(Image by NEIVANMADE)
Two quick housekeeping notes. First, Rosie is still doing fine. She has another week off before her next treatment.
Second, because it’s been a longer weekend than I think any of us were planning on, I’m going to keep tonight’s update as brief as possible.
As I’ve typed this post over the past hour (6:00 to 7:00 PM EDT) air raid alerts have gone up for Odesa, Mykolaiv, and Kherson Oblasts. The on for Kharkiv Oblast that was up has come down. The alert maps do not show any inbound cruise missiles, but it may be an ugly morning in southern Ukraine.
Apparently, Odesa’s air defense intercepted inbound cruise missiles shortly after I hit publish:
Several loud explosions heard in Odesa as air defences intercepted incoming Russian missiles. Sizeable fire reported in one location. Earlier, Air Force warned ballistic missiles headed from the south #Ukraine pic.twitter.com/1lGwfu2isW
— Michael Bociurkiw (@WorldAffairsPro) July 14, 2024
As of 7:36 PM EDT the air raid alerts for southern Ukraine have dropped, but a new one has been posted for Kharkiv Oblast.
Russia attacked Kharkiv with glide bombs again about two or three hours ago:
Explosions reported in Kharkiv! Right now, the city is under russian glide bomb attack!
— Iryna Voichuk (@IrynaVoichuk) July 14, 2024
Andrei Kozyrev, who was Russia’s Foreign Minister from 1990-1996 and in the Duma through 2000, has some well informed thoughts regarding the potential aftermath of last night’s shooting in Pennsylvania.
The Kremlin TV is blaming Democrats’ created “atmosphere around Trump” for an outrageous attempt on him. As usual, domestic propaganda will be translated to poison the political atmosphere in America through cyberspace.
— Andrei V Kozyrev (@andreivkozyrev) July 14, 2024
Unbelievable how Russia uses this appalling attack on Trump to spin wild conspiracy theories pic.twitter.com/z7MYIR67On
— Maria Avdeeva (@maria_avdv) July 14, 2024
This is what state TV in Russia is telling viewers tonight: “Today Trump quite literally spilled blood for America. He is now highly likely to get back not only the Oval Office, but also control of all key state institutions: Congress, the Prosecutor’s office, the Supreme… pic.twitter.com/5eBNOYlipI
— Steve Rosenberg (@BBCSteveR) July 14, 2024
This is what state TV in Russia is telling viewers tonight: “Today Trump quite literally spilled blood for America. He is now highly likely to get back not only the Oval Office, but also control of all key state institutions: Congress, the Prosecutor’s office, the Supreme Court.”|
As Rahm Emanuel once proclaimed, but was terrible at actually executing, never let a crisis go to waste.
Either in the US or in Russia:
President Zelenskyy, however, has a bit more class:
I am appalled to learn about the shooting of former U.S. President Donald Trump at his rally in Pennsylvania.
Such violence has no justification and no place anywhere in the world. Never should violence prevail.
I am relieved to learn that Donald Trump is now safe and wish him…
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) July 14, 2024
I am appalled to learn about the shooting of former U.S. President Donald Trump at his rally in Pennsylvania.
Such violence has no justification and no place anywhere in the world. Never should violence prevail.
I am relieved to learn that Donald Trump is now safe and wish him a speedy recovery. My condolences go out to the close ones of this attack’s victim, a rally attendee.
I extend my wishes for strength to everyone who is horrified by this event. I wish America emerges stronger from this.
Here is President Zelenskyy’s address from earlier today. Video below, English transcript after the jump.
We Are Working to Increase the Strength and Number of Ukrainian “Patriots” – Address by the President
14 July 2024 – 09:40
I wish you health, fellow Ukrainians!
Sunday. Morning. The whole week was full of events and negotiations.
Now, after the visit to the United States, there are decisions regarding new Patriot systems and dozens of other air defense systems. We are working to increase the strength and number of Ukrainian “Patriots.” I am grateful to all our partners who are helping us.
There are three new security agreements for Ukraine: Poland, Luxembourg, Romania. And now the team is working on new documents – there will be agreements with the Czech Republic, Slovenia, and after the meeting with the Prime Minister of Ireland, we also decided to prepare an agreement.
There is the Ukrainian Compact, which was endorsed at the NATO Summit in Washington. This is all about weapons for our soldiers, about the work of defense companies in Ukraine and with Ukraine, about support for our recovery – everything is as concrete as possible and truly supports our defense of life.
There are new defense packages.
Dozens of meetings in a week – with country leaders, heads of government, with congressmen and American public leaders, with President Biden and Speaker Johnson. After meetings with US governors, I will meet with our regional leaders, as we need cooperation between regions as well, between communities and community leaders directly. Healthcare, shelters, defense industries, etc. The United States is ready to help at all these levels.
And today’s incident in America.
A few more words about what happened when it was already night here in Ukraine.
An attempt on the life of Donald Trump. A heinous crime. One that can only be condemned. And which shows how serious the global challenges to democracy are right now.
Violence in any form and anywhere must never prevail.
I am confident that America will rise to the challenge. I wish Mr. Trump a speedy recovery. Strength and support to all who have been affected.
May every evil intention fail. And may all who can restore security truly do so.
Glory to Ukraine!
Somewhere in the US:
“Uncle Andrey, stop. Pray and think about what you are doing!”
After the Russian strike on the Okhmatdyt children’s hospital, a video of Natalia Vertinskaya appeared online, introducing herself as the niece of Russian Defense Ministry head Andrey Belousov and urging him to stop… pic.twitter.com/7rJP9CGHKm
— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) July 14, 2024
“Uncle Andrey, stop. Pray and think about what you are doing!”
After the Russian strike on the Okhmatdyt children’s hospital, a video of Natalia Vertinskaya appeared online, introducing herself as the niece of Russian Defense Ministry head Andrey Belousov and urging him to stop shelling.
▪️ The Insider investigated and found out that Vertinskaya is indeed Belousov’s relative. And his cousin lives in Kyiv and his grandparents are buried in Kyiv. In one of the Kyiv cemeteries, journalists of Donbas Realii found probable places of their burial. The names on the tombstones are Major General Alexander Alexandrovich Belousov and Serafima Nikolayevna Belousova.
▪️ At the same time, Dmitry Belousov, the younger brother of the Russian Defense Minister, denied the existence of niece Vertinskaya in a commentary to Russian media.
“We have neither Vertinsky relatives nor relatives in America. Accordingly, there is no combination of Vertinsky relatives in America,” Belousov Jr. said.
If you’re wondering how many glide bombs Russia has fired at Ukraine this past week, it’s 700 or so.
Since the beginning of this week alone, Russia has launched more than 700 guided aerial bombs, more than 170 attack drones of various types, and nearly 80 missiles against Ukraine.
Russia continues and intensifies its terror.
As I have long said, Russia’s impunity has shown… https://t.co/nyUdwcdy6k
— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) July 14, 2024
Since the beginning of this week alone, Russia has launched more than 700 guided aerial bombs, more than 170 attack drones of various types, and nearly 80 missiles against Ukraine.
Russia continues and intensifies its terror.
As I have long said, Russia’s impunity has shown everyone that the world has only one right – the right of force.
It is clear that sooner or later there will be new agreements and a new order. A new stability will come.
The question is: when, by what means and as a result of what events people will realize that it is time to stop?
Last time it happened after the Second World War.
I have questions:
Don’t do drugs, kids. pic.twitter.com/yYlRlkW6rL
— Illia Ponomarenko 🇺🇦 (@IAPonomarenko) July 14, 2024
Oy vey.
Speaking of oy vey:
May be they should visit at least the areas that were occupied by Russia but are now back in Ukraine
— Tymofiy Mylovanov (@Mylovanov) July 13, 2024
— Illia Ponomarenko 🇺🇦 (@IAPonomarenko) July 14, 2024
Oh dear lord, it turns out that to stop wars in our countries, we just need to defund our defense forces, stop the armed resistance, start negotiating with aggressors, then hold each other by hands and pray for peace all together -– how come we in Ukraine didn’t figure that out ourselves?
That would definitely end all wars and prevent a nuclear disaster, global warming, and world hunger. In all seriousness, there’s something fundamentally wrong with a world in which “outstanding scientists and thinkers” who:
a) refer that call to religious leaders/international organizations/regular people — to whoever on earth but never directly to immediate aggressors and warmongers — Vladimir Putin and Russia, the key war criminals waging the largest European war of aggression since Adolf Hitler that has such a catastrophic effect on the world and that has already left hundreds of thousands dead and entire regions devastated in ruins
b) are barely hiding it that the responsibility for “ending wars” falls upon immediate victims of aggression defending themselves rather than aggressors and warmongers — “Putin wouldn’t listen, so we’d better massage our sense of moral superiority on Ukraine instead”
c) don’t risk actually and directly facing the consequences of their methods of bringing about “world peace” by succumbing to aggressors that are unwilling to negotiate in good faith (as with the Russian occupation of Ukraine)
d) moreover, publish their calls via a newspaper so humiliatingly trampled down by Russian totalitarian censorship that it even fears using the very word “WAR” concerning what Russia does to Ukraine.
See, “certain words” are “prohibited” in the Russian Federation, so we numbly comply with Putin’s totalitarian “laws” while pretentiously lecturing Ukraine and the West on how they need to stop wars they never started.
Historians of the future will have a lot of weird, extremely weird stuff to try and fathom to describe the Age of Hypocrisy.
Here’s the thing. We’re about to enter an age where the U.S. may become very hostile to Ukraine, and neutral-positive to Russia. If this happens, there will be no fairness. And it may tip the balance into Russia’s favour sufficiently so that they win the war in this iteration of…
— Oleg Kostour 🇺🇦🇨🇦🇺🇸 (@OlegKostour) July 14, 2024
Here’s the thing. We’re about to enter an age where the U.S. may become very hostile to Ukraine, and neutral-positive to Russia. If this happens, there will be no fairness. And it may tip the balance into Russia’s favour sufficiently so that they win the war in this iteration of it.
And history is generally written by the victors. So we may become the scapegoat for all sorts of problems by those with the power to control the narrative. Lies about Ukrainians will be spread all over the place.
America was not an ally to Ukraine when they pressured Ukraine to give up its nuclear deterrent and weaponry to Russia. We may experience this type of America again soon. The type that meets with Orban and Putin and snubs Ukraine.
Remaining non-nuclear and caring about the NPT and potential sanction risks is no longer a consideration in a world of complete chaos when you have a murderous neighbor.
NATO itself may collapse, and disappear as it’s not clear it would hold itself together outside of PAX Americana.
Are the British, German, French, Turkish Greek, and Polish portions of NATO going to have the same interests? None of those would defect to allying with Russia/China if NATO disappears?
Ukraine is so keen on NATO entry but what if in 5-10 years the alliance itself is meaningless.
New York, Donetsk Oblast:
An American-made Bradley is destroying russian positions in New York, Donetsk region. The legendary IFV leaves no chance for the enemy.
📹: @United24media pic.twitter.com/qHy4HcM0jt
— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) July 14, 2024
Pokrovsk:
The special battalion “Shkval”, consisting of volunteer prisoners, as part of the 47th mechanized brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces successfully carries out a mission to clear an enemy tree line in the Pokrovsk direction with the support of Bradley infantry fighting… pic.twitter.com/eo3RiNgcQo
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated) July 14, 2024
The special battalion “Shkval”, consisting of volunteer prisoners, as part of the 47th mechanized brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces successfully carries out a mission to clear an enemy tree line in the Pokrovsk direction with the support of Bradley infantry fighting vehicles.
https://t.me/brygada47/867
The battalion consists of citizens who served sentences in prisons and is formed of volunteers who themselves decided to defend Ukraine. The 47th’ recruiting department approached the selection very responsibly, and therefore each of the ex-prisoners passed an interview.
Compare this to kamikaze assaults by unaccounted Russian convicts.
The Kharkiv front:
Accumulation of 5 destroyed Russian Desertcross-1000-3 on the Kharkiv front.https://t.co/BkjL6jZNdo pic.twitter.com/q40mP2uW6G
— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) July 14, 2024
Ukrainian Marine Kriegsforcher has a new assessment up about the battle for Novomykhailivka. First tweet from the thread, the rest from the Thread Reader App:
NOVOMYKHAILIVKA THREAD PART I
Russian strategic advance in Pokrovsk have started at 10.10.23. They deployed 3 CA to capture Avdiivka and all our attention was there.
But there was one more big battle. The Battle for Novomykhailivka that costed them 300 armed vehicles.
— Kriegsforscher (@OSINTua) July 14, 2024
I need to figure out that there will be a couple of parts about that battle. Need to say that I will try to post only undocumented losses.
And this part will be about tanks.
The first recorded loss of T-54B tank. This tank was lost on December 2023.
I remember how this T-62M was hit and stopped. He managed to drew a couple of miles and than was hit by the FPV drone.
T-62M. During the attack found a landmine and was stopped. Later was destroyed.
Another T-54!
During the attack with MTLB was stopped. One week ago was still at that place.
Damaged and abandoned T-80BV. And two more destroyed T-80BV tanks that were used by Russian infantry as a covering positions.
It was super popular by them back than.
Another damaged and abandoned T-80BV that survived 9 anti tank mines but fortunately was stopped.
And destroyed T-72B 89.
Folks, as usual we need your support. Right now your help is desperately needed for my own company:
– 4 different antennas;
– 1 tablet;
– 1 starlink;
– 4 wheelsIn general: 5500$
Please, help:
That’s a lot of destroyed Russian material.
Somewhere in Ukraine:
A Ukrainian Anti-Aircraft Regiment fighter shoots down a Russian cruise missile during one of latest Russias missile attacks. https://t.co/IyUJcE3Hfl
— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) July 14, 2024
Russia:
A Russian soldier from the 138th Brigade, which participated in the battle for Volchansk, informs the relatives of his fellow soldiers that he was not able to get everyone out alive. This is the same battle that Putin so frivolously described as creating a “sanitary zone.” For… pic.twitter.com/DZVc4dxraG
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated) July 14, 2024
A Russian soldier from the 138th Brigade, which participated in the battle for Volchansk, informs the relatives of his fellow soldiers that he was not able to get everyone out alive. This is the same battle that Putin so frivolously described as creating a “sanitary zone.” For him, a couple of thousand here, a couple of thousand there have no meaning. Meanwhile, warmongers will say that Russia must keep pressing, and Ukraine must surrender.
https://t.me/russianocontext/3938
I know that a lot of people reading these updates, whether you comment or not, are incredibly angry not just at Putin, but also at Russians, especially the ethnic Russians, because they either support Putin, go along to get along, or just keep their heads down and try to survive each day. But I strongly recommend you watch the video embedded above with the sound on. That soldier is fighting in an unjust genocidal war against Ukraine, but he’s just admitted that he’s failed as a commander.
Tomsk, Russia:
Meanwhile in Russia.
Tatiana Laletina, a 21-year-old artist from Russia’s Tomsk was sentenced to 9 years in prison in charges of “high treason”.
In 2022, she sent a total of $30 to a Ukrainian foundation providing aid to the Ukrainian military repelling a full-scale Russian… pic.twitter.com/KLRmoXpySd
— Illia Ponomarenko 🇺🇦 (@IAPonomarenko) July 13, 2024
Meanwhile in Russia.
Tatiana Laletina, a 21-year-old artist from Russia’s Tomsk was sentenced to 9 years in prison in charges of “high treason”.
In 2022, she sent a total of $30 to a Ukrainian foundation providing aid to the Ukrainian military repelling a full-scale Russian aggression.
That’s enough for tonight.
Your daily Patron!
First, some adjacent material:
It’s a hot day for Chara to travel from Kharkiv.
+40°C 🔥 on the highway.
Lots of stops & H2O 💦
Vision Mission 20:20 is only 2 hours from Kyiv! pic.twitter.com/nEGlwfSJ4w— HUGS Helping Ukraine Grassroots Support 🍁🇨🇦🇺🇦 (@HugsUkraine) July 13, 2024
Vive la France ! Joyeux 14 juillet. Merci pour votre aide ❤️🇫🇷🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/2CDolLt4fo
— Patron (@PatronDsns) July 14, 2024
Aux armes, citoyens!
Open thread!
sukabi
there’s a definite divide between those showing class and those showing ass wrt the attempted trump shooting….
Bill Arnold
In principle, F16s with longer-range AIM-120 missiles would crimp Russia’s launches of glide bombs a bit. Will Ukraine be getting these? This would be vs Russian planes that are on clear runs to launch glide bombs; even less grey area than military airfields.
Jay
Thank you, Adam.
Jay
@Bill Arnold:
Ukraine already operates Mig-29’s with AIM-120’s.
The whole issue is in two parts. ruZZian fighter aircraft fire a comparable ASSM, but their fighters have “fire and forget” target radars, so while the Ukrainian’s have to keep “nose on and radar on”, the ruZZian’s don’t.
F-16’s have the ability, and the SAAB AWACS would help, but Ukraine doesn’t have F-16’s or AWACS.
The second part, is that as long as Ukraine is not “allowed” to strike into ruZZia the brutal bombing of Ukraine will continue.
BretH
Seven Hundred Glide Bombs. GRRRRRRRR. Ukraine must be able to strike at the source!
Jay
@BretH:
and now 3,000 kilo ones with 60km range.
YY_Sima Qian
I always do a double take when I read “New York” in a Ukraine update, only to be follow by “Donetsk”.
Gin & Tonic
I did. And now I only regret that 30 of his men survived.
dimmsdale
Adam, you keep saying your posts will be “brief.” Then you stuff them full of content. I don’t know what you’re leaving out to make them “brief” but this is PLENTY. Thank you once again.
Sister Inspired Revolver of Freedom
Perun has dropped his latest video, this one on Russian equipment losses. Interesting to say the least.
The heat wave in Ukraine continues to worry me. Clean water & summer uniforms can only do so much against 40° C.
Thanks as always, Adam.
AlaskaReader
Thanks Adam
bjacques
@dimmsdale: I believe “concise” is the word you’re looking for. :-)
Thanks as always, Adam!