Putin's hybrid war intensifies while European countries dither.

"Moscow appears to have broadened its campaign with riskier, potentially more lethal plots. By all indications, Russia is going just to the edge of what it calculates the West will tolerate without provoking a military response. That's a dangerous game, and one increasingly likely to result in a crisis arising from casualties on European soil. Yet the West remains stuck in a defensive crouch."

ATTACKS

74OA said:

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In addition to fearing the subversive effect of a free, democratic and prosperous Ukraine on his doorstep, Putin's other motivation to invade is straightforward robbery.

Scroll to the maps. "Will Trump let Putin get Ukraine's $26 trillion in gas and minerals?"

REAVERS

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Yep. A short sighted end to this war will only lead to a more powerful, more aggressive Russia in the future. At his "press conference" today, Putin effectively telegraphed these sentiments by stating that his only regrets are that he didn't invade Ukraine sooner and that he should have been better prepared militarily. Press Conference

Ukraine has vast reserves of lithium, titanium and uranium which will most certainly be used to fuel Russian and Chinese military technology for decades.

Murmansk is quite the road trip.

In the past, they had quite a few bears and backfires based up there.

Germany delivers the sixth of eight promised IRIS air defense systems.

"Germany has emerged as the second-largest supplier of military aid to Ukraine, following the United States. This represents a significant shift from Berlin's earlier reluctance to provide arms."

IRIS-T

Quote:

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Ukraine has repatriated the bodies of 503 fallen defenders

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https://liveuamap.com/en/2024/20-december-10-ukraine-has-repatriated-the-bodies-of-503

Who?mikejones! said:

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one MEEN Ag said:

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74OA said:

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Drones carrying drones.

"The Ukrainian Navy (VMS ZSU) recently revealed a completely new type of USV which adds several previously unseen features. This new design, as yet unnamed in public, adds small aerial drones, and possibly mines, to the capabilities of USVs. And it has already proven them in action."

USV

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I wonder how many layers of drones carrying drones you can go.

Russian nesting dolls if you will.

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Its happening

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Skynet is going to have a field day with us.

Oh well, we had a good run.

Putin's failed invasion and the subsequent threat of ATACMS and longer-ranged drones is forcing Russia to invest in hardening key fixed resources.

"Recent satellite imagery of Belbek Air Base, near Sevastopol in Russian-occupied Crimea, shows new hardened aircraft shelters and additional construction to help shield aircraft from drone attacks and other indirect fire. This reflects a broader push by the Russian military to improve physical defenses at multiple airfields two and a half years after the launch of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine."

HAS

Russians looking to bridge the Dnipro again it looks like. Watching Putin's annual address where he welcomes a missile duel with the West with Kyiv being the arena and seeing the estimated Russian losses of the past two months is sobering. The man is a flat out psychopath. The butchery of the last few weeks has reached peaks not yet seen. Including the bloodbaths of Adiivka and Bakhmut.

Now this probable new offensive to try to force that river is going to ramp up those bloody numbers to even higher levels. River crossings are a nightmare at the best of times. Russians already know this first hand...

I know we should all probably be desensitized to most of this by now, but damn me if it still blows my mind to see what I can only describe as sheer madness. For what? Gain as much blasted and bloodsoaked terrain which amounts to breadcrumbs before Jan. 20th and hope Trump gives him a winning hand at the negotiation table? It's all just so pointless to me at this time. Whole situation continues to disgust me on a visceral level somehow.

Sorry, got into the eggnog early. Some actual updates:

New offensive shaping out?

https://mil.in.ua/en/news/russians-start-trying-to-force-the-dnipro-river-near-kherson/

Also, a post not long ago of the true first battle between mechs and humans being debatable has been usurped. Actual true attack of drones versus Russian positions has taken place now. Coordinated Ground and air assets took the fight to some trench systems with zero Ukrainian soldiers present. Small scale still of course but the tech leaps and expectations of armed conflict continue to leap ahead in months, not decades as previously seen. Some pretty gritty footage online of this attack floating around out there. The Ukes approach and embracement to this new style of war is changing literally everything.

https://kyivindependent.com/for-first-time-ukraine-attacks-russian-positions-using-solely-ground-fpv-drones/

In the past 48 hours, reports have emerged of a Ukrainian attack on Russian positions near the village of Lyptsi in the Kharkiv region. The attack utilised dozens of uncrewed ground combat vehicles (UGV). 1/5 🧵🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/PDDV9bpbKu

— Mick Ryan, AM (@WarintheFuture) December 22, 2024