Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

… riddled with inexplicable and elementary errors of law and fact

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

A snarling mass of vitriolic jackals

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

Pelosi: “He either is stupid, or he thinks the rest of us are.” Why not both?

Days Since JD Vance Insulted Women Across America: Zero

Celebrate the fucking wins.

It’s a doggy dog world.

There are no moderate republicans – only extremists and cowards.

Innocent people don’t delay justice.

We’ve had enough carrots to last a lifetime. break out the sticks.

Of course you can have champagne before noon. That’s why orange juice was invented.

Perhaps you mistook them for somebody who gives a damn.

Balloon Juice, where there is always someone who will say you’re doing it wrong.

The fight for our country is always worth it. ~Kamala Harris

This year has been the longest three days of putin’s life.

Democrats are back in array!

Make the republican party small enough to drown in a bathtub.

We need to vote them all out and restore sane Democratic government.

Compromise? There is no middle ground between a firefighter and an arsonist.

The new republican ‘Pastor’ of the House is an odious authoritarian little creep.

My years-long effort to drive family and friends away has really paid off this year.

The Supreme Court is corrupt. Democrats must win in November and force court reform.

You can’t attract Republican voters. You can only out organize them.

You are here: Home / Foreign Affairs / War for Ukraine Day 776: Russia Continues to Bombard Kharkiv and Sumy!

War for Ukraine Day 776: Russia Continues to Bombard Kharkiv and Sumy!

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Screen shot of new artwork by NEIVANMADE. The background is black. In the bottom foreground are grey Ukrainian homes and apartment buildings being bombarded by red Russian missiles with the Special Military Operation "Z" symbol on them. Above the missiles, written in red is the word "Ruzzians". Below the buildings being attacked is the statement "Turns Homes Into Graves".

(Image by NEIVANMADE)

As of 8:20 PM EDT the air raid alerts are only up over Kherson, Mykolaiv, and Odesa Oblasts, in addition to the ones that are always up over Russian occupied Luhansk and Crimea.

Russia bombarded Kharkiv again!

Kharkiv needs a robust defense. There is a solution to Russia’s constant terror: we need additional air defense systems and missiles. The world has no right to remain indifferent while Russia deliberately destroys the city on a daily basis and murders people in their homes. Ukraine needs greater air defense.

I am grateful to everyone who is there for our people—eliminating the consequences of shelling, assisting, supporting, and working hard to keep normal life in Ukrainian cities.

And Sumy Oblast:

From The Kyiv Independent:

Russian forces struck six communities in Ukraine’s northeastern Sumy Oblast in 14 separate attacks throughout the day, the regional administration reported on April 9. At least 50 explosions were reported in Sumy Oblast over the past 24 hours.

The communities of Yunakivka, Bilopillia, Krasnopillia, Okhtyrka, Esman, and Seredyna-Buda came under attack.

Throughout the day, Russia assailed the border communities with mortar, artillery, grenade launcher, and rocket attacks. The community of Esman saw at least 14 mines dropped according to the Ukrainian military.

No casualties or damages to civilian infrastructure were reported.

Russian strikes against Sumy Oblast have become increasingly destructive over the past month, leading to multiple civilian casualties. On April 8, Russian aerial attacks against the town of Bilopillia and the city of Sumy killed one person and injured six others, one of them critically.

Amid intensified attacks, Ukrainian authorities ordered the evacuation of children from 52 settlements in Sumy Oblast on April 5.

They also hit Poltava!

Here is President Zelenskyy’s address from earlier today. Video below, English transcript after the jump:

We must make every effort to protect as many of our cities and communities as possible –  address by the President of Ukraine

9 April 2024 – 17:16

Dear Ukrainians!

Today I’m in Kharkiv and the region. Numerous issues related to the city and the region were addressed.

I watched the construction of fortifications. Shoring up this direction is very important. Russian terrorists must see the reinforcement of the Kharkiv region. I held a meeting with everyone responsible for the region’s protection and restoration of normal life after Russian strikes. I am proud of Kharkiv residents. I am grateful to everyone who has worked these weeks to give Kharkiv and the region more electricity, to ensure more protection from Russian strikes. There were reports on the physical protection of power facilities and the restoration of grids. All the necessary conditions are being created to reduce the electricity shortage. Kharkiv should get lighter schedules. Separately, government officials are working to help the city and the region overcome the existing energy challenges. There are some valid proposals, and we will provide the necessary funding. The government will make all the details public. I held a meeting with entrepreneurs from the Kharkiv region. I am grateful to everyone who stays in the city, who keeps jobs for people, who maintains a normal life. Russia’s goal is clear: they want to do everything possible to drive people out of Kharkiv and the region. Whatever Putin touches becomes ruins. We must make every effort, both possible and impossible, to protect as many of our cities and communities as possible from him. Here in Kharkiv, I honored our people today – representatives of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the National Guard, the police, and the State Emergency Service who help save lives and protect Ukraine. I presented state awards. But in fact, the entire city of Kharkiv and the Kharkiv region deserve our gratitude and honor, as does every Ukrainian community and person who refuses to bow to the enemy and makes every effort to safeguard life.

All of our partners around the world must understand that trust in them and the future of the democratic free world can be achieved right now in cities such as Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, many towns in the Sumy and Donetsk regions, Mykolaiv, Chernihiv, and Dnipropetrovsk regions – everywhere where air defense is required and the world’s political will is needed to make decisions that will safeguard life and ensure victory over Russian terror. We have also made decisions to bolster air defense here in Kharkiv.

Life must prevail. I am grateful to everyone in the world who understands this! I thank all our people who give Ukraine strength.

Thank you, Kharkiv!

Glory to Ukraine!

Some good news!

U.S. Government Transfers Captured Weapons

On Apr. 4, 2024, the U.S. government transferred over 5,000 AK-47s, machine guns, sniper rifles, RPG-7s and over 500,000 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition to the Ukrainian armed forces. This constitutes enough materiel to equip one UKR BDE with small arms rifles. These weapons will help Ukraine defend against Russia’s invasion.

The government obtained ownership of these munitions on December 1, 2023, through the Department of Justice’s civil forfeiture claims against Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

These munitions were originally seized by U.S. Central Command and partner naval forces from four separate transiting stateless vessels between 22 May 2021 to 15 Feb 2023. The munitions were being transferred from the IRGC to the Houthis in Yemen in violation of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2216. U.S. CENTCOM is committed to working with our allies and partners to counter the flow of Iranian lethal aid in the region by all lawful means including U.S. and U.N. sanctions and through interdictions.

Iran’s support for armed groups threatens international and regional security, our forces, diplomatic personnel, and citizens in the region, as well as those of our partners. We will continue to do whatever we can to shed light on and stop Iran’s destabilizing activities.

And a bit more!

Here are the details from the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA):

UKRAINE – HAWK PHASE III MISSILE SYSTEM SUSTAINMENT

Media/Public Contact [email protected]
Transmittal No 24-53

WASHINGTON, April 9, 2024 – The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Ukraine of HAWK Phase III Missile System Sustainment and related elements of logistics and program support for an estimated cost of $138 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today.

The Government of Ukraine has requested to buy sustainment-related articles and services for the HAWK Phase III missile system, including engineering and integration for communications and interoperability; refurbishment and system overhaul of HAWK air defense fire units; missile recertification components; tool kits; test equipment; support equipment; technical documentation; spare parts; training; U.S. Government and contractor technical and field office support; and other related elements of logistics and program support. The estimated total cost is $138 million.

The Secretary of State has determined and provided detailed justification that an emergency exists that requires the immediate sale to the Government of Ukraine of the above defense articles and services in the national security interests of the United States, thereby waiving the congressional review requirements under Section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act, as amended.

This proposed sale will support the foreign policy goals and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a partner country that is a force for political stability and economic progress in Europe.

Ukraine has an urgent need to increase its capabilities to defend against Russian missile strikes and the aerial capabilities of Russian forces. Maintaining and sustaining the HAWK missile system will enhance Ukraine’s ability to defend its people and protect critical national infrastructure.

The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region.

The principal contractors will be RTX Corporation, located in Andover, MA, and PROJECTXYZ, located in Huntsville, AL. Equipment will be supplied from a combination of U.S. Army stock, country donations, Commercial Off-the-Shelf (COTS), and new production. There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale.

Implementation of this proposed sale will require temporary duty travel of an estimated 5 U.S. Government and 15 contractor representatives to Europe to support HAWK system training and sustainment.

There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale.

The description and dollar value are for the highest estimated quantity and dollar value based on initial requirements. Actual dollar value will be lower depending on final requirements, budget authority, and signed sales agreement(s), if and when concluded.

All questions regarding this proposed Foreign Military Sale should be directed to the State Department’s Bureau of Political Military-Affairs, Office of Congressional and Public Affairs, [email protected].

For those of you who thought reporters were publishing unverifiable rumors that the Biden administration has told Ukraine not to strike in Russia, Secretary of Defense Austin confirmed it today during his testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee:

Asked why the Biden admin is discouraging Ukraine from striking Russian energy infrastructure, Secretary Austin acknowledges that admin has concerns about how it will affect global energy markets.

“Certainly, those attacks could have a knock on effect, in terms of the global energy situation,” Austin says. “But quite frankly, I think Ukraine is better served and going after tactical and operational targets that can directly influence the current fight.”

Here’s the link to the hearings if you want to watch them.

More from Sumy Oblast:

More from Poltava:

I am surprised that there is so little information about what happened in Poltava, in eastern Ukraine.
It’s just terrible what happened there at night, the cries of people asking for help.
A Russian missile hit a residential building with civilians.
What kind of peace agreement can we talk about with these scum!

And that’s why I didn’t include the videos and other imagery on social media of this above the jump. It’s everywhere. It is also not accurate.

Russian occupied Donetsk Oblast:

More on the turtle tank!

Novomykhailivka:

Chasiv Yar:

Kherson Oblast:

That’s enough for tonight!

Your daily Patron!

Open thread!

Reader Interactions

22Comments

  1. 1.

    teezyskeezy

    Thank you. Reading your terse, honest, but ultimately sane and tempered updates is very grounding for me.

  2. 2.

    Jay

    Thank you, Adam.

    VatnicSoup has a deep dive in on Samuel Charap, who seems to have never met a ruZZian he didn’t love, and has an open door to the White House and the Joint Chiefs, and a position at RAND.

    So far it’s just on Xshitter and Nitter, but it should be on Threads and VatnickSoup soon.

  7. 7.

    Jay

    @Gin & Tonic:

    @Adam L Silverman:

    I find VatnickSoup useful every day because there are just so many ruZZians and ruZZian agents embedded in the West, it’s hard to keep track of them all. There are so many.

    Then of course, there is useful idiot vs. paid agent, where seeing commonality in similar linkages turn, in my mind, a useful idiot into a paid agent.

    MGIMO=GRU

    Valdai Discussion Club= Bought and Paid For

  9. 9.

    wjca

    @Jay:

    The difference between a paid agent and a useful idiot is that the idiot isn’t smart enough to demand to get paid.  Hence the appellation “idiot”

  10. 10.

    Jay

    @wjca:

    there was a recent expose, (is in Glasnost Gone’s threads), ruZZian, Iranian and CCP paid agents average out at $20K a year, sometimes just trips, hookers and blow, not actual cash.

    Way cheaper than a Supreme Court Justice.

  12. 12.

    Ivan X

    I feel like I am reading these updates through fingers over my eyes.

    Despite that, thank you, Adam.

  14. 14.

    bjacques

    The latest updates are hard going but necessary. Thanks as always, Adam.

    Some comic relief: over at Kos they’re calling that Russian turtle tank the Blyatmobile!

    And I’m guessing if you find one flipped over in the sun it’s human not to bother flipping it back…

  16. 16.

    TeezySkeezy

    @bjacques: I am sad there are fewer comments on Adams’ posts than there used to be. Is that a sign of less interest or a sign of dispair?

  18. 18.

    bjacques

    @TeezySkeezy: they’re certainly being read. Sometimes there’s not much you can say. These are unfortunately those times. Our foreign policy is hostage to a handful of crazy, angry dipshits.

  19. 19.

    ColoradoGuy

    It’s grim reading that U.S. foreign policy is controlled by a hostile power that ultimately seeks to destroy the USA, but that is what is happening. The top ranks of the GOP are controlled by the Kremlin, while national media pretends it’s not happening.

  20. 20.

    Bill Arnold

    @TeezySkeezy:

    I am sad there are fewer comments on Adams’ posts than there used to be. Is that a sign of less interest or a sign of dispair?

    I read it all, every night, and read most of the linked material.
    The Ukrainians are doing what they can with what they have, and brilliantly so.
    Americans need to focus on extirpation of the Republican Party from at the very least the USA levers of power in the Nov 2024 elections and any subsequent runoffs. This, while continuously working the near-term politics to get significant aid to Ukraine (of what Ukraine needs), against the Russia-enpuppeted parts of the GOP (now, TOP).
    It will be a very long year. (Not just in the USA.)

  21. 21.

    StringOnAStick

    @Bill Arnold: Agreed.

    I read every post; there’s just not much I can add to the discussion.  Even thanking Adam means more work for him since he is compelled to thank each one; I can’t imagine how soul rending these posts are to do.

  22. 22.

    Bill Arnold

    I was wondering if something like this would gain traction, re Russian treatment of non-ROC Christians in occupied parts of Ukraine, including areas that Russia might control in the future without additional military aid to Ukraine. Maybe. (The current ROC is essentially a tool of Satan, IMO.)
    If Mike Johnson Won’t Fund Ukraine For Normal Moral Reasons, Maybe He’ll Do It For Gay-Hatin’ Extremist Reasons! – The enemy of my enemy is the enemy of my enemy. (Wonkette, EVAN HURST, APR 10, 2024)

    Evangelicals are a very small minority in Ukraine, like two percent, but the gist of their argument is that Vladimir Putin and his state-run Russian Orthodox Christianity are the enemy of their religious freedom. (Both sides hate LGBTQ+ people, they just wear different frocks, you’d think they could fucking get over it. Ha ha, just described the history of Christianity.)
    Apparently, Zelenskyy has just agreed to give this little group of evangelical Ukrainians their own national prayer breakfast, which they can use for their anti-LGBTQ+ networking.
    Back in January, three evangelical Ukrainian leaders and a member of parliament named Pavlo Unguryan, whom Larsen describes as one of the most important evangelicals in Ukraine, delivered a letter to Mike Johnson, basically laying out how their religious freedom — you know what that means when these types say it — was under attack. In other words, a message tailor-made for a perpetually aggrieved white Christian extremist like Johnson.
    “It was important for brother Mike,” said [Valerii Antoniuk, head of the All-Ukrainian Union of the Churches of Evangelical Christians-Baptists], “to hear the voice of fellow believers.”

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