Yup; if nothing else they would repurpose the duds into some form of IED or RPG. Or just make their own determination on which ones are usable and which ones not.
I mean if you have to send your guys out into Russian controlled skies and you have no more stingers or newer MANPADs I would guess most soldiers would be okay with taking an old East German weapon even if there was a chance it could fail. If an attack helicopter is coming towards your position you’re probably not going to worry too much about hairline cracks in some casing or other.
When I was in Russia, one day sitting around having a beer with my colleagues, the subject of what was the best, very best truck in the world. So the usual makes were trotted out by their respective fans. Mercedes Benz, said one. No said another its Volvo. And so on, then one of them said Kamaz. Conversation stopped and all looked at him in wonder. Vladimir, just how can you even think never mind say such a thing?? Simple, says Vladimir You order your brand new Kamaz, and after the long wait, you go to the factory to collect it. Then you start the long drive home. After the first day, that evening you start to fix some problems that have appeared. Next day, same thing, drive all day, fix at night. And after you arrive home, maybe 10 days later, you are driving the best truck in the world, not only have you fixed all it's problems.....you know very well each and every nut and bolt on it.
And we're heading into decent weather for it. Basically in Ireland for the next 6 months it's wear an extra jumper if necessary. Same for lots of Europe. Unfortunately in the next few months Europe will be looking for energy to cool down. Europe needs to stop buying Russian gas. It's like supplying a knuckleduster to your abuser.
Nope, it's a recognised tactic of Russian/Soviet helicopter guided rocket attacks used for many years and is pretty accurate against fixed targets like artillery while limiting their time to enemy fire, something all military helicopters are most vulnerable to. All aircraft throw chaff and flares going in and out of an attack run.
Sounds like it is not just Gas they want payment in Roubles.
'and the like' was my note - just going by a now deceased relative who was in the MP in WW2. Policing brothel fights and dealing with sex crimes generally. And these were the 'Allies'.
If people are prepared to pay way more immediately then sure. Some really can't do that and it will take time. I'm inclined to agree with Scholz on this - we in Europe should not have to suffer as much as Russia for their aggression.
You got Miriam there in that description and the little fawning sigh now & then. Claire Byrne is not far behind her either.
Sarah McInerny though is on the ball. You need the likes of her to be interviewing.
The Russian Football Federation have unexpectedly declared an interest in hosting either Euro2028 or Euro2032, despite their teams currently being banned from Uefa and Fifa competitions because of the invasion of Ukraine.
No it's not April 1st!
Or how putin seizes on minor stuff like this, increases control by conjuring up internal enemies, who he will of course pick and choose to "disappear". Standard operational BS from autocrats going way back. One of his recent public adresses talking about "traitors" inside and outside of Russia another example.
Surplus personal protective equipment (PPE) stock worth £3.5m is now being sent to Ukraine by the Department of Health in Northern Ireland. The items include masks, coveralls, oxygen therapy consumables and sterile gowns.
It'll be an interesting bid with host cities to include Donetsk, Kyiv's and Warsaw.
Settling the gas bills in Rouble doesn’t really make all that much sense from Russia’s point of view. It won’t really do much except give the customers a big discount as the value of the currency will continue to sink anyway and limits the amount of hard currency going into Russian reserves.
It looks rather more like Putin’s just off in ‘we’re a powerful empire’ mode and trying to get things priced in Rouble instead of US$. Their strategy in all of this makes no sense beyond that kind of mentality.
IMHO they intend to make Mariupol an "example" and raze it to the ground and leave the other cities relatively alone. Their initial plan for taking over Kyiv and the other cities and Ukraine in general has not survived contact with the enemy. They're sanctioned to hell, their bodies are piling up, they've lost the element of shock and awe and ar stalled everywhere else, even being pushed back in places. Razing Mariupol will be spun to the Russian populace as a "nest of nazi vipers" that they destroyed and "liberated" and will claim they let the civilians who wanted to leave go. The ones left were either nazis themselves, or forced to stay by Ukrainian nazis as human shields. I reckon my crystal ball will be pretty accurate there. Russian tactics are so transparent they would serve good office as windows.
They don't know how lucky they are.
And of couse Azov Battalion were cornered like rats there using the residents as human shields by our brave boys, we wiped out the nazi scum, Russians and non nazi Ukranians are safe again. Job done.
I just had a quick look on Deutsche Welle and there is no mention of that having happened. Given the reason for holding back so many was supposedly cracks in the rocket motor casings and other defects that made them unsafe, I am a bit sceptical they could repair or remanufacture so many in such a short time frame.
Actually, having found more on it, I suspect the announcement might well be due to a politician wanting to sound good and having made assumptions while not having actually talked to the military. Nowhere does it say a peep about faults or fixing them:
https://latestpagenews.com/news/type-strela-germany-supplies-more-anti-aircraft-missiles-to-ukraine/
The Belarusian military is contacting the Ukrainian authorities and saying they will surrender (in case of Belarus invasion).
Risky work being a Russian general....
"Kremlin: Russia would only use nuclear weapons if its existence were threatened"
Russia's security policy dictates that the country would only use nuclear weapons if its very existence were threatened, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told CNN in an interview on Tuesday.
The comment, nearly four weeks after Russia sent its forces into Ukraine, came amid Western concern that the conflict there could escalate into a nuclear war.
Peskov made the comment in an English-language interview when asked whether he was confident President Vladimir Putin would not use nuclear weapons.
"We have a concept of domestic security and it's public, you can read all the reasons for nuclear arms to be used. So if it is an existential threat for our country, then it (the nuclear arsenal) can be used in accordance with our concept," he said.
"There are no other reasons that were mentioned in that text," he said in a further reference to the country's security concept"https://news.yahoo.com/kremlin-russia-only-nuclear-weapons-191837004.html
Now that we have confirmation of the bluff, let the intervention begin, as that would not be threat to Russia's existence.
Perhaps, but that video doesn't indicate that it was firing rockets into a city. Western choppers have unguided rockets as well, they're quite useful.
That's not a requirement. Note Iceland or Luxembourg, for example, hardly military powerhouses yet decidedly not neutral.
Sure it is. Some of the most famous exporters of arms have been neutral, such as Switzerland or Sweden. Besides, Irish military neutrality is a policy, not something set in stone (or the Constitution).
I find the way Ukrainians honor their heroes very moving...
At this rate, Putin will have to recall General Flynn from retirement.😛
Modi has been a terrible leader for a long time. Hard to see how he is still at the helm. Money trumps all in India too.
They really lost touch with reality
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