30 Jul, 2023 15:03

UK training elite Ukrainian force to seize part of Russia – media

About 2,000 ‘commandos’ would enter the fray in a bid to recapture the Crimean Peninsula “before Christmas,” Sunday Express claims

British instructors are training an elite Ukrainian unit that is supposed to help Kiev retake Crimea, the Sunday Express has claimed, citing sources. Ukrainian officials have been talking for months about plans to take back the Russian peninsula during its much-hyped counteroffensive, which has so far failed to live up to expectations in the West.

According to the report, more than 2,000 Ukrainian soldiers comprising “an elite commando brigade” arrived at a training camp in Devon in southwest Britain to prepare for an attack that is supposed to “recapture Crimea before Christmas.”

The brigade is expected to “form the tip of the spear” and will be supported by two other forces, the tabloid’s sources claimed. The Express also noted that the operation would involve combined strikes from air, land, and sea, with Kiev’s armored formations attempting to breach Russian defenses while being backed by long-range attacks using Western-supplied missiles.

An unnamed senior defense source told the paper that UK instructors aim to teach Kiev’s troops how to use NATO tactics to “shape the battle space” before committing forces for a decisive thrust.

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky outlined Kiev’s ambition to reclaim Crimea through a major counteroffensive back in late April. However, when Ukraine launched its push against Russian lines in the early days of June, it failed to gain any ground and suffered heavy casualties, according to Moscow.

Despite apparent problems with the counteroffensive, Kirill Budanov, the head of Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intelligence, claimed on Saturday that Kiev would take Crimea “soon,” without giving an exact timeline. Last year, he already predicted that this would happen in the spring of 2023, a projection that failed to come true.

Meanwhile, in March former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev warned that,should Ukraine attempt to seize back Crimea, Moscow could resort to “all means of protection,” including its nuclear arsenal.

The Crimean Peninsula overwhelmingly voted to rejoin Russia in a public referendum in 2014 following a Western-backed coup in Kiev. Neither Ukraine nor Western countries have recognized its results.

(If Kiev tries to do this, all bets are off, and Russia will rain down fire like they’ve never seen.)

https://www.rt.com/russia/580553-uk-training-ukraine-crimea-attack/

30 Jul, 2023 06:05

Ukrainian ‘terrorist attack’ on Crimea foiled – Russia

All of Kiev’s UAV's were either downed by air defenses or neutralized by electronic warfare, the Defense Ministry has said

Russian forces have intercepted a Ukrainian attack on the Crimean peninsulainvolving 25 drones, the Defense Ministry in Moscow has said, adding that the raid caused no casualties or destruction.

In a statement early on Sunday, the ministry said Moscow had repelled “an attempt by the Kiev regime to carry out a terrorist attack with 25 aircraft-type unmanned aerial vehicles” on facilities in Crimea.

It said 16 Ukrainian drones were shot down by Russian air defenses while another nine were suppressed by electronic warfare, and crashed near Cape Tarkhankut in the western part of the peninsula.

Crimea, which serves as the key base for the Russian Black Sea Fleet, has come under recurring Ukrainian missile and drone attacks in recent months. On Monday, the Russian Defense Ministry reported a similar raid involving17 drones, claiming all of them were downed. However, Sergey Aksyonov, the region’s leader, said the strike hit a local ammunition depot.

Earlier this month a Ukrainian UAV raid on the Crimean Bridge damaged a section of the roadway and claimed the lives of a Russian married couple, while injuring their teenage daughter. Moscow responded by intensifying missile strikes on Ukrainian military facilities in the port city of Odessa.

In an interview with CNN on Monday, Ukrainian Defense Minister Aleksey Reznikov vowed further attacks on Crimea, describing the strikes as “normal tactics to ruin the logistic lines of your enemy to stop the options to get more ammunition, to get more fuel, to get more food, etc.”

https://www.rt.com/russia/580536-ukraine-drone-attack-crimea/

KEK

30 Jul, 2023 14:31

Biden a ‘dumb son of a b*tch’ - Trump

The former US president suggested that Joe Biden is not fit for purpose in his role as Commander in Chief

Former US president Donald Trump took aim at Joe Biden at a campaign stop in Pennsylvania on Saturday, branding his successor in the White House “the most corrupt president in American history.”

“We have somebody that’s not at the top of his game,” Trump said of Biden to a fiercely loyal crowd at the Erie Insurance Arena. “Never was at the top of his game. We have a guy who is a dumb son of a b*tch.”

Trump, the frontrunner to land the Republican nomination to run against presumptive Democratic candidate Biden in next year’s presidential election in the US, also used the platform to rail against several legal issues in which he remains entangled.

These include a federal indictment, set for next May, where he will answer charges related to claims that he illegally retained classified government information at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. Trump is also heavily rumored to be subject to another federal indictment, this one related to his alleged role in the January 6, 2021 riots at the US Capitol.

“They waited two-and-a-half, almost three years, so that they could bring this right up in the middle of my presidential election because it’s election interference,” Trump said. He added: “They’re not indicting me; they’re indicting you. I just happen to be standing in their way.”

Trump reserved some stinging rhetoric for his Republican rival Ron DeSantis, too, also describing the Florida governor as a “son of a b*tch,” and said that financial donations towards his Republican rivals only serve to strengthen Biden’s efforts at re-election.

Trump also appeared to praise several ==unnamed foreign leaders as being “very street-smart” people who “know what they are doing”and are “at the top of their game••.”

Elsewhere in his sprawling speech, Trump suggested that the United States no longer has a free and fair system of press, as he compared media coverage of his legal issues to what he referred to as the “Biden crime family’s corrupt business dealings.”

“Fake news is all you get,” Trump told the audience. “They refuse to discuss the Biden crime family, but enjoy covering the false indictments of Donald Trump, who has done nothing wrong.”

Trump narrowly won the state of Pennsylvania in the 2016 presidential election, defeating Hillary Clinton by just over 42,000 votes. The former real estate mogul turned reality TV star’s win in the battleground state was crucial to his election victory.

https://www.rt.com/news/580552-us-trump-speech-pennsylvania/

30 Jul, 2023 10:03

Putin slams 'irrational and amoral' EU policies

In blocking fertilizer shipments, Baltic nations are ignoring the interests of countries in need, the president has claimed

A decision by the Baltic states to prevent the movement of cargo ships carrying Russian fertilizer which are trapped in EU ports, ignores the economic interests of nations in need, President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday, characterizing the move as “irrational behavior.”

According to the head of state, some 200,000 tons of Russian fertilizer are still stuck in Baltic ports.

The move is allegedly motivated by a reluctance among EU member states to allow Moscow “to generate revenues from selling those shipments,” Putin said, highlighting thatRussian companies were prepared to give away the fertilizer for free.

“It’s just irrational behavior,” he lamented, adding that the steps taken by the Baltic states are impossible to explain, as they’ve blocked the cargoes “just because they’re Russian.”

The president said theEU countries “don’t give a fig about developing nations and the world’s poorest states,” adding that the West’s emphasis on Ukrainian grain shipments are just a “cover,” which makes the EU policy “twice as amoral.”

Putin stressed that the main beneficiaries of last year’s grain-movement deal were major traders, who’d managed to purchase Ukrainian grain at a hefty discount and then sell it at market prices “to prosperous countries.”

“How are the interests of developing countries and starving peoples related to this?” he asked, pointing out that the share of Ukrainian grain in world markets is less than 5%, while the share of grain from Russia is more than 20%.

Allowing Russian fertilizers to reach global markets was part of a landmark Black Sea safe-grain-shipment deal reached through mediation by the UN and Türkiye in July 2022, which unblocked Ukraine’s southern ports and allowed Kiev to begin exporting grain, while also granting concessions to Russia.

Earlier this month, Moscow refused to renew that deal, complaining that the West had failed to keep its promises on reconnecting its banks to the SWIFT international payment system, restarting a key ammonia pipeline, permitting imports of agricultural machinery and parts, and unblocking transportation insurance. In addition to the West failing to follow through on its end of the deal, Moscow claimed that Kiev had used the humanitarian corridors to funnel weapons into its Black Sea ports.

(EU countries have been kicked out of Africa left and right, and they still prevent Africa with getting what they need. The West has made a big mistake in how they treat Africa.)

https://www.rt.com/business/580541-putin-fertilizers-block-irrational-amoral/

30 Jul, 2023 13:45

Mikhail Khodaryonok: Western talk about a 'new stage of Ukraine’s counteroffensive' is just a cover-up of the operation’s failure 1/3

A top Russian military expert explains why has the plan has failed and suggests what Kiev will do next

By Mikhail Khodaryonok, military observer, retired colonel, and air defense specialist

very good thought out read

This week, the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) began the main thrust of their counteroffensive and transferred thousands of additional troops for the attack, the New York Times reported, citing the Pentagon. According to the newspaper, these soldiers were in the reserve force and many of them were trained in the West. The site of the “main thrust” is south of Orekhov, in Zaporozhye Region. Some of the reserve formations that Kiev hadn’t pulled into battle before have already been transferred there. If Ukraine manages to break through the Russian defense, this will allow the AFU to move towards Tokmak and then to Melitopol near the Sea of Azov.

Other sources among US officials said the latest Ukrainian offensive could be a preparatory operation before the main thrust or it may provide reinforcement for the existing units.

Similar information was published a few days earlier by the German daily newspaper Bild, which stated that the second phase of the counteroffensive would begin immediately after the frontline territories are cleared of mines.

A statement by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also backs up these conclusions. Earlier, he said Ukraine may achieve success when it fully deploys all its resources.

Meanwhile, we are approaching a sort of anniversary – the AFU’s much-hyped counteroffensive has been going on for almost two months. However,everyone is fully aware that this operation isn’t going according to the original plan. This allows us to draw some conclusions.

What goals did Kiev set?

To begin with, we need to properly define some terms when speaking about Ukraine’s counteroffensive. For, as Napoleon Bonaparte said, to name something correctly is to understand it correctly. From a military point of view, it is incorrect to call this the “second wave,” “second stage,” or “second phase” of the AFU’s counteroffensive.When an offensive operation is planned and carried out, there are no “waves,” “phases,” or “stages.”

When an offensive is planned, two important things are determined: the operation’s immediate goal and its further goals. The immediate goal is usually to defeat the forces of the enemy’s first operational echelon, get to its main forces, and capture important frontiers to undermine the enemy’s capacity for strategic defense and create favorable conditions for the further course of the counteroffensive.

Capturing settlementslike Pyatikhatki, Rabotino, Urozhaynoye, Kleshcheyevka and othersis in no way an “immediate goal” of the AFU’s ongoing counteroffensive. Even the hypothetical re-capture of Artemovsk (Bakhmut) cannot be considered such. For the Ukrainian Army, the immediate goal would be at least the capture of Melitopol. Which is a major city, as opposed to a relatively small town.

So we may safely say that the AFU has not even gotten close to reaching its immediate goal in the course of the counteroffensive.

For this reason, discussing the AFU’s “further goals” is not even worthwhile. Theoretically, these could involve the defeat of the enemy’s first operational echelon, its operational (and in some cases, the nearest strategic) reserves, and the capture of key objects and areas in order to achieve the goals of the counteroffensive. For the AFU, a successful accomplishment of the counteroffensive’s further goals would mean a return to 1991 borders. But so far this remains only a dream for Ukraine’s military and political leadership. Consequently, we may say that thecounteroffensive operation has been carried out, and the set goals have not been achieved…

https://www.rt.com/russia/580508-mikhail-khodaryonok-counteroffensive-failure/

>>19268677

2/3

What went wrong?

A few days ago, the Minister of Defense of Ukraine Alexey Reznikov said the AFU’s operation “is behind schedule but is going according to plan.” At the same time, he added, “The main value for us is the life of our soldiers.”In reality, these statements cannot be called anything other than absurd.

When a counteroffensive is planned, it is true that certain schedules are devised. For example, there is the combat control schedule (or the planned interaction table). This is put together for each day of the operation. Missile troops and the artillery also have a schedule for preparing and striking priority targets. But to claim that the AFU’s operation is “behind schedule” is to demonstrate a certain operational ignorance.

Meanwhile, saying things like “our counteroffensive is going slowly because we are sparing our people” isonly an attempt to justify the apparent failure of the operation.

The Ukrainian community of experts also occasionally voices the idea that the AFU is currently conducting “formative” and “test” operations. This sounds rather unconvincing. Firstly, there isno such thing as “formative” or “test” operationsin the theory of operational art. There are only combined arms operations that start at the level of the army corps. If the attacks are carried out by battalions or brigades, this is no different than regular combat operations. So, the Armed Forces of Ukraine aren’t conducting any operations in any of the directions yet. Based on the results, their attacks can be characterized as local battles conducted to improve the positioning of the troops, and nothing more.

Ukrainian experts have also expressed the idea that “we are slowly grinding the enemy’s forces and resources, and sooner or later there will come a moment when the enemy’s defense will collapse either at one important point or in several areas.”

If Ukraine were waging a war against a small state with a small population and a military-industrial complex with limited potential, such a technique could prove effective sooner or later. But fighting against a country with mobilization capabilities that greatly exceed Ukraine’s, and a military-industrial complex which is speedily gaining momentum, is a very unpromising strategy.

Every single day brings Ukraine closer to the exhaustion of its own resources. Kiev loses personnel and equipment, and the Ukrainian Army uses up its scarce stocks of ammunition.

Ukraine’s military-political leadership has repeatedly stated that not all trained reserves have been pulled into battle yet. Again, this sounds strange. The number of reserves, their equipment, and level of combat and operational training is one of the top state and military secrets. The timely (and most importantly, surprise) entry of strategic reserves into battle can change the entire course of the armed conflict.But openly talking about this is like turning military science upside down.

What’s next?

The AFU’s attempt to begin a counteroffensive on June 4 without having air and fire superioritywas a strange enterprise from the very start. In the current circumstances, it is unlikely that the ongoing operation will bring about any convincing military or political results…

https://www.rt.com/russia/580508-mikhail-khodaryonok-counteroffensive-failure/

>>19268682

3/3

Moreover, to break through Russia’s well-equipped defense, Kiev needs a much greater number of missiles, troops, artillery, armored forces, and engineering troops.

The failure of the AFU’s current counteroffensive will also result in the failure of the Ukrainian Army’s entire summer-autumn campaign, since after the loss of so many servicemen and a lot of equipment it will hardly be possible to restore its offensive potential before late autumn or even the beginning of winter 2023/24.

In order for Ukraine’s second counteroffensive to be a success, Kiev needs to receive many multirole fighter jets, greatly increase supplies of self-propelled artillery units, tanks, attack helicopters, and get large stocks of ammunition for barrel artillery and MLRS.

At this stage, it seems that the first counteroffensive is approaching a fruitless conclusion, and the second one will not happen soon. In particular, the transfer of the first F-16 fighter jets to the AFU is expected no sooner than winter. Therefore, it is quite possible that the second counteroffensive will begin in the spring of next year.

The Russian Army, however, won’t sit idle during this time. It may launch an offensive of its own and impose its will on the enemy.

***

In conclusion, I want to stress that making forecasts is generally a fruitless endeavor, especially long term predictions during ongoing military operations.All significant wartime events are of the “black swan” type. This means they are unexpected for everyone (and the expert community first of all) but have very significant consequences. In the course of hostilities, these “black swans” can “swim out” not just one by one, but in whole squadrons and flotillas. However, the Armed Forces of Ukraine will not get F-16 fighter jets before this winter. And without the jets (or rather, without a sufficient number of them), launching a second counteroffensive would be a doubly risky endeavor.

https://www.rt.com/russia/580508-mikhail-khodaryonok-counteroffensive-failure/

30 Jul, 2023 16:58

Ukraine’s controversial surrogacy industry booming – reports

The country’s largest clinic continues to operate, despite allegations of abuse and human trafficking

Ukraine’s controversial surrogacy industry booming – reports

Ukraine’s surrogacy industry is thriving despite the country’s conflict with Russia, The Guardian recently reported. However, alternate reports reveal that the industry is riddled with corruption and abuse, yet enjoys the protection of authorities in Kiev and Washington.

Ukraine has long been known as a surrogacy hotspot, with a quarter of the world’s surrogate babies born there in 2018. That percentage has likely increased since Moscow banned the practice for foreign couples last year, with Russian lawmakers citing the need to “prevent the trafficking of our children.”

The fighting in Ukraine hasn’t dulled demand, The Guardian reported on Wednesday, noting that more than 1,000 babies have been born in Ukrainian surrogacy clinics since Russia launched its military operation last year. Most of these clinics’ customers, the newspaper noted, hailed from Italy, Romania, Germany and Britain.

Some 600 of these babies were born at a clinic in Kiev operated by BioTexCom, a German-owned company that promises its wealthy clients “the joy of parenthood.”

Chinese ‘rent-a-womb’ industry menacing US – think tankREAD MORE Chinese ‘rent-a-womb’ industry menacing US – think tank

For the Ukrainian women who rent out their wombs for BioTexCom’s customers, the process is significantly less joyous. Although these women are paid well – BioTexCom’s medical director, Igor Pechenoha, told The Guardian that surrogates receive around $22,000 for carrying a baby to term – they are often subjected to appalling living conditions during pregnancy.

One Ukrainian woman told Al Jazeera in 2018 that the German firm promised her an apartment for the duration, but forced her to share it with four other pregnant women, and to share a bed for seven months of her pregnancy. Another said that women who left their accommodation and failed to return before a curfew would be subjected to fines, as would women who criticized the company or attempted to communicate with the foreign parents.

“We were treated like cattle and mocked by the doctors,” she said.

BioTexCom’s staff know that they are taking advantage of poor Ukrainian women. Pechenoha admitted to Spanish investigative outlet La Marea in March that his company deliberately looks for women from poorer areas, as “logically, [the women] have to be from poorer places than our clients.”

“I have not met a single woman with a good economic situation who has decided to go through this process out of kindness,”Pechenoha said.

“The main concern of advocates on the ground in Ukraine is that legislators and even news organizations aren’t looking at this as a human rights violation,” Princeton University researcher Emma Lamberton told The Grayzone, which published a damning reporton the industry this week. “A government would never see human rights violations like child abuse as something to simply be regulated… instead it should be outlawed.”

Some Ukrainian lawmakers have tried to ban surrogacy. Viktoria Vahnier, a member of President Vladimir Zelensky’s ‘Servant of the People’ party introduced a bill last year that would have limited surrogacy services to Ukrainian parents, but the measure was defeated in parliament. Another Ukrainian MP, Oksana Bilozir, told Australia’s ABC News in 2018 that “business and their lobbyists”prevent lawmakers from restricting the practice.

Former Ukrainian general prosecutor Yuri Lutsenko claimed that he was handed an “untouchables list” by then-US ambassador Maria Yovanovitch when he took office in 2016.According to Lutsenko, this list named a host of powerful interests that Washington didn’t want him to investigate.

Nevertheless, Lutsenko placed BioTexCom founder Albert Tochilovsky under house arrest in 2018, as his office investigated allegations of fraud and human trafficking against the firm. Lutsenko was fired two years later, and his BioTexCom investigation has been stalled ever since, according to The Grayzone.

In a 2019 interview with Ukrainian news site Delo,Tochilovsky explained that keeping regulators away from his clinics was a key concern. “The most important thing,” he said, “is to prohibit law enforcement agencies from interfering with [our] work.”

==

21 Jul, 2022== 21:15

British pedophiles target Ukrainian refugee children

The sex offenders claimed they were providing “humanitarian assistance”

https://www.rt.com/news/559423-british-pedophiles-poland-ukraine/

https://www.rt.com/russia/580570-ukraine-surrogacy-clinics-abuse/

>>19268721

Bullshit they are sneaking them across the border, they sent high tech trained soldiers in there