Russian invasion of Ukraine

[Iphie]

No, both the US and the EU have been, up to now, playing relatively nice with Russia, freezing assets but not outright sanctioning them.

But with this, and the EU transferring frozen Russian assets to Ukraine, looks like they're tired of Russia's shit now.

Not? Do you mean russia the state?

[Corvus]

That impact's gonna leave a mark

That's a collapse alright.

My first thought was that you meant the bridge. Sadly it wasn't to be.

Speaking of, though, there are reports that Russia has sent its only built s-500 unit to protect the bridge. And those things are expensive - $2.5 billion for the unit in 2023. It is still really a prototype so I guess they must be really worried to send it.

[Iphie]

My first thought was that you meant the bridge. Sadly it wasn't to be.

Speaking of, though, there are reports that Russia has sent its only built s-500 unit to protect the bridge. And those things are expensive - $2.5 billion for the unit in 2023. It is still really a prototype so I guess they must be really worried to send it.

Give it time, Ukraine is shaping the battlefield and that S-500 won't change that. In fact I'm sure that when it goes down the S-500 goes with it.

[Corvus]

Sign up bonuses in some regions of Russia are now hitting 1 million rubles or even higher. Guess some regions are finding it harder to meet their quotas.

[zealo]

No point being in a defensive alliance that can't/won't defend you.

The CSTO died the moment Russia had its hands to full to do anything.
Wonder if Armenia will look to China for a defensive pact or NATO.

Trying to leave the Russian sphere of influence has proven to be a dangerous prospect to do alone.

Iran is probably a bigger reason for why Azerbaijan has yet to move on Armenia directly than Russia with CSTO were, tbh.

That's not exactly an ideal security arrangement for Armenia, but beggars cant be choosers.

[Kaleredar]

Sign up bonuses in some regions of Russia are now hitting 1 million rubles or even higher. Guess some regions are finding it harder to meet their quotas.

Does offering more of an increasingly worthless currency really have that much of an appeal?

[Iphie]

Does offering more of an increasingly worthless currency really have that much of an appeal?

If you never travel outside of russia then the value doesn't matter. Simply put as long as the internal value doesn't get ridiculous it's all fine. It's only a problem for those who travel or who do external trading.

[Gorsameth]

I think the chance of death and a complete inability to spend that money (and no, they won't send it to your widow when you die on your first week of duty) is a bigger issue then its value relative to the dollar.

[Poopymonster]

If you never travel outside of russia then the value doesn't matter. Simply put as long as the internal value doesn't get ridiculous it's all fine. It's only a problem for those who travel or who do external trading.

Payment produced upon your successful return from your tour(s)!

[Odinfrost]

Am at work, so no comment other than: Really hope this will do something and not just be symbolic

https://www.reuters.com/world/us-ukr...or-2024-06-13/

[Corvus]

The deal is meant to include more Patriot batteries and fighter squadrons. As in plural.

Plus an agreement has been reached to loan Ukraine $50 billion of frozen russian money.

[alach]

Well you guys beat me to it for the big news.

I'll just link another source and give the credit to you.

Ukraine-Russia war: Putin to deliver speech after US and Ukraine agree major 10-year security agreement - and Russia suffers 'astronomical' losses

Vladimir Putin will make a speech at Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs meeting today after the US and Ukraine signed a 10-year security deal. Meanwhile, a NATO official has told European Pravda Russia likely suffered losses of almost 1,000 people a day in May.

The $50bn support package agreed by G7 leaders today is "game-changing", Rishi Sunak has said.

The UK prime minister said it would support Ukraine on the battlefield and in its economic reconstruction - but would also send a "signal" to Vladimir Putin.

"The signal that will send, the deterrence, is as important as the actual practical support and that has been what we've been focused on," he said.

Mr Sunak said the money would be provided by the G7 as a loan and then secured against profits of seized Russian assets.
Biden and Zelenskyy sign 10-year security agreement
Joe Biden and Volodymyr Zelenskyy have signed a 10-year bilateral security agreement aimed at providing support for Kyiv as it defends itself against the Russian invasion.

The agreement was signed on the sidelines of today's G7 summit.

It establishes that the two governments will meet within 24 hours at senior levels to discuss any response in the event of an armed attack against Ukraine.

It's also seen as "supporting a bridge to Ukraine’s eventual membership in the NATO alliance," the text said.

Also I want to add some news that seems to have gone under the radar (pun intended) that could turn out to be a big deal in the near future.

From the ISW

Ukrainian forces may be conducting an effort aimed at degrading Russian air defenses, which, if successful, could enable Ukraine to more effectively leverage manned fixed-wing airpower in the long run. The Ukrainian General Staff reported on June 12 that Ukrainian forces targeted one S-300 air defense battery and two S-400 air defense batteries near occupied Belbek and Sevastopol, Crimea overnight on June 11 to 12.[1] The Ukrainian General Staff reported that the strikes destroyed at least two S-300/S-400 Russian air defense radar systems and caused secondary ammunition detonations, and that the Ukrainian military is clarifying battle damage.

Ukrainian forces may seek to actively degrade Russian air defenses before Ukraine receives a significant number of aircraft in order to set conditions for Ukraine’s future use of manned fixed-wing airpower closer to frontline areas. Ukrainian forces may be attempting to degrade Russian air defenses ahead of anticipated F-16 fighter jet deliveries to Ukraine, which reportedly will begin in small quantities in summer and fall 2024. Ukrainian forces may be able to eventually work towards a concept of operations that combines fixed-wing airpower to support ground operations if the Ukrainian military receives a sufficient number of fighter jets, Western partners train enough trained pilots, and if Ukraine succeeds in degrading Russian air defense capabilities.

I think I read somewhere that Crimea now has no active air defense batteries in operation.

Oh and heres a follow-up on what Iphie posted a couple days ago with the stock exchange.
New US sanctions force end of dollar and euro trading on Russia’s main exchange

New US sanctions against Russia have caused an immediate suspension of trading in dollars and euros on the country’s leading financial marketplace, the Moscow Exchange.

The exchange, also known as MOEX, and the Russian central bank rushed out statements Wednesday, a public holiday in Russia, within an hour of Washington announcing a new round of sanctions aimed at cutting the flow of money and goods to sustain Moscow’s war in Ukraine.

“Due to the introduction of restrictive measures by the United States against the Moscow Exchange Group, exchange trading and settlements of deliverable instruments in US dollars and euros are suspended,” the central bank said.

The move means banks, companies and investors will no longer be able to trade either currency via a central exchange, which offers advantages such as better liquidity and oversight.

And finally some more evidence of Ukraine shaping the battle to come.

The Russian Army’s Best Long-Range Radio Vehicles Bounce Signals Off The Troposphere. Somehow, Ukrainian Commandos Hunted One Down.

Unlike many Western armies, the Russian army can’t always count on having access to satellites for long-range communication. So the Russians mostly rely on an alternative to satellite radio: ground-based radios that bounce signals off the troposphere, the vapor-filled layer of the atmosphere with an average altitude of around nine miles.
These radio-relay vehicles are a pricey and precious resource. Which is why, on or just before Thursday, the Ukrainian special operations command hunted down, and destroyed with an explosive drone, one of the Russian army’s newest R-416GM relay vehicles—and then celebrated the destruction on social media.

“For the first time in the history of this war, [an] R-416GM, a modern Russian mobile communication station, was destroyed by [Ukrainian special] operators,” the ministry crowed.

[Gorsameth]

Makes sense for Ukraine to increasingly target AA installations when they are receiving F-16's.

[Corvus]

With the conference coming up in Switzerland, pootie has come out and said that no negotiations can start until Ukraine withdraws from the 4 regions russia 'annexed' and commit to never joining NATO, and if they don't agree russia will keep adding new conditions.

[Saradain]

With the conference coming up in Switzerland, pootie has come out and said that no negotiations can start until Ukraine withdraws from the 4 regions russia 'annexed' and commit to never joining NATO, and if they don't agree russia will keep adding new conditions.

Like an abusive relationship. And in this case, sign of desperation. "We're losing, and if you don't give us the victory right now, we will keep losing for an extended period of time!"

[Endus]

With the conference coming up in Switzerland, pootie has come out and said that no negotiations can start until Ukraine withdraws from the 4 regions russia 'annexed' and commit to never joining NATO, and if they don't agree russia will keep adding new conditions.

Ukraine should negotiate that back to just agreeing to not join NATO, sign off on it, and then return the favor Russia gave them with the treaty that they'd never attack Ukraine that was signed back when the Soviet Union collapsed. Just immediately join NATO. Fuck 'em. What're you gonna do now that they're a NATO country, fuckwit? Go on, attack them for breaking the treaty, see what happens.

[Odinfrost]

With the conference coming up in Switzerland, pootie has come out and said that no negotiations can start until Ukraine withdraws from the 4 regions russia 'annexed' and commit to never joining NATO, and if they don't agree russia will keep adding new conditions.

I wonder what other funny conditions we get.
I want to see putput squirm in anger

[Mazza]

With the conference coming up in Switzerland, pootie has come out and said that no negotiations can start until Ukraine withdraws from the 4 regions russia 'annexed' and commit to never joining NATO, and if they don't agree russia will keep adding new conditions.

It's just more of the "Look, we want peace, we want to be reasonable, it's these guys we invaded that don't" posturing, tbh.

[Vampiregenesis]

tactical nukes are coming?

Putin issued an ultimatum to Europe and he threatens to take new measures. I think this is very serious.

[Fuiking]

tactical nukes are coming?

Putin issued an ultimatum to Europe and he threatens to take new measures. I think this is very serious.

he has issued a series of ultimatums and measures before.. didnt go far did he?