Even Prizozhin has a few words... 'Complete a**hole': Wagner mercenary chief mocks Putin following embarrassing one-tank Victory Day parade in his most daring challenge to the Russian leader's authority yet https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...embarrassing-one-tank-Victory-Day-parade.html
Once again, congratulations to Vladimir Putin on being NATO's Recruiter of the Year. Now even expanding NATO into Asia. Japan is in talks to open a NATO office as Ukraine war makes world less stable, foreign minister says https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/10/asia/japan-foreign-minister-hayashi-nato-intl-hnk/index.html Japan is in talks to open a NATO liaison office, the first of its kind in Asia, the country’s foreign minister told CNN in an exclusive interview on Wednesday, saying Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has made the world less stable. “We are already in discussions, but no details (have been) finalized yet,” Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said on Wednesday, speaking a week ahead of the Group of Seven summit, hosted this year by Japan in Hiroshima. Hayashi specifically cited Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year as an event with repercussions far beyond Europe’s borders that forced Japan to rethink regional security. “The reason why we are discussing about this is that since the aggression by Russia to Ukraine, the world (has) become more unstable,” he said. (Much more at above url)
Apparently Lukashenko got into a bad batch of guacamole dip when he was in Moscow, and did not even stay for the full lunch. Let's show some compassion. Belarus’ Lukashenko struck down by mystery illness in Moscow, rushed back to Belarus Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko appears to have been struck down by a mystery illness and was rushed back to Belarus shortly after attending the May 9 Victory Day celebrations on Red Square in Moscow. https://www.intellinews.com/belarus...ness-in-moscow-rushed-back-to-belarus-278281/
LOL Stop drunken shitposting, Ukraine tells top Russian official Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev ‘should drink less vodka before going on Telegram,’ Ukrainian FM says. https://www.politico.eu/article/sto...ukraine-russia-dmitry-medvedev-dmytro-kuleba/
Title is wrong. The soldier dropped his weapons and gestured that he wanted to surrender. The operators dropped the "follow the drone to surrender" message. He did.
US to announces another $1.2 billion in military aid for Ukraine May 9, 2023 Pentagon To Buy $1.2 Billion In Weapons From Defense Contractors For Ukraine Aid By Micaela Burrow The Pentagon announced plans Tuesday to buy $1.2 billion in weapons as part of an ongoing program to build up Ukraine’s military over the long term while it continues to provide for immediate battlefield needs. The weapons, drawn from an authority called the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) allows the Department of Defense (DOD) to buy weapons and military equipment directly from defense companies and partners rather than drawing from existing U.S. stocks, according to a press release. Tuesday’s package includes air defense systems, ammunition and “support to enable Ukraine to better maintain its on-hand systems and equipment.” “This USAI package underscores the continued U.S. commitment to meeting Ukraine’s most urgent requirements by committing critical near-term capabilities, such as air defense systems and munitions, while also building the capacity of Ukraine’s Armed Forces to defend its territory and deter Russian aggression over the long term,” the Pentagon said. In total, the U.S. has committed more than $36.9 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the Russian invasion began in February 2022. Following the announcement, the Pentagon will open bids to contractors for the equipment, according to the release. The Biden administration announced another $2.6 billion in security assistance for Ukraine in early April, of which $2.1 billion will be used for sourcing new munitions directly from American manufacturers for air defense capabilities, as well as thousands of rounds of artillery ammunition, mortar systems, rockets and anti-tank weapons. As Ukraine is preparing to launch a counteroffensive aiming to oust the Russian army from occupied regions, the Biden administration is also providing shorter-term security assistance. The latest package, announced May 3, includes mounds of artillery rounds, howitzers, Carl-Gustaf anti-tank rifles and Hydra-70 rockets, which are unguided or “dumb” rockets fired from helicopters that could help Ukraine weaken entrenched Russian ground positions, Reuters reported. Weapons will be pulled from existing U.S. stocks so they arrive on the front lines in haste, marking the 37th drawdown of Department of Defense (DOD) inventories since August 2021, the Pentagon said in a statement. “Unfortunately, we see no signs that Russia is preparing to stop its attacks on the Ukrainian people. That’s why we are committed to continuing to help Ukraine protect its people against Russian aggression,” Adam Hodge, a spokesman for the National Security Council, recently told The Wall Street Journal. Russia fired cruise missiles at Ukraine overnight on Tuesday as it staged a scaled-down May 9 “Victory Day” parade in Moscow, Reuters reported. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv’s air defenses shot down 23 of the 25 missiles launched at the capital city, and that there were no casualties. Zelenskyy also said Russian forces failed to capture the long-embattled city of Bakhmut by the self-imposed May 9 deadline, according to Reuters.
How Much Aid Has the U.S. Sent Ukraine? Here Are Six Charts. Six graphics illustrate the extraordinary level of support the United States has provided Ukraine this past year in its war against Russian invaders. Article by Jonathan Masters and Will Merrow Last updated February 22, 2023 9:00 am (EST) A Ukrainian serviceman carries an artillery shell. Marko Djurica/Reuters Every year, the United States sends billions of dollars in aid—and much more than any other country—to beneficiaries around the world in pursuit of its security, economic, and humanitarian interests. Heading into 2022, U.S. foreign assistance was driven by various priorities of the Biden administration, including combating climate change, responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, and countering authoritarianism. But since Russia’s invasion in February of that year, Ukraine has become far and away the top recipient of U.S. foreign aid. It’s the first time that a European country has held the top spot since the Harry S. Truman administration directed vast sums into rebuilding the continent through the Marshall Plan after World War II. More on: Ukraine Foreign Aid United States Military Operations Since the war began, the Biden administration and the U.S. Congress have directed more than $75 billion in assistance to Ukraine, which includes humanitarian, financial, and military support, according to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, a German research institute. The historic sums are helping a broad set of Ukrainian people and institutions, including refugees, law enforcement, and independent radio broadcasters, though most of the aid has been military-related. Dozens of other countries, including most members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the European Union, are also providing large aid packages to Ukraine. Just How Much Aid Has the U.S. Sent to Ukraine? Bilateral aid to Ukraine between January 24, 2022, and January 15, 2023 View attachment 314475 Total: $76.8 billion Humanitarian $3.9 billion (5%) Emergency food assistance, health care, refugee support, and other humanitarian aid Financial $26.4 billion (34%) Budgetary aid through the Economic Support Fund, loans, and other financial support Security assistance $18.3 billion (24%) Training, equipment, weapons, logistics support, and other assistance provided through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative Total military $46.6 billion (61%) Weapons and equipment $23.5 billion (31%) Weapons and equipment from Defense Department stocks, provided through presidential drawdowns Grants and loans for weapons and equipment $4.7 billion (6%) Grants and loans provided through the Foreign Military Financing program Note: Aid has primarily been provided through appropriations bills. This chart only covers aid to Ukraine and so does not include all U.S. spending related to the war. Source: Antezza et al., Ukraine Support Tracker, Kiel Institute for the World Economy. Much of the aid has gone toward providing weapons systems, training, and intelligence that Ukrainian commanders need to defend against Russia, which has one of the world’s most powerful militaries. Many Western analysts say the military aid provided by the United States and other allies has played a pivotal role in Ukraine’s defense and counteroffensive against Russia. U.S. and allied leaders consider Russia’s invasion a brutal and illegal war of aggression on NATO’s frontier that, if successful, would subjugate millions of Ukrainians; encourage Russian President Vladimir Putin’s revanchist aims; and invite similar aggression from other rival powers, especially China. Still, Ukraine has requested certain advanced equipment, such as fighter aircraft, that the United States and other donor governments have been unwilling to provide, worried that doing so could escalate the war. NATO allies are particularly wary of being pulled directly into the hostilities, which would dramatically raise the risk of a nuclear war. However, as the fighting has progressed, they have steadily shed their reluctance to give Ukraine more sophisticated assets, such as battle tanks. At the one year mark of the war, the Biden administration had provided or agreed to provide Ukraine with a long list of defense capabilities, including Abrams battle tanks, anti-aircraft missiles, coastal defense ships, and advanced surveillance and radar systems. How Ukraine Is Tapping the U.S. Arsenal U.S. security assistance between January 20, 2020, and February 20, 2023 Infantry arms and equipment Air defense 8,500 Javelin anti-armor systems 1 Patriot air defense battery and munitions 54,000 other anti-armor systems and munitions 8 NASAM systems 1,600 Stinger anti-aircraft systems 12 Avenger air defense systems 2,500 TOW missiles 2 HAWK air defense units and munitions 13,000 grenade launchers and small arms, with ammunition Laser-guided rocket systems RIM-7 missiles 75,000 sets of body armor and helmets Antiaircraft guns and ammunition Thousands of night-vision devices, surveillance systems, thermal imagery systems, optics, and laser rangefinders Equipment to integrate with and sustain Ukraine’s systems C-4 and other explosives Air-to-ground missiles Explosive-ordnance-disposal equipment High-speed anti-radiation missiles (HARMs) M18A1 Claymore mines Precision aerial munitions Mine-clearing equipment and systems 4,000 Zuni aircraft rockets (could function as air defense) Obstacle-emplacement equipment Medical supplies Field equipment and cold-weather gear Manned aircraft Chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear protective equipment 20 Mi-17 helicopters 350 generators Explosive drones Artillery 700 Switchblade drones 160 155mm Howitzers and ammunition 1,800 Phoenix Ghost drones 72 105mm Howitzers and ammunition 30 120mm mortar systems and ammunition 10 82mm mortar systems Surveillance drones 10 60mm mortar systems 15 ScanEagle unmanned aerial systems 152mm, 122mm, 120mm, and 25mm ammunition Puma unmanned aerial systems 38 HIMAR systems 50,000 122mm Grad rockets Coastal defense Precision-guided rockets 2 Harpoon coastal defense systems Tanks and armored carriers 58 coastal and riverine patrol boats 109 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles Unmanned coastal defense vessels 4 Bradley Fire Support Team vehicles 31 Abrams tanks Radar and communications 45 T-72B tanks (via the Czech Republic) 4 satellite communications antennas 90 Stryker armored personnel carriers 2 radars for unmanned aerial systems 300 M113 armored personnel carriers 18 air surveillance radars 250 M1117 armored security vehicles 70 counter-artillery and counter- mortar radars 100 armored medical-treatment vehicles 500 MRAP vehicles 20 multi-mission radars 125mm tank ammunition Tactical secure communications systems Counter air defense capability Ground support vehicles Counter-unmanned aerial systems 1,700 Humvees Electronic jamming equipment 334 tactical vehicles SATCOM terminals and services 100 light tactical vehicles 44 trucks Satellite services 88 trailers Commercial satellite imagery services 10 command post vehicles 30 ammunition support vehicles 6 armored utility trucks And a Partrige in a Pear Treeeee . . . Source: U.S. Department of Defense. When compared with the U.S. military assistance to other top recipients, including Afghanistan and Israel, the extraordinary scale of this aid comes into view. Likewise, when compared with the critical support to Ukraine from other countries, the magnitude of U.S. aid stands out. However, some European governments, such as Latvia and Estonia, are making larger financial contributions to Ukraine relative to the size of their own economies. Jacqueline Jedrych contributed research to this article.
(laughs) Would have to give credits where it's due. That would be a badass. Walkin around and waving to be bombed.