Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

This country desperately needs a functioning Fourth Estate.

… pundit janitors mopping up after the gop

How any woman could possibly vote for this smug smarmy piece of misogynistic crap is beyond understanding.

The lights are all blinking red.

It may be funny to you motherfucker, but it’s not funny to me.

If West Virginia and San Francisco had a love child.

That’s my take and I am available for criticism at this time.

This must be what justice looks like, not vengeful, just peaceful exuberance.

I was promised a recession.

We cannot abandon the truth and remain a free nation.

Something needs to be done about our bogus SCOTUS.

The media handbook says “controversial” is the most negative description that can be used for a Republican.

Never forget that he train is barreling down on Trump, even as he dances on the tracks.

We are aware of all internet traditions.

Biden: Oh no. We’ve upset Big Pharma again.

Teach a man to fish, and he’ll sit in a boat all day drinking beer.

Happy indictment week to all who celebrate!

We’ll be taking my thoughts and prayers to the ballot box.

I’d try pessimism, but it probably wouldn’t work.

Whoever he was, that guy was nuts.

Let us savor the impending downfall of lawless scoundrels who richly deserve the trouble barreling their way.

Somebody needs to explain to DeSantis that nobody needs to do anything to make him look bad.

One of our two political parties is a cult whose leader admires Vladimir Putin.

I’d like to think you all would remain faithful to me if i ever tried to have some of you killed.

You are here: Home / Foreign Affairs / War for Ukraine Day 744: Russia Attempted To Bombard Ukraine with Shaheds Again

War for Ukraine Day 744: Russia Attempted To Bombard Ukraine with Shaheds Again

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Once again Russia launched a drone bombardment against Ukraine overnight.

Overnight, Ukrainian air defenders shot down 33 our of 37 russian “Shahed” UAVs.

Every destroyed Shahed and missile is a result of an important and difficult work of our soldiers. We defend our people from brutal russian terror.

Every air defense system provided to Ukraine from our partners is a significant step towards the security of 🇺🇦 cities and villages.

Fortunately Ukrainian air defense seems to be holding against the Shaheds. Even more fortunately, the Russians didn’t launch any of their different cruise missiles last night.

President Zelenskyy was in Turkiye today and, as of 8:11 PM EST, there is no posted daily address. I’m pretty sure they just don’t have the English transcripts/pages up for his joint event with President Erdogan.

Here’s the video with English subtitles of that joint event with Erdogan.

There’s no actual transcript. Just a write up in Ukrainian.

President Zelenskyy did visit the shipyards building new corvettes for the Ukrainian Navy.

During his working visit to the Republic of Türkiye, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited shipyards where corvettes for the Ukrainian Naval Forces are being built in accordance with the Strategy for the Development of the Naval Forces of Ukraine’s Armed Forces until 2036.

The Head of State inspected the readiness level and equipment of the Ivan Mazepa corvette, its technical characteristics, and capabilities. This anti-submarine corvette of the Ada class is intended to become the future flagship of the Ukrainian Navy.

On board the ship, the President met and spoke to the Ukrainian Navy personnel undergoing training how to operate and maintain the vessel’s systems. Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked them for their service.

“Thank you for your service, for the fact that Ukraine is highly respected here. You know that we are expecting you in Ukraine. So that our Security and Defense Forces become even stronger,” said the Head of State.

The President awarded two military personnel with the medals “To the Defender of the Motherland,” recognizing their selfless actions in defending Ukraine’s state sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as exemplary performance of military duty.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy also studied the progress of the construction of the Ada class corvette, which today was named after Hetman Ivan Vyhovskyi by the President’s decree, and which is also intended to strengthen our naval fleet.

The head of the Ukrainian state expressed gratitude to all involved in building such warships.

“I am extremely grateful for the partnership to President Erdoğan of Türkiye and to all defense companies of Türkiye and Ukraine, for working together to bring peace for Ukraine closer,” he said.

Ada class corvettes are modern coastal zone ships capable of anti-submarine operations and open sea patrolling, with a wide use of stealth technology principles in their design. The design and combat application concept of Ada class corvettes is similar to the concept of littoral combat ships of the Freedom class developed by Lockheed Martin for the U.S. Navy. Ada class corvettes have more powerful armament, radar, and sonar systems.

Construction of the Ivan Mazepa corvette began in April 2021. In September 2023, a solemn keel-laying ceremony took place. It was planned that the corvette would be transferred to Ukraine in 2022, and by 2024, it would have entered service with the Ukrainian Navy. However, due to the war initiated by Russia against Ukraine, the transfer of the corvette was postponed.

The cost:

The reason:

Luxembourg:

Britain:

France:

Here are the details from The Financial Times:

French defence companies will repair and manufacture military equipment locally in Ukraine as Paris seeks to rally western allies to do more to help local forces to push back the Russian full-scale invasion.

“We are not at the maximum level of what we can do in Ukraine,” said defence minister Sébastien Lecornu in an interview on French radio RMC.

“Three French companies will be setting up partnerships with Ukrainian companies, in particular in the drone and land equipment sectors, to produce spare parts on Ukrainian soil, and perhaps ammunition in the future”, he said, adding that the first production could begin by this summer.

The companies involved are KNDS, a joint-venture of France’s state-owned Nexter and Germany’s Krauss-Maffei Wegmann that makes munitions, the Caesar howitzer, and combat vehicles; Arquus, a military vehicle maker and supplier of chassis; and drone maker Delair.

Lecornu also announced that France had ordered 200 surface-to-air Aster missiles from European manufacturer MBDA, and that some could be sent to Ukraine.

The French move is part of a broader push among European defence companies to start shifting some production, repair or maintenance functions into Ukraine as the war drags on into a third year and shortages of ammunition hamper Ukrainian soldiers’ ability to fight. In September, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hosted a conference in Kyiv in a bid to attract companies, and several of them have been holding discussions with local partners since then.

Düsseldorf-based Rheinmetall, which has seen demand soar for its 155mm artillery shells that are standard in western howitzers, plans to manufacture both munitions and later tanks in Ukraine together with Kyiv-owned defence contractors.

At the Munich Security Conference in February, chief executive Armin Papperger said the company aimed eventually to produce a six-digit number of 155mm-calibre shells per year in Ukraine with a local joint venture partner, without specifying the timing.

The company’s joint venture with Kyiv-owned Ukroboronprom has already begun to repair military vehicles locally — both Leopards and Panthers donated by the west as well as old Soviet models — returned from the front line.

Czechoslovak Group, which makes ammunition and other military equipment, is also looking to sign some production joint venture agreements in Ukraine.

BAE Systems said in September that it was exploring options to work with local partners in Ukraine to produce spare parts for its light artillery.

Sending civilian workers from western defence companies to Ukraine could also carry some risk.

Arquus already has sent staff to Ukraine to repair and maintain the roughly 250 armoured personnel carriers that France has donated to Ukraine, and train Ukrainians to carry out those functions. It is also working on a plan to produce replacement parts locally.

“The framework contract was signed with a Ukrainian partner about 10 days ago, so we are entering into the operational phase,” said Arquus.

Nexter, the French part of KNDS, said it had been in discussions to find a local partner since September to “bring maintenance and eventually production” closer to the front lines.

A person close to the company said it would “take a few weeks to figure out what is doable” and added that the French government has asked them to support Ukraine locally. “There’s a symbolic aspect to it, but it also has to be competitive,” the person said, adding that KNDS already had operations nearby in Lithuania and Romania.

More at the link.

Russian occupied Crimea:

Robotyne:

Fighters of the 3rd Assault Detachment of the “OMEGA” Special Purpose Center repel the enemy tank and infantry attack in Robotyne using AT-4 and MK-19 grenade launcher.

Fierce battles are taking place in the Robotyne area, the Defense Forces of Ukraine are inflicting huge losses on the enemy.

Part of the enemy’s equipment was blown up by mines, the other part was destroyed by FPV drones of the special forces.

Avdiivka front:

That’s enough for tonight.

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Reader Interactions

16Comments

  2. 2.

    Devore

    A few dozen buzz bombs in a day seems kind of pathetic.   Is Russia stockpiling for a future massive wave.   Or is the best Russia can do?

    and thanks as always.

     

    and how about France talking about sending in troops to Moldova

  5. 5.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Devore: I don’t know what the Russians do and do not have in their stockpile.

    I had not seen that news regarding France and Moldova.

  8. 8.

    Snarki, child of Loki

    Not sure how anyone can call the new Ukrainian ships “anti-submarine”, considering how Ukraine has added so many submarines to the Russian navy.

  9. 9.

    glc

    @Jay: “Depend upon it, sir, when a man knows he is to be hanged in a fortnight, it concentrates his mind wonderfully.”

    A bit of that, perhaps.

    Macron is making it a bit harder for his colleagues to pretend that Putin’s revanchism and U.S. fecklessness are inconvenient but essentially minor issues for Europe. Not exactly the role one expects from France, but in the absence of (visible) leadership from Germany they are more or less next in line.

  10. 10.

    Jay

    @glc:

    I think that Macron has finally realized that ruZZia and Putin are full of shit, lying liars and is a little pissed that they are interfering illegally in French politics.

  13. 13.

    Roberto el oso

    I think that Macron’s recent comments are by and large driven by admirable principles. Doubtless there are political aspects as well, both in an attempt to nudge Germany from its wishy-washy stance, and to box in Le Pen and her allies by forcing them to come clean regarding any pro-Putin sympathies they might have.

  14. 14.

    Sister Inspired Revolver of Freedom

    Ukraine wasn’t supposed to exist as an independent nation by now. I hope that thought keeps the Murder Goblin up at night.

    Maybe Macron read some history books 📚. If so, it’s about damn time. Or maybe it’s the recent spate of Russian  propaganda constantly claiming that Ukraine doesn’t really exist. Whatever it is, I wish Olaf Scholz would get with the programme.

    Meanwhile in Canada, the Ukrainian diaspora is letting one of our political leaders have it for abandoning Ukraine. I am so here for it, especially since it’s the truth.

    Thank you as always Adam.

  16. 16.

    Sister Inspired Revolver of Freedom

    @tokyocali (formerly tokyo ex-pat): The Liberal government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has supported Ukraine from the beginning of the Russian Invasion. Deputy Prime Minister & Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland is not only a member of the Ukrainian diaspora, she & the KGB have a history. (Wikipedia is your friend.) I’m sure she’s very active behind the scenes.

    In contrast, the Conservative Party of Canada, led by that smarmy piece of shite Pierre Poilievre, for reasons that are much debated, have voted against the new Canada Ukraine Free Trade Deal & behaved with scant courtesy when President Zelensky addressed the Canadian Parliament. They have loudly questioned the amount of & the cost of the support Canada has given to Ukraine. And so on. For this, members of the Ukrainian Canadian community, along with other Canadian supporters of aid to Ukraine, have been calling them out. Those calls are getting louder, especially since the CPC have yet to offer up a serious, comprehensive reason for their opposition, other than they really, really don’t like Justin Trudeau. 🙄

    I hope this helps.

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