#russia moving reserve forces

[herukapadmajungiansworld]

Noah Smith agrees with Kamil Kaleev

#russia moving reserve forces #ukraine : meatgrinder of the russian cannon fodder #russia will crack first #ukraine resistance #defend ukraine #help ukraine #ukraine war #putin war ukraine russia #vladimir putin war criminal #i stand with ukraine

[ukrainenews]

The wall of a major dam in southern Ukraine collapsed Tuesday, triggering floods, endangering Europe’s largest nuclear power plant and threatening drinking water supplies as both sides in the war rushed to evacuate residents and blamed each other for the destruction.

Ukraine accused Russian forces of blowing up the Kakhovka dam and hydroelectric power station on the Dnieper River in an area that Moscow controls, while Russian officials blamed Ukrainian bombardment in the contested area. It was not possible to verify the claims.

The potentially far-reaching environmental and social consequences of the disaster quickly became clear as homes, streets and businesses flooded downstream and emergency crews began evacuations; officials raced to check cooling systems at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant; and authorities expressed concern about supplies of drinking water to the south in Crimea, which Russia illegally annexed in 2014.

Both Russian and Ukrainian authorities brought in trains and buses for residents. About 22,000 people live in areas at risk of flooding in Russian-controlled areas, while 16,000 live in the most critical zone in Ukrainian-held territory, according to official tallies. Neither side reported any deaths or injuries.

The dam break added a stunning new dimension to Russia’s war in Ukraine, now in its 16th month. Ukrainian forces were widely seen to be moving forward with a long-anticipated counteroffensive in patches along more than 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) of front line in the east and south.

It was not immediately clear whether either side benefits from the damage to the dam, since both Russian-controlled and Ukrainian-held lands are at risk. The damage could also hinder Ukraine’s counteroffensive in the south and distract its government, while Russia depends on the dam to supply water to Crimea.

Patricia Lewis, director of the International Security Program at Chatham House think tank in London, said apportioning blame is difficult but “there are all sorts of reasons why Russia would do this.”

“There were reports (last fall) of Russians having mined the reservoir. The question we should pose is why the Ukrainians would do this to themselves, given this is Ukrainian territory,” she said.

Experts have previously said the dam was suffering from disrepair. David Helms, a retired American scientist who has monitored the reservoir since the start of the war, said in an e-mail that it wasn’t clear if the damage was deliberate or simple neglect from Russian forces occupying the facility.

But Helms reserved judgement, also noting a Russian history of attacking dams.

Authorities, experts and residents have expressed concern for months about water flows through — and over — the Kakhovka dam. After heavy rains and snow melt last month, water levels rose beyond normal levels, flooding nearby villages. Satellite images showed water washing over damaged sluice gates.

Amid official outrage, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he convened an urgent meeting of the National Security Council. He alleged Russian forces set off a blast inside the dam structure at 2:50 a.m. (2350 GMT Monday) and said about 80 settlements were in danger. Zelenskyy said in October his government had information that Russia had mined the dam and power plant.

But Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called it “a deliberate act of sabotage by the Ukrainian side … aimed at cutting water supplies to Crimea.”

Both sides warned of a looming environmental disaster. Ukraine’s Presidential Office said some 150 metric tons of oil escaped from the dam machinery and that another 300 metric tons could still leak out.

Andriy Yermak, the head of Ukraine’s President’s Office, posted a video showing swans swimming near an administrative building in the flooded streets of Russian-occupied Nova Kakhovka, a city in the Kherson region where some 45,000 people lived before the war. Other footage he posted showed flood waters reaching the second floor of the building.

Ukraine’s Interior Ministry urged residents of 10 villages on the Dnieper’s right bank and parts of the city of Kherson downriver to gather essential documents and pets, turn off appliances, and leave, while cautioning against possible disinformation.

The Russian-installed mayor of occupied Nova Kakhovka, Vladimir Leontyev, said it was being evacuated as water poured into the city.

Ukraine’s nuclear operator Energoatom said in a Telegram statement that the damage to the dam “could have negative consequences” for the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, which is Europe’s biggest, but wrote that for now the situation is “controllable.”

The U.N.’s International Atomic Energy Agency said in a statement there was “no immediate risk to the safety of the plant,” which requires water for its cooling system.

It said that IAEA staff on site have been told the dam level is falling by 5 centimeters (2 inches) an hour. At that rate, the supply from the reservoir should last a few days, it said.

The plant also has alternative sources of water, including a large cooling pond than can provide water “for some months,” the statement said.

Ukrainian authorities have previously warned that the dam’s failure could unleash 18 million cubic meters (4.8 billion gallons) of water and flood Kherson and dozens of other areas where thousands of people live.

The World Data Center for Geoinformatics and Sustainable Development, a Ukrainian nongovernmental organization, estimated that nearly 100 villages and towns would be flooded. It also reckoned that the water level would start dropping only after five-seven days.

A total collapse in the dam would wash away much of the broad river’s left bank, according to the Ukraine War Environmental Consequences Working Group, an organization of environmental activists and experts documenting the war’s environmental effects.

Mykhailo Podolyak, a senior adviser to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said that “a global ecological disaster is playing out now, online, and thousands of animals and ecosystems will be destroyed in the next few hours.”

Video posted online showed floodwaters inundating a long roadway; another showed a beaver scurrying for high ground from rising waters.

The incident also drew international condemnation, including from German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, who said the “outrageous act … demonstrates once again the brutality of Russia’s war in Ukraine.”

Ukraine controls five of the six dams along the Dnieper, which runs from its northern border with Belarus down to the Black Sea and is crucial for the country’s drinking water and power supply.

Ukraine’s state hydro power generating company wrote in a statement that “The station cannot be restored.” Ukrhydroenergo also claimed Russia blew up the station from inside the engine room.

Leontyev, the Russian-appointed mayor, said numerous Ukrainian strikes on the Kakhovka hydroelectric plant destroyed its valves, and “water from the Kakhovka reservoir began to uncontrollably flow downstream.” Leontyev added that damage to the station was beyond repair, and it would have to be rebuilt.

Ukraine and Russia have previously accused each other of targeting the dam with attacks.

#ukraine #war in ukraine #russia #kakhovka dam #nova kakhovka #zaporizhzhia nuclear plant #crimea

[ghelgheli]

agree with everything you said but iran is not imperialist. ethnonationalist theocracy sure but where are you getting imperialism from. empire =\ imperialist, would you call russia imperialist?

The Iranian state is not even half a century removed from being a formal empire: Pahlavi Iran was "The Imperial State of Iran" and recalled imperial possessions lost to Tsarist Russia another century prior. But setting aside nomenclature, which is fickle and floats—It's exactly that ethnonationalism which forms the logic of what I have been calling imperialism, even if there are not formal imperial possessions involved.

The consolidation of "irani" national identity through the 19th century went together with heightening of the core's exploitative and even colonial relationship to its periphery. This relationship can be traced back centuries to the earliest period of "reclaimed" Iranian rule of the region in the case of e.g. the forced displacement of Kurds to Khorāsān under early 16th century Safavid shahs. With the latest, industrial stage of Iranian statecraft and nation-building, the economic nature of this exploitation has been accelerated and what autonomy the peripheries previously had is restrained by the growing military apparatus the IRI commands.

The country's oil reserves are heavily concentrated in the province of Khuzestan, home to the city of Ahwaz/Ahvaz and most of the nearly two million or so Iranian Arabs. This is a region that is obviously of great economic significance. Strikes in 1978 played a major role in precipitating the fall of the Pahlavi dynasty, and in a pattern that will be familiar to the people who know, many of the communists and worker's parties responsible were put down by the subsequent IRI that owed its existence to them. Labour rights in the region remain suppressed; little of the wealth extracted from factories there is seen by the ethnic minorities that compose much of the working population, making its way instead to the private monopolies of the core; Ahwaz itself is sickeningly and dangerously polluted as reward for the riches it yields. What is this exploitation but imperialism?

And what of the constant harassment and material extortion of Kurdish kolbars carrying goods across the mountains in Kurdistan? The pāsdārān/IRGC often "confiscate" the possessions of people working to move essential wares within their families and communities, if they don't kill them outright, citing border violations if they make any excuses at all. This only exacerbates the ongoing economic deprivation of both Rojhilat/Iranian Kurdistan and Kurds in nearby parts of greater Kurdistan, whose economies and societies are disrupted by the border. Seems pretty imperialist to me.

Meanwhile, the national hero Qassem Soleimani is in fact reviled by many of the people who actually lived in those regions of Syria and Iraq that were his remit. He was known not only for his opposition to US imperialism and campaigns against Da'esh, but also for overseeing violence against protesters in the region and serving as the figurehead of Iranian intervention in local people's movements. Exertion of military force on other nations beyond the boundaries of the state, in the interest of developing its political and economic sphere—what would you call this?

Don't misunderstand me: the solution is not reactionary intervention in Iran, and anyone who tries to leverage these facts to advocate for US-collaborationist separatism is just a would-be comprador. But the political economy of Iran relies on an ongoing imperialism that is only the latest stage of an imperial legacy.

#ask answer #vatan #iran #no comment on the russia part of the ask #whereof one cannot speak thereof one must be silent etc etc

[mariacallous]

The U.S. Congress has delayed supplemental assistance to Ukraine for seven months, and the lack of urgency is resulting in dire new realities on the battlefield. With Ukrainian forces fortifying the front line ahead of a new Russian offensive expected in the spring or early summer, a failure to swiftly resupply Ukraine’s troops with ammunition could result in Russia’s greatest gains since the early days of the full-scale invasion.

Policymakers in Washington have mostly accepted that Congress won’t pass a bill that includes new aid to Ukraine until April at best, once another budget deadline is addressed. This timeline is entirely the choice of U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, who has repeatedly given new excuses for dithering on bringing an aid package—which has already passed the Senate—to a vote. The delay has in no small part contributed to Russia gaining the advantage on the battlefield. If Ukraine is to stop Russia from making significant gains in this coming offensive, it urgently needs fresh military assistance.

Because the United States stopped delivering new aid to Ukraine last December and Kyiv’s European partners have also struggled to provide sufficient military assistance, Russia now fires more than five artillery shells for every one that is fired by Ukraine, an advantage that continues to grow. Ukraine’s air defenses intercepted just two-thirds of Russian missiles and drones during a recent attack, reflecting declining effectiveness. Ukrainian deaths resulting from ammunition and air defense shortages are getting worse every day.

Although some policymakers regard the conflict as frozen, Russia wants to get on the move and resume its conquest of Ukraine—and it may make that happen. Moscow’s initial invasion in February 2022 was stymied by poor preparation and Ukrainian determination, but its troops have learned valuable lessons and are not the same fighting force as two years ago. Russia withstood Ukraine’s 2023 counteroffensive and has worked to set the conditions for a potential breakthrough this year.

While Ukrainian forces are fortifying their positions and otherwise readying themselves for an offensive, they have now spent months with limited ammunition and military support. They have not prepared to the same extent that Russia had for Ukraine’s counteroffensive last year. Recent operations, especially in the city of Avdiivka, have reportedly drained Russia’s supply of armored vehicles and could limit Moscow’s ability to move quickly and capture territory if its forces break through Ukrainian lines. Still, without fresh aid, and especially ammunition, battlefield conditions are likely to favor Russia.

Although Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky won’t come out and say it for fear of jeopardizing U.S. aid, many Ukrainians are concerned the United States is turning its back on them. Officials in Kyiv worry that without significant increases in ammunition supplies, Russia will make significant gains by the summer. Their best hope is to hold the line as long as possible while U.S. lawmakers finish deliberating whether to resume helping. Russian President Vladimir Putin isn’t waiting for Washington’s timeline.

Ukraine needs immediate assistance to resupply and prepare for coming Russian offensives. The best way to prevent Moscow from making meaningful gains in the months ahead is for the U.S. House of Representatives to pass the $61 billion supplemental aid package, or something similar. This would not only help Ukraine, but it would also inject tens of billions of dollars into revitalizing the U.S. defense industrial base, creating new jobs, and enhancing U.S. security. The next best options are for the White House to tap further into the $4.2 billion in Presidential Drawdown Authority-accessible funds it has in reserve in case supplemental aid fails altogether.

In Europe, the Czech Republic-proposed plan to source 800,000 artillery shells from the global market is expected to move forward, with ammunition being delivered to Ukraine in the “foreseeable future,” according to Ukraine’s foreign minister. (France recently removed its objection to using EU funds to purchase non-European arms.) This will be another important asset for Ukraine’s defense this year. But Ukrainian officials are requesting up to 250,000 artillery shells per month, meaning that this latest infusion of shells may only resupply Ukraine’s forces for three months without serious rationing.

The next few months will be critical to Ukraine’s defense, and its partners need to get serious about long-term support that can help Kyiv set the conditions for victory and start working to match Moscow’s expanding arsenal. While the U.S. House is deliberating, Russia is rearming. It has received more than 3 million artillery shells from North Korea, more than 400 ballistic missiles from Iran, and built factories to churn out its own kamikaze drones. It is also on track to produce millions of its own artillery shells per year.

Russia has shifted to a wartime economy. The conflict has spurred massive demand for military goods within the country. The exodus of nearly 1 million Russians since the full-scale invasion has led to a labor shortage, causing wages to rise and unemployment to fall. The Kremlin is spending 30 percent of its budget on the military, injecting significant money into the economy to keep things afloat. Russia is betting that it will make significant gains on the battlefield before it succumbs to hyperinflation and unsustainable spending. This week, Putin said it would be “ridiculous” to consider peace talks when Ukraine has an ammunition deficit and the prospect of a Russian breakthrough is on the horizon.

Amid other global developments, the United States has not been able to fully meet Ukraine’s needs. After the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks against Israel, the United States diverted artillery shells intended for Ukraine to Israel because there weren’t enough to adequately supply both countries at the same time. Washington is working to revitalize its own defense industrial base; should the supplemental aid bill pass the House, it will fuel new investments into restarting important production lines. Even then, the U.S. goal is to produce up to 100,000 artillery shells per month by the end of 2025—significantly below the 250,000 per month already produced by Russia.

Eastern European leaders such as Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis have long advocated for a “whatever victory takes” approach, and their governments deliver aid to Ukraine commensurate with that vision. More European leaders are catching up, recognizing the need to dramatically boost their own defense production. The EU’s top defense production official announced that the bloc now has the capacity to produce 1 million artillery shells per year, but Europe has delivered only one-third of the 1 million shells it promised to Ukraine by this spring.

The EU’s new Defense Industrial Strategy, the first of its kind, is a promising roadmap to revitalizing Europe’s production capacities, including a pledge to include Ukraine in joint procurement and an endorsement of using frozen Russian assets to aid Ukraine militarily. With increasing fears that the United States could step back from Ukraine—especially if former U.S. President Donald Trump wins the U.S. presidential election in November—European leaders are gaining a stark understanding of the urgent need to revamp their defense production.

By delaying aid for months and giving Russia time to fortify the territory it occupies, Western partners did not set Ukraine up for success with last year’s counteroffensive. Ukraine needs a new strategic vision as it refreshes military leadership and digs in to resist the coming Russian offensive. This should be a year for Ukraine to survive, reconstitute, and set the conditions for a successful breakthrough of Russian lines in 2025. But that can only happen if Kyiv receives the aid it so urgently needs. If Russian forces exploit the West’s failure to resupply Ukrainian forces, Russian forces may soon be back on the march, reconquering cities liberated by Ukraine in 2022.

Ukrainian troops have shown that they can win when they have the tools to do so. But if Ukraine is kept on a starvation diet as support falters in the West, Russian forces may soon see their best gains in the conflict since 2022. Ukraine’s victory is in the strategic and moral interests of the United States and Europe, and it’s time for policymakers to treat it that way.

[ammg-old2]

The Wagner Group, a mercenary force that is effectively an arm of the Putinist state, has been very good at meddling in the politics of countries other than Russia—and ensuring that its preferred regime either takes or stays in power. Before Wagner’s fighters became infamous over the past few months for their extremely brutal attacks on the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, the group honed its expertise in political control mainly in Africa, supporting governments that served its interests in the Central African Republic, Sudan, and Libya, among other states.

In that light, what we’ve witnessed over the past 24 hours has every appearance not of a spontaneous mutiny but of an extremely well-planned attempt to manipulate President Vladimir Putin and even threaten his rule. Within a day, what looked like a pretty far-fetched stab in the dark evolved into a military incursion approaching the gates of Moscow. This has resulted, the latest developments suggest, in a deal with Wagner’s leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin. If that agreement meets one of his central demands—the removal of Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov—that would potentially give Prigozhin greater say over the Russian war effort.

What has become clear is how well plotted this operation was. Putin’s onetime caterer of choice, Prigozhin has emerged as one of the most ruthless operators in the Russian oligarchy—and this political move is perhaps his pièce de résistance.

What can we tell so far? Prigozhin’s preparations for this operation—at least as a contingency plan—must have been in the works for months. Military supplies, including armored vehicles and air-defense systems, had to be stockpiled and moved into place inside Russia itself. All of Prigozhin’s very public complaining about being deprived of supplies by the Russian military now appear to have involved an element of crocodile tears. Prigozhin and his supporters were not only able to send a significant military force into action last night, but they also had a logistical network to back it that was capable of moving hundreds of miles in a day. The Russian army now trying to resist Ukraine’s counteroffensive probing must be looking on in envy.

The timing of the plot seems shrewdly chosen. The Ukrainian counteroffensive began in earnest almost three weeks ago, and the bulk of the Russian army—an estimated 80 to 90 percent of its strength—has been deployed to Ukraine. Much of that force has already seen combat, and a significant portion of its reserves are also now in the field. At the same time, the Ukrainians have gone to great lengths to degrade the Russian army’s logistical capacity in Ukraine.

The consequence of all this was that Putin could not easily draw upon those forces to hold Wagner off. He would have had to order Russian troops facing Ukrainian attacks to retreat—potentially weakening points in Russia’s defensive line. And even if he had ordered them back into Russia, that movement would have taken many days, and more likely weeks, to have a significant effect.

Even an efficient army faces real challenges taking troops out of action, shipping them to a new location, and redeploying them into action. And one thing we can say about the Russian army today is that it is not particularly efficient.

So Prigozhin’s timing seems optimal. Putin would have had to either try to get by with the relatively small number of troops left in Russia—whose loyalty and willingness to fight for him appear in question—or accept the risk and delay of ordering frontline troops to leave Ukraine. (The troop shortage Putin faces seems evident from the fact that the quickest force sent into action has consisted of troops under the orders of the Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov.)

If Prigozhin was careful in both his preparations and his timing, he also selected ideal locations for his operation. The first two large cities his forces appeared in, Rostov and Voronezh, are among the most important transportation hubs for the Russian army in Ukraine. These cities, with their large railway systems, have been used to stockpile military equipment. By seizing control of them, Prigozhin planted his boot on the windpipe of the Russian army.

Whether the Wagner fighters felt that they could count on wider support remains a mystery, but striking, almost shocking, was the lack of organized military resistance to Wagner’s maneuvers—even as the group’s motorized military column advanced on Moscow itself. The operation seems to have faced just a handful of mostly ineffective attacks, but very little evidence of organized resistance on Putin’s behalf. According to some reports, Wagner shot down much of the aerial-attack force sent against it, including six Russian helicopters and one fixed-wing aircraft. This would equal Russia’s losses on some of the heaviest days fighting against Ukraine.

For now the question of whether Prigozhin will benefit from all of this planning remains. Reports have emerged that Putin has been forced to cut a deal with Prigozhin, brokered by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, to call off the Wagner Group. The details are still emerging, but the plain fact that Putin was willing to settle after calling Prigozhin a criminal earlier in the day is telling. If he agrees to sacrifice Shoigu and Gerasimov, that will be even more significant—and a triumph for Prigozhin. But if, after the Wagner Group’s withdrawal, Shoigu and Gerasimov are still in place, all of Prigozhin’s planning might have been in vain. In that case, he will soon have to start making new plans—if he wants to stay alive.

#current events #politics #russian politics #russo-ukrainian war #2022 russian invasion of ukraine #russia #yevgeny prigozhin #vladimir putin #sergei shoigu #wagner group

[markofthelie]

My Destiny 2 OCS:

Zhevnâh, Lucent Deserter

Hive Wizard || Stormcaller Warlock

As a daughter of Savathûn, she possessed immense potential and innate magical abilities, shaping her destiny as a formidable Hive wizard. However, unlike her brethren, Zhevnâh chose a different path, defying the expectations placed upon her and turning her back on her hive and her mother.

When she deserted the Lucent Brood, she took her mate and children with her to the Cosmodrone where they currently reside.

Zhevnâh possesses a profound intellectual curiosity, a trait that she has inherited from her mother. She yearns for knowledge and seeks to unravel the mysteries of the universe, delving deep into the lore and secrets that lie hidden within the realms of Light and Darkness. Her insatiable thirst for knowledge often leads her down unexplored paths and drives her relentless pursuit of understanding.

Zhevnâh's relationship with her Ghost, Krekrak, is crucial to her development. Krekrak serves as her steadfast companion and confidant, supporting her through the trials and tribulations she faces. The bond between them is characterized by trust, loyalty, and a shared understanding of their unconventional existence.

In combat, Zhevnâh is a force to be reckoned with. She wields the powers of the Hive with deadly precision, conjuring dark magic and devastating spells to vanquish her foes. Her connection to the Darkness provides her with an innate understanding of its secrets, enabling her to manipulate and twist its power to her will. Despite her proficiency in the dark arts, Zhevnâh is not afraid to incorporate unconventional methods and adapt to unexpected situations.

Mel'keth, the Abyssal Blade

Hive Knight | Mate of Zhevnâh

Mel'keth shares a deep bond with his mate, Zhevnâh, forged through shared experiences and a mutual desire for liberation from the Lucent Hive

His loyalty primarily lies with his mate, whom he cherishes above all else. While he is initially reserved and cautious, his connection to Zhevnâh has unlocked a tender and compassionate side, allowing him to show vulnerability and care for his loved ones.

He wears a tattered, dark crimson cloak that signifies his renegade status and serves as a reminder of his past allegiance.

Mel'keth wields a massive, two-handed Hive sword, infused with the essence of the Hive deities, granting him the ability to channel devastating hive magic through its strikes. He possesses a unique ability to corrupt and manipulate the Light, enabling him to siphon energy from Guardians and repurpose it for his own dark purposes.

Eliza Thornewood

Human | Nightstalker Hunter

Eliza was revived in the Cosmodrone, an old space station within the ruins of Old Russia by a Ghost she later named Virgil.

She bears a striking resemblance to the legendary Iron Lord, Lady Jolder. Her strong, athletic frame showcases a combination of grace and power, reflecting her exceptional combat skills. Because of her striking resemblance to Jolder, she has grown closer to Lord Saladin.

Eliza's combat style reflects her versatile nature as a Nightstalker Hunter. Whether engaged in close-quarters combat or precise long-range attacks, she moves with the fluidity and grace of a seasoned warrior. Her proficiency in the art of the Void allows her to manipulate its energies, conjuring ethereal, purple-tinged bows that strike true with deadly accuracy.

She possesses a stoic and observant demeanor, her piercing gaze reflecting the depths of her knowledge and experiences. She is often found deep in thought, contemplating the intricate interplay between light and darkness, and the delicate balance necessary to preserve the fragile equilibrium of the universe. Her calm and collected nature allows her to make calculated decisions, even in the most chaotic of situations, earning her the respect and trust of her allies.

However, Eliza's bond with Rasputin was not without sacrifice. The loss of the Warmind deeply affected her, leaving her with a lingering sense of grief and a newfound determination to protect humanity at all costs. She strives to honor Rasputin's sacrifice by continuing to fight the encroaching darkness and safeguarding the secrets and knowledge she gained from her connection.

Eliza wears a gold ring with the symbol of the Warmind engraved in it on her right hand as a reminder of her lost partner.

#destiny oc #destiny hive #destiny headcanons #destiny hunter

[warningsine]

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that those on "path of treason" or armed rebellion will be "punished" after the head of the Wagner paramilitary group said his troops had taken control of military facilities in two Russian cities, plunging the country into crisis.

"Renegade actions against those fighting in the front is a stab in the back of our country," Putin said in an address to the nation, pledging a harsh response and punishment to those who plan "an armed rebellion."

Putin was speaking after militia chief and once close ally Yevgeny Prigozhin dramatically escalated his feud with Moscow's security establishment over their handling of the war in Ukraine.

Prigozhin, who heads private military group Wagner, pledged to blockade the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don and move on to Moscow if Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Russia's top general Valery Gerasimov did not meet with him in the city, where Russia's Southern Military District is headquartered.

In his remarks Putin described events in Rostov as an insurrection.

"The situation in Rostov-on-Don remains difficult during the armed uprising. In Rostov, the work of civil and military administration is basically blocked," Putin said.

Prigozhin's actions come after he accused Russian forces of striking a Wagner military camp and killing "a huge amount" of his fighters – a claim Russia's Ministry of Defense has denied and called an "informational provocation."

Prigozhin, whose forces have played a key role in Russia's invasion of Ukraine, warned of retribution in a series of Telegram messages Friday and Saturday, where he announced his forces were moving into the Rostov region neighboring Russian-occupied Ukraine, ready to "destroy everything" in their way.

"There are 25,000 of us and we are going to find out why there is such chaos in the country.

"There are 25,000 of us waiting as a tactical reserve and a strategic reserve.

"It's the whole army and the whole country, everyone who wants to, join us. We must end this debacle," he said, in a radical escalation of a longstanding feud with Russia's military leaders.

Russia's domestic intelligence service, Federal Security Service (FSB), responded on Friday, urging Wagner fighters to detain their leader and opening a criminal case against the militia boss accusing him of "calling for an armed rebellion."

Authorities in the capital Moscow, meanwhile, tightened its security measures.

Russian intelligence official, Lt. Gen. Vladimir Alekseev, posted a video about Prigozhin's actions that day, describing it as a coup attempt.

"Only the president has the right to appoint the top leadership of the armed forces, and you are trying to encroach on his authority. This is a coup d'etat. There is no need to do this now, because there is no greater damage to the image of Russia and to its armed forces," he added.

Prigozhin denied his acts were a coup, saying instead they were a "march of justice" that would "not interfere with the troops in any way."

Russia on alert

Prigozhin has asserted that his forces would receive wide backing from Russian soldiers, claiming they were given a hero's welcome when they entered the Rostov region and that by Saturday morning 60-70 had already joined up with his fighters.

"The border guards came out to meet and hugged our fighters," he said.

Military activity became obvious in Rostov-on-don Saturday morning, when images began emerging on social media of military vehicles going through the streets of Rostov-on-don and helicopters ahead Saturday morning, though it was not clear whose control they were in.

Rostov region Governor Vasily Golubev earlier Saturday asked residents to stay calm and not leave their homes in a Telegram post.

The Rostov region is about 1,000 kilometers from Moscow. Its capital Rostov-on-Don has a population of around 1 million.

In the first suggestion of open armed conflict between the two sides Saturday morning, Prigozhin on Saturday said his units were hit by a helicopter on a highway. It's unclear exactly where the units were.

"The Wagner units are intact, the helicopter is destroyed and is burning in the forest," Prigozhin said, adding "we will take it as a threat and destroy everything around us."

Prigozhin also claimed a second helicopter was downed after it attacked civilians.

CNN has been unable to verify any of Prigozhin's claims.

Prigozhin also said the alleged Wagner take-over of military facilities in Rostov would not impede military operations, saying his men are not stopping the officers from carrying out their duties.

In Moscow, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said Saturday on Telegram that "anti-terrorist" measures to strengthen security were being carried out in the capital as a result of "incoming information."

"Additional control on the roads has been introduced. Limitations on holding the public events are possible," he added.

Social media posts showed military vehicles were seen driving around the main streets of the Russian capital in the early hours of Saturday.

Ukraine invaded under 'false pretenses'

Wagner has played a prominent role in the Ukraine war, and Prigozhin, so far, has faced few consequences for his public feud with Russia's military leadership – where he has accused Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and armed forces chief Valery Gerasimov of not giving his forces ammunition.

Prigozhin and Wagner have played an unusual and informal role in Putin's Russia.

He has known the president since the 1990s; both are from St. Petersburg.

Prigozhin won valuable contracts as the Kremlin's caterer and later set up the Russian troll farm known as the Internet Research Agency, whose mission was to interfere in the US 2016 election.

Earlier on Friday, Prigozhin furthered his ongoing dispute with military leaders in a highly critical video interview where he said Moscow invaded Ukraine under false pretenses devised by the Russian Ministry of Defense, and that Russia is actually losing ground on the battlefield.

Prigozhin has previously defended the reasoning for the war but has been critical of how it has been handled by the Minister of Defense, Shoigu – with whom he is directly fighting with over military contracts.

Russia's top commander in Ukraine, Sergey Surovikin, on Friday urged Wagner mercenary fighters to "stop" and to "obey the will" of Putin in a Telegram video.

"You can't play into the hands of the enemy in this difficult time for the country," he said.

Meanwhile, Russians watching State news TV channel Russia 24 had their evening programming interrupted with a message from the Russian Ministry of Defense saying Prigozhin's claims "do not correspond to reality and are intended to misinform."

The fallout from his comments also inspired a wave of schadenfreude in Ukraine.

"Classical Russian poetry… Tumultuous times are coming," wrote Mykhailo Podolyak, an advisor to Ukraine's presidential office, wrote on Twitter.

#russia #wagner group #vladimir putin #ukraine #news

[zvaigzdelasas]

The European Union is planning a five-fold increase in financial support to an African military mission in Mozambique, an internal EU document shows, as Islamist attacks threaten gas projects meant to reduce the EU's reliance on Russian energy.

The energy squeeze due to the Ukraine war has added impetus to Europe's scramble for gas off Mozambique's northern coast, where Western oil firms are planning to build a massive liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal.

The move also comes as the West seeks to counter Russian and Chinese influence in the southern African nation, three years after Russian private military firm Wagner withdrew most of its forces following a string of defeats by Islamist militants. A southern African military mission and a separate intervention by troops from Rwanda have between them managed to contain the militants' spread since being deployed last year.[...]

Mozambique has been grappling with militants linked to the Islamic State in its northernmost gas-rich province of Cabo Delgado since 2017, near LNG projects worth billions of dollars.

The mission is expected to be extended for six or twelve months at a SADC summit in Kinshasa starting on Wednesday, according to the document, which adds that EU support for the Rwandan mission would also be proposed in the coming months.

An EU spokesperson confirmed additional financial support to the SADC mission had been proposed, but declined to comment further as the matter was still being discussed by EU governments.[...]

A SADC official also confirmed a request for EU support, but added SADC countries would continue to provide key financial support to the mission. French oil giant Total (TTEF.PA) is leading an international consortium to extract gas off north Mozambique's shores and liquefy it at an LNG plant under construction, from where it would be exported to Europe and Asia. Mozambique has the third largest proven gas reserves in Africa, after Nigeria and Algeria. The EU fears that without support for the military interventions, Mozambique may again lose control of its restive north. The EU has already pledged to provide the country's army with an additional 45 million euros ($45 million) of financial support, and has so far made available to the SADC mission 2.9 million euros of funding [...] Despite delays caused by militant activity, Total still plans to begin production in 2024 from gas reserves estimated in trillions of cubic feet (tcf), more than the amount of gas the EU imports annually from Russia.

Italian oil firm ENI (ENI.MI) expects to begin shipments from a nearby offshore gas field this year, using a floating LNG terminal which can process only limited amounts of gas.

Other major oil firms, including U.S. giant ExxonMobil (XOM.N) are also operating in the region.

The funding is also meant to discourage local authorities from seeking help again from Russia, or from China.

The EU is also supporting the training of Mozambique military forces through its own defence mission in the country.

16 Aug 22

[herukapadmajungiansworld]

#russian volunteers #tigr batallion #60 years old plus volunteers #russian army lost young men #russia moving reserve forces #russia will crack first #ukraine resistance #ukraine war #putin war criminal #defend ukraine #i stand with ukraine

[ukrainenews]

Daily Wrap Up November 22, 2022

Under the cut:

Russia’s Gazprom has threatened to cut its gas flows to Europe via Ukraine as early as next week. In a statement, the Russian state-owned energy giant said some gas flows being kept in Ukraine were actually meant for Moldova, and accused Kyiv of obstructing the delivery of 52.52m cubic metres from transiting to Moldova. Ukraine has denied the allegations.

The head of Ukraine’s national power grid operator, Ukrenergo, has described the damage dealt to Ukrainian power-generating facilities by Russian missile attacks as “colossal”. Volodymyr Kudrytskyi, the chief executive officer of Ukrenergo, told a briefing that practically no thermal or hydroelectric stations had been left unscathed by the Russian attacks.

Iranian, Ukrainian experts meet to discuss Russia’s use of Iranian drones.

Russia's attacks on the liberated southern city of Kherson killed three people on Nov. 22, Oleksandr Leshchenko, the head of the civil protection department of the Kherson City Council, told Suspilne media outlet.

“Russia’s Gazprom has threatened to cut its gas flows to Europe via Ukraine as early as next week.

In a statement, the Russian state-owned energy giant said some gas flows being kept in Ukraine were actually meant for Moldova, and accused Kyiv of obstructing the delivery of 52.52m cubic metres from transiting to Moldova.

It said:

The volume of gas supplied by Gazprom ... for transit to Moldova via Ukraine is more than the physical volume transmitted at the border of Ukraine with Moldova.

It went on to say that would “begin reducing gas supply” on Monday 28 November if the “transit imbalance through Ukraine for Moldovan consumers persists”.

The Ukraine pipeline is the last remaining pipeline still bringing Russian natural gas to western Europe after Gazprom shut off its flows via Nord Stream 1.

Ukraine has denied the allegations, saying that all the gas volumes bound to Moldovan consumers have been transferred “in the full amount”.”-via The Guardian

~

“The head of Ukraine’s national power grid operator, Ukrenergo, has described the damage dealt to Ukrainian power-generating facilities by Russian missile attacks as “colossal”.

Volodymyr Kudrytskyi, the chief executive officer of Ukrenergo, told a briefing that practically no thermal or hydroelectric stations had been left unscathed by the Russian attacks.

Kudrytskyi said:

The scale of destruction is colossal. In Ukraine there is a power generation deficit. We cannot generate as much energy as consumers can use.

He said Ukrainians could face long power outages but that his company wanted to help provide the conditions for people to stay in the country through winter.

Ukraine had enough fuel reserves after building them up before Russia’s invasion, he said, and was working hard to repair damaged infrastructure but was hoping to secure some spare parts abroad.

He dismissed the need to evacuate civilians, after Ukraine’s deputy prime minister Iryna Vereshchuk announced on Monday the evacuation of residents from recently liberated areas of the Kherson and Mykolaiv regions.

People from the two southern regions, which were shelled regularly by Russian forces in the past months, have been advised to move to safer areas in the central and western parts of the country, amid fears that the damage to infrastructure caused by the war is too severe for people to endure the winter.

Asked about the proposals to evacuate some cities worst hit by energy shortages, Kudrytskyi said such calls were “inappropriate”.”-via The Guardian

~

“The World Bank will give $4.5 billion in additional aid to Ukraine to help it “sustain essential services and core government functions at the national and regional levels” while fending off Russian forces, according to a statement.

The money, provided by the US, will help “pay wages for hospital workers, government and school employees, pensions for the elderly, salaries for public servants, and social programs for the vulnerable,” the World Bank said in a statement.

“Amid the ongoing war and the escalating destruction of infrastructure, our commitment to deliver urgent assistance to the people of Ukraine is strong as ever,” said World Bank Group President David Malpass.

“This generous additional grant from the United States comes at a critical time as the country faces severe energy supply disruption and colder weather. The World Bank Group will continue to mobilize all available resources to help the Government of Ukraine meet vital needs for its citizens," Malpass added.”-via CNN

~

“Ukraine has informed Iran that the consequences of complicity in the Russian aggression will be incommensurable with the potential benefits of cooperation with Russia,” Oleh Nikolenko, a spokesman for Ukraine's Foreign Ministry, told CNN.

A spokesperson for the Iranian Mission to the UN previously told CNN that a request had been made for a “joint meeting of experts” to look into the accusations.

The Washington Post reported on Nov. 19, citing intelligence, that Iran and Russia had “quietly” reached an agreement to assemble “hundreds of unmanned weaponized aircraft” on Russian territory.

Russia has been using Iranian-made Shahed-136 kamikaze drones against Ukraine since September, launching waves of attacks that killed civilians and destroyed energy facilities nationwide.”-via Kyiv Independent

~

“Russia's attacks on the liberated southern city of Kherson killed three people on Nov. 22, Oleksandr Leshchenko, the head of the civil protection department of the Kherson City Council, told Suspilne media outlet.

According to Suspilne, 12 sites have been hit in Kherson as of 3:30 p.m.

Russia has been repeatedly striking at civilian infrastructure in the city on Nov. 21-22, according to multiple reports by local officials.

Ukraine liberated Kherson on Nov. 11, after eight months of the Russian occupation.”-via Kyiv Independent

#Daily Update #Ukraine #Russia #War in Ukraine #Kherson #gazprom #iran #World Bank #US

[nicklloydnow]

“Russia may be forced to use a nuclear weapon if Ukraine’s counteroffensive succeeds, senior Russian official Dmitry Medvedev said Sunday – the latest in a series of nuclear threats made during Moscow’s invasion by the key ally of President Vladimir Putin.

“Just imagine that the offensive… in tandem with NATO, succeeded and ended up with part of our land being taken away. Then we would have to use nuclear weapons by virtue of the stipulations of the Russian Presidential Decree,” said Medvedev, the deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, in a Telegram post.

(…)

Last April, he warned of Russian nuclear expansion should Sweden and Finland join NATO. Helsinki joined the defense alliance later that month, while Stockholm’s path to NATO membership was cleared earlier this month after Turkey dropped its objections.

In September, Medvedev said strategic nuclear weapons could be used to defend territories incorporated into Russia from Ukraine.

(…)

“The loss of a nuclear power in a conventional war can provoke the outbreak of a nuclear war,” Medvedev wrote on Telegram in January. “Nuclear powers do not lose major conflicts on which their fate depends.

(…)

Medvedev’s remarks Sunday again raise the possibility that Russia could potentially lose the war following nearly 18 months of attrition – a rare admission from a senior Russian official.

(…)

Last month, Putin said Russia had moved a first batch of tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus, claiming they were placed there for “deterrence.”

Speaking at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Putin said the rest of the tactical nuclear weapons Russia intends to move to Belarus would be transferred “by the end of the summer or by the end of the year.”

(…)

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said last month that in the face of aggression, he would show “no hesitation” in using the Russian tactical nuclear weapons stationed on Belarusian soil.

But the senior DIA officials said they do not believe Lukashenko would have any control over the arsenal. It would most likely be entirely controlled by Russia, the officials said.

Russia has about 4,477 deployed and reserve nuclear warheads, including around 1,900 tactical nuclear weapons, according to the Federation of American Scientists.”

#russia #russia ukraine conflict #russia ukraine war #putin #medvedev #nuclear weapons #nuclear war #wwiii

[sneakerdoodle]

Some information on mobilization in Russia and who is getting targeted by conscription

the sources are in Russian; i will be giving summaries in English, and please feel free to use Google Translate to verify what i say

people in Chechnya, a region occupied by Russia through Chechen wars and suffering from intense levels of political oppression from the Russia-endorsed governor Ramzan Kadyrov (citizens, especially LGBTQ+ people, routinely kidnapped and murdered by the police)

~150 Chechen women* protested on September 21st, against war and for the safety of their children. dozens were detained, and their sons* picked off by the police and blackmailed into signing a "volunteer" contract to be sent to war under the threat to their parents' safety. Kadyrov has confirmed that information and reinforced his threates to any future protesters. people are being openly viciously punished for anti-war demonstrations by having their loved ones sent to fight.

on top of that, other people from "lists" kept by Chechen law enforcement are getting kidnapped and blackmailed into signing contracts (source in English). this is technically not mobilization bc they are being forced into becoming "volunteers", but we all understand this is all the same, right?

people from central and eastern regions, which get economically exploited by the government, specifically with populations largely comprised of oppressed ethnic minorities. a lot has been heard from Buryatia specifically. most targeted are small villages "with no press or opposition"

in Crimea, 80% of the mobilized so far are Crimean Tatars, a politically oppressed ethnic minority; that is 80% when they make up only 20% of the overall population

people detained at anti-war and anti-mobilization protests. cases of detained protesters receiving conscription notices were reported on the first day of protests, September 21st, and today, September 24th.

There is no set pattern of conscription that would exclude any group (it was expected people over 35 would not be the first to get conscripted, for example, but there have been many many cases of people over 50 who should not be listed in the reserve at all getting called in); it is all random and unregulated, law is feeble protection and promises from government even more so.

HOWEVER, it is already clear that this is hitting people from the already most neglected, exploited, underpriveleged groups the hardest. People "with higher education working in IT" are expected to be cleared of conscription, for one, and there will most likely be cases that show that is not at all a guarantee, but this absolutely sets a general trend of who is seen as disposable: lower-class people in regions, and people of non-slavic descent

I've seen some people here express contempt of those protesting against mobilization because "they are only waking up now that it's to save their skins", and saying they have no compassion for those trying to avoid it. I would really really ask people to reconsider that statement, seeing how the russian government is throwing citizens already routinely exploited by it into its imperial war.

Also, whatever people are moved by in their protest or attempts to escape the country, I think we should maybe all agree that Russia not getting more soldiers is a good thing? If you want to celebrate people staying in a deeply corrupt dystopian state to rot bc in your opinion they deserve that for not challening it earlier, you will also be celebrating the corrupt dystopian state receiving more taxes and fines from detainees, more SOLDIERS, and more people to brainwash. also, have i mentioned, MORE SOLDIERS.

#russia #war

[emotionalsupportcatboy]

Day 2: Hurt/Comfort | RusLiet

CW: Mentions of abuse, Fluff

AO3 LINK

Tolys woke with a start. He was sweating, but rather than with anxiety, for the first time in a good while, he was filled with rage and resentment for the only man he could feel that towards.

Ivan not only tormented him in his waking world, but in his sleep as well -- a place meant to be reserved for Tolys himself, and whatever friends he trusted, or loved, enough to allow there with him. Unsurprisingly, the Russian he was forced to live with was not included among them.

When he pushed himself up from the bed, he could see Eduard and Raivis were still fast asleep, and judging from the amount of light coming through the curtains, the morning was still quite young. He had plenty of time to sleep yet, but he wasn't tired. He knew Ivan slept little. He knew he would be awake and likely about at this time of night. His dream had left him feeling pissed, and he was determined to give the Russian a piece of his mind, damned be the consequences.

Tolys was quiet getting into his slippers and sneaking out of the room. He closed the door carefully behind him, staying mindful that Raivis was a light sleeper, before heading down the hallway toward Ivan's room. It was unlikely he would actually be in there, and Tolys didn't have the key to check this early in the morning, but it was common for the taller man to spend many of his morning hours in his study doing god knows what sort of work. Though, when Tolys arrived, he didn't see light shining out from the gap below Ivan's bedroom door or study, so, carried quickly by his ever increasing rage, he turned down another way toward the main room.

It wasn't uncommon for Ivan to simply exist in the living room. Tolys had caught him there plenty of times, though, he usually didn't do much. The Russian tended to zone out or talk to himself when he thought he was alone, Tolys noticed, and he could stay doing that for a long time. Lithuania was quite sure he had watched him not move from his spot on the couch for over an hour, and the inhumanness of his behavior had chilled Tolys to the core. 

It didn't really surprise him, though. After all, Ivan wasn't human and didn't act it either. Of course, none of them were humans, they were nations, but Ivan was a monster. Tolys had never known him well enough to truly judge him until Ivan had taken him from Feliks all those years ago, but to this day, the Russian seemed to feel nothing. He hurt Tolys and the other Baltics without hesitation and with a smile. He didn't seem to have hobbies, dreams, aspirations, anything. Maybe as a child he had been different, but now, he was nothing but a machine that worked entirely at the will of whichever boss controlled him at the time.

The strong winter winds howled harshly against the windows, rattling the house as Tolys walked through it, only continuing for a short while longer until he found Ivan exactly where he had expected to. The Russian was turned away from him and wouldn't see him approach, so first he did so slowly, quietly, as he realized he wasn't even sure what he planned to say to Ivan. His rage had clouded his judgement, and now that he was here, he had to take his time to properly think, which seemed impossible in the moment. As he paused, though, he noticed something peculiar...

Ivan seemed to be making noise, which itself wasn't too unexpected (he talks to himself, after all). The weird part was that he was sniffling. He was sobbing, even. As Tolys got a better look at him, he noticed the way Ivan's shoulders trembled and how he held his face in his hands. Tolys' heart sank at the way the Russian was curled up on the couch, his posture seeming defensive with his knees pulled close to his chest. The sight caused the buildup in Tolys' stomach to loosen and the beat of his heart to slow. Whatever revolutionary spirit he'd had quickly faded once he had seen Ivan so defenseless. So vulnerable.

"Mr. Russia..." Tolys breathed out in shock, not having intended to actually speak, and realizing it was too late when the words had left his lips. Ivan had whipped his head around, his eyes slightly reddened and lashes wet with tears.

"Tolys—"

The Lithuanian took a step back, his hands held up in front of him in defense. He had no idea how Russia might react to being seen like this. He had never shown much emotion before, but perhaps that was purposeful. Maybe Ivan didn't want Tolys to see him this way and Tolys had certainly been punished for less.

"Sir, I- I'll forget this ever happened- I'm sorry to intrude!" Oh, where had the courage he'd had just seconds ago run off to? 

"Tolys, come here." Ivan sniffled, his tone uncharacteristically pitiful.

Of course, Tolys obeyed with only a few moments of hesitation. He walked around in front of the Russian, only sitting beside him once Ivan had motioned for him to do so. 

Then, Ivan resumed. He cried into his hands for a little while longer, occasionally blowing his nose into the tissues he kept on the coffee table. Otherwise, they were both silent for quite a long time and Tolys' anxiety only increased with the seconds. He stared down at his trembling hands to try to keep himself focused, but he was beginning to get so uncomfortable with the man beside him that it was beginning to grow difficult to wrestle with his urge to just get up and run. Just sitting here in anticipation was somehow worse than Ivan just outright hitting him or shouting at him. He hoped it would be over soon.

And over soon it was.

Ivan eventually calmed down from his crying, and only a few moments after spoke in a quiet, shaky voice.

"I don't like the way wind rattles the house. It makes me feel lonely." he turned to look at Tolys, and the brunette didn't think he'd ever seen Ivan so miserable. So human. "Does it upset you too, Tolys?"

What kind of question was that?

"Ah... Well... It certainly isn't a comforting sound, I suppose?" He tried to answer Ivan's question to the best of his ability, and flinched when it came out sounding like question itself. Ivan didn't seem to care though, and simply turned to lean back on the couch, sighing and staring at the wall ahead. 

"I love my home, I love it here, but winter always brings many bad memories." Ivan wiped a few tears from his eyes, and the sad smile that spread across his face seemed to take Tolys' breath away. "Perhaps now, since I have such good friends, I could make some better ones."

Tolys knew Ivan meant him, and despite how much Ivan had put him through, and despite how much he knew he hated Ivan, it was starting to get uncomfortable to see him like this.

So Tolys, without thinking, got up from the couch and headed to the kitchen. He hadn't even realized he hadn't asked the Russian's permission to leave until he was already there, but since Ivan hadn't protested, he'd hoped it was fine. He left some watter out to boil on a kettle before arranging a little plate of cookies that Ivan often enjoyed eating. When the water was ready, he poured it into a couple cups, putting in two teabags in one and one in the other. Ivan liked his tea strong, and with a couple sugar cubes on the side rather than in the drink. 

Tolys poured a hint of milk in both teas before bringing everything out to Ivan and sitting down beside him once again. Ivan glanced down at the plate and the mug before looking over again at Tolys. There was a soft smile on his lips and a sparkle in his eyes that seemed to be contagious, as the Lithuanian soon came to realize that he couldn't hold back his own grin to see the other man so genuinely happy.

"How sweet of you, Tolys. I... Wish you hadn't seen me this way." Before Tolys could respond, a particularly strong gust of wind rattled the house, and Ivan seemed to tense up, pulling his scarf up over his nose for comfort. Though he could not see it, Tolys was sure the smile had been wiped off his lips, and without thinking, the Lithuanian shuffled closer, resting his hand gently on Ivan's shoulder.

"Don't worry! I, ahah, really don't mind! Not at all!" Though, he was sure it wasn't about it inconveniencing Tolys. "Seriously. It'll be okay. Whatever you're thinking about it over now. You... You have friends, now." He knew he would regret saying that one day. He knew it when he had hesitated to say it, but it seemed to force its way past his lips regardless.

Nothing could have prepared Tolys, though, for Ivan wrapping his arms around him in a tight hug. He froze, unsure what to do with himself - and more importantly, his arms - so rather than hug the other man back, he held them out stiffly and awkwardly as he tried to process what was even going on.

"My sweet Tolys," Ivan spoke with a brand softness that was all too new to the Lithuanian, but as of the last few minutes, it seemed as if the other man were full of surprises. "You really are such a good friend to me. We are lucky to have each other, yes?"

"Of course." His voice cracked.

"Then, will you hug me too?"

The question Ivan asked him was one he would have expected to have been laced with malice if he had read it on paper. It was the sort of question that most often wasn't actually a request, but a threat of if you don't do as I ask, something bad will happen to you. Except, this time Tolys was detecting none of that, and with only a moment's hesitation decided to wrap his arms around Ivan in turn, not too tightly, but not as loosely as he might have if he truly hadn't wanted to.

Tolys supposed it would be best to only let go once Ivan had done so, so when the Russian didn't release him for a long time, Tolys still clung to him, surrounded by his now comforting warmth, the beating of his heart filling the brunette's ears. His initial adrenaline he'd had upon waking had long since worn off by now, and the less than ideal amount of rest he'd gotten was beginning to catch up to him. He had begun to nod off in Ivan's strong arms, and his thoughts had begun to warp and act of their own accord as he drifted off to sleep.

When he woke up again, it had felt like he had only been asleep for a few moments, and alarm filled him as he realized he'd fallen asleep on Ivan. He looked around, panicked, before realizing he couldn't move. He was still trapped in Ivan's arms, though this time, he was on top of him. The Russian wore a gentle smile as he snored softly in his sleep, and as Tolys turned his head to glance at the half eaten plate of cookies on the coffee table, he allowed himself to rest his head once again on Ivan's chest, its gentle rise and fall slowly soothing him down once again.

Perhaps one day he would really give Ivan a piece of his mind... but for tonight, he didn't mind this sort of closeness. As the cold wind howled against the dark world outside, his eyes closed once again, a warmth finding its way into his heart as he found comfort in Ivan's arms.

#hwsrarepairweek2022 #hws russia #hws lithuania #rusliet #hetalia fanfiction

[constantly-deactivated]

_Vladimir Putin has dramatically escalated the Ukraine war again by raising his nuclear combat readiness and bolstering his troops by >350,000

PUTIN will spend ‘whatever it takes’ on the military, ‘improve the combat readiness of our nuclear triad’ and increase his troop numbers from 1.15 million to >>>1.5 million.”<<<

 Putin is priming his military for a major offensive that reportedly will include two of NATO’s newest members, Finland and Sweden.

In the strategic moves the Russian Military is planning on advancing on Finland and Sweden.

With the war escalation heading into nuclear standoff and MAJOR Nations already deploying Nuclear hypersonic missiles... On thing is certain

>RUSSIA has NO END insight to oil and gas reserves that run the massive Russian Military operations. On the other hand the EU is on the brink of FULL energy crises and on the back channels Germany, and FRANCE are asking Russia for gas and oil .......and Poland, Italy and Hungary are openly resisting the EU . NATO War front against Russian.

_____

_PUTIN giving a public speech on the failure of the Russia forces in Ukraine is worrisome to the Pentagon, as they known PUTIN is very intelligent with resources and the message was codes as Military COMMS to get ready to ATTACK

//// The Russian chess moves along with Saudi oil , Russian Oil, being removed from EU and COLLAPSING the Energy grid....was strategically placed....... As EU had exhausted their weapons stock reserves and now they have no oil, gas to secure a Military victory////

After the great Great [ MASSIVE] ATTACK by Russia COMING January... And remnants of a collosal EXPOSURE of a failed NATO,EU front impends.....>All that remains is the NUCLEAR EVENT>>>> AS U.S. EU. NATO WILL pull their threat of NUCLEAR ASSAULT against Russian

And CHNIA WILL Back RUSSIA with NUCLEAR power and GLOBAL super FORCES will ALL join in the NUCLEAR EVENT STANDOFF<<<< ( I had been warning so long about this EVENT coming....... And how this EVENT will.  END NATO. UN WILL BE EXPOSED AND A RECONSTRUCTION of these regimens is EXPECTED as the DEEP STATE OPERATORS are chambered into KILLBOX )

Q was right

[ SCARE] NECESSARY EVENT

_______

TRUMP WAS A GENIUS+ MIL. Q ALLIANCE

that pushed for no WARS during 2016-2020

As TRUMP was in office...... Why was this a genius move???????

Because WARS are the SYSTEM to world wide money laundering and when TRUMP stopped the WARS>> the CABAL DEEP STATE couldn't funnel the Trillions through their WAR MONGERING money OPERATIONS and an Immediately the collapse began inside the deep state CABAL families,,,,,... And the only way to regain the money was through an early release of the PLANDEMIC ( this too early release causes so much problems and confusion which was a large part of GAME THEORY OPERATIONS, which caused the[ DS] to trap themselves inside major mistakes... As crypto, ECT ECT ECT ECT ECT ECT ECT ECT ECT mistakes ECT ECT ECT ECT ECT ECT ECT)////.

_____

On this day on December 23 Christmas Eve 2016 The U.S. military and world Q ALLIANCE c jointly conducted milm OPERATIONS through Italy and KILLED most other MAJOR heads of the CABAL families that operated the VATICAN. ROTHSCHILDS families that run European BANKS.. ECT ECT ECT... The 13 families of ITALY were almost all executed in the MASS OPERATIONS and TRILLIONS TRILLIONS in Gold was recovered by the U.S.

...... The OPERATIONS seized all computers. Phones. Servers ect ect...... And a few months LATER TRUMP went to the VATICAN and stayed two days showing the pope, the nights of MALTA.jesuits KAZARIAN the EVIDENCE and boxes rooms full of EVIDENCE on human TRAFFICKING . Satanic rituals and the cabal world corruption money laundering operations

And everything they had ever done was documented and seized....... And after this the Pope signed over all ASSETS to TRUMP.. U.S. military which housed all the Gold seized from the 2016 13 families raid.... And was stored in Cheyenne mountain ♟️.... Months after the VATICAN went bankrupt.

You have more than you know... Q

You don't know it yet but the head of the serpent has been chopped off. We're in a mop up situation with the lower level deep state minions screwing everything up. 🤔

Merry Christmas 🎄

#pay attention #educate yourself #educate yourselves #wake the fuck up #wake up #wake up america #wake up people #wake up world #do your own research #do your research #do some research #do your homework #spiritual knowledge #knowledge is power #exposing the truth #think about it #think for yourself #think for yourselves #spiritual ascension #spiritual alignment #spiritual wisdom #spiritual war #spiritual world #spiritual warfare

[mariacallous]

It has been nearly 50 years since the United States moved away from drafting members into military service. Since the Vietnam War ended, an all-volunteer force has kept America safe at home and abroad. During this period, volunteer numbers for military service have seen ups and downs, but recent reports indicate we may be near a historical low point for interest in military service.

Although some services report more significant challenges in recruiting than others, all need help to recruit enough members to sustain active duty and reserve numbers. The Army is the worst off, missing its fiscal year 2022 recruiting goal by 25%, and may need to cut its overall force size by 10,000 personnel in 2023 due to a lack of accessions. The Navy did better, falling short by only several hundred personnel. The Air Force and Marine Corps met 2022 numbers but only by dipping into pools of deferred candidates who would have typically entered service in 2023, putting both services at a deficit to start the new year. Compounding all of this is the fact that Reserve and National Guard forces, which augment the active-duty force, are also struggling to recruit.

With little intervention, numbers will decrease even more due to the lack of qualified candidates willing to volunteer for military service. Fewer qualified candidates will have significant implications for national security and fixing the problem will require significant changes.

The time to act is now, and there are two options. One is instituting nationally required service, like in other countries worldwide. Service could take several forms, from compulsory military service, akin to previous drafts, to compulsory civil service, with military service being one option. While national service of any form should be encouraged, two data points should lead us away from the required service option. Periods when the United States forced people into military service during previous conflicts, and the impacts on both the military forces and the public’s support of the military, should cause concern. To be clear, many Americans drafted into the military served honorably and rightfully deserved recognition from a grateful nation but never received it in some cases. However, sending military members compelled to serve into harm’s way is much different from sending people that are volunteering to serve.

Second, it would be unwise not to take notice of the recent challenges on the battlefield and domestically in Russia, as Russians are forced into military service in Ukraine. Although direct comparisons between the United States and Russia are challenging and each situation unique, people could expect comparable results with forced military service in any country. From a practical standpoint, compulsory military service is extremely likely to have significant pushback from the general population, become highly divisive, and is unlikely to be implemented nationally. Should the United States be involved in a major war, reinstating the draft may be necessary. Short of total war, the all-volunteer force, which has ensured safety and prosperity for the past 50 years, should be maintained at all costs.

We must revamp military accessions and recruiting based on practicality and necessary force effectiveness. With only 25% of the target population for military service able to meet accession standards, the services compete with each other and private industry for the same talent. There are two ways to address this issue: either change the requirements so more people are eligible or make more people able to meet the requirements. Pursue both in short order.

To be clear, do not lower the standards arbitrarily to increase accessions. However, the military services should more frequently review the standards. Examples of this include the Navy recently raising its age limit and the Air Force revisiting if a failed drug test is an ultimate disqualifier. In both cases, current dismissed candidates could become viable candidates with additional screening. Adjusting the standards in both directions should be an ongoing process.

The military has historically relied upon available eligible candidates and has not done much to make candidates eligible. This approach no longer works, and a key component to saving the all-volunteer force will be finding ways to make ineligible candidates who still want to volunteer become eligible. Body weight and aptitude are two areas where motivated candidates with help have now met the requirements through the Army’s Future Soldiers Preparatory Course, a pilot pre-boot camp course designed to address these issues. The services must consider these added costs for an all-volunteer force with volunteers in short supply.

Initial assessments of the Army initiative are positive, and expanding this program should be done nationally. The Department of Defense could run this program more efficiently than having every service run a separate program. Successful graduates would still proceed to service-specific accession points. For members facing body weight issues, implementing a program through a national fitness chain using in-person or virtual coaching might also reduce costs associated with housing and transportation.

A significant impact of the pandemic diminished access to potential recruits and the visibility of recruiters in the community. High schools and public gatherings closed or moved to virtual environments, making it harder for recruiters to attend school and community events. Rebuilding recruiting networks will require additional time, resources, personnel, and access to high schools, colleges, and public gatherings. The COVID-19 restrictions have eased, but all the services appear slow to send more recruiters to the field and open more recruiting offices. Recruiters need more locations than they currently have. If the nearest recruiting office is an hour away, it will impede recruiters from connecting with communities and building quality relationships. Overcoming this will require more people in the field and more field offices. One solution could be having Guard, Reserve, and active duty service branches in the same offices and establishing more recruiting centers driving down overall costs.

While GI Bill benefits are a tremendous incentive for military service, many private entities are now offering education assistance to their employees. GI Bill benefits do little for potential recruits who have already incurred student loans before joining the military. The Navy offers up to $65,000 in student loan repayments for new recruits. The other services could follow this approach. Enlistment bonuses are up to $50,000 in some cases, which may help get more volunteers interested in military service, but this cannot be the long-term solution to military recruiting challenges.

Military recruiters must find new ways to market the benefits of military service better. Historically, this involved recruiting videos and posters appealing to a sense of adventure and camaraderie. We should not completely abandon this approach. However, the benefits the military recruiters must emphasize are medical care, educational opportunities, and the blended retirement system’s post-service financial benefits, short of full military retirement. People care about these things, which have been historically underappreciated in our society and not marketed well.

In 2019, Congress granted the service secretaries the authority to award career credit to highly qualified civilians and enable lateral entry into service as a mid-grade officer. Each service will approach this authority differently by the nature of its differing missions. However, the lateral entry initiative illustrates the types of solutions and flexibility necessary to address the current recruiting challenges.

Last, the military services should, in parallel, look at ways to retain more members in the service, both active and reserve. These are members who have already volunteered and in whom the United States has invested significant resources to train and equip. Every member who remains in the service decreases the need for new recruits and defers the cost of training a recruit. The most vivid example of this “recruit and replace” model is the Marine Corps, which annually discharges roughly 75% of first-term enlistment Marines, driving a yearly recruiting goal of more than 30,000 personnel for a 172,000-person force.

Making continued service more attractive is difficult, as no single issue causes members to leave the military. While recent 2022 midyear housing allowance adjustments and 2023 pay raises are helpful, more than pay alone is needed to win the retention battle. The military must also continue efforts to improve housing, provide childcare, address sexual assault, and make educational benefits more accessible. Initiatives acknowledging evolving demographics and generational expectations through extended parental leave, offering career intermission options, and reduced frequency of military moves also deserve consideration. There is much that can be done to improve military service satisfaction by reducing time consuming administrative burdens, decreasing cumbersome procurement requirements, and facilitating easier access to family and medical care. Although hard to quantify, these issues go a long way in improving quality of life and giving members more reasons to join or stay in the military. Military and civilian leaders at all levels impact recruiting and retention and now is the time for bold action to save and sustain the all-volunteer force.

#I am sharing this purely because I found it interesting and thought provoking #although I am also more hawkish than the average tumblr user

[beardedmrbean]

Berlin — Police clashed Tuesday with climate change activists occupying a tiny town in Germany that's set to be engulfed by a large coal mine. Several hundred activists moved into the town of Luetzerath weeks ago, after its residents moved out and energy giant RWE took ownership of all of its buildings and land. RWE has been approved to demolish the hamlet to expand a nearby mine and extract the lignite (brown coal) reserves under the town.

The activists have resisted efforts to clear them from homes and makeshift shelters, including tents and treehouses, in the town, but when police started trying to push them out Tuesday to make way for demolition equipment, some refused to go.

Videos posted to social media showed large numbers of police and activists, locked arm-in-arm, pushing and shoving, and the clashes grew serious enough that police resort to tear gas on a couple occasions. Police could be seen detaining people on the ground, but there was no immediate word on the number of arrests.

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All lawsuits filed to block the demolition of Luetzerath for the mine works have been rejected by German courts. The responsible district, Heinsberg, prohibited the activists' occupation, clearing the way for the eviction push that took place Tuesday, involving more than 1,000 officers.

RWE has said it's necessary to mine the significant lignite reserves under the town, and as Germany and Europe face sky-rocketing energy prices amid Russia's war on Ukraine, it has the backing of the North Rhine-Westphalia state government.

"In the current energy crisis situation, it is clear to everyone that the coal under Luetzerath is needed to ensure security of supply," the state's top administrator, Minister President Hendrik Wüst, said in an interview with local newspaper Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger. "No one took the decision lightly to use this coal."

The activists, backed by some scientists from regional universities who have joined forces under the guises of a "CoalExit Research Group," say RWE primarily wants to dig up Luetzerath because the coal under the town can be extracted more easily, making it more profitable. The company denies that allegation.

Police Chief Dirk Weinspach of the city of Aachen has described the activists in Luetzerath as predominantly "middle-class and peacefully oriented," but some members of the group had thrown firecrackers and bottles at police on several occasions.   

#nunyas news #waiting for these people to be declared facists