Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

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

If you can’t control your emotions, someone else will.

Not rolling over. fuck you, make me.

Dumb motherfuckers cannot understand a consequence that most 4 year olds have fully sorted out.

DeSantis transforming Florida into 1930s Germany with gators and theme parks.

“Everybody’s entitled to be an idiot.”

Republicans in disarray!

“In this country American means white. everybody else has to hyphenate.”

“Facilitate” is an active verb, not a weasel word.

Republicans don’t lie to be believed, they lie to be repeated.

No offense, but this thread hasn’t been about you for quite a while.

When do we start airlifting the women and children out of Texas?

You passed on an opportunity to be offended? What are you even doing here?

It is not hopeless, and we are not helpless.

Quote tweet friends, screenshot enemies.

The Giant Orange Man Baby is having a bad day.

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

… pundit janitors mopping up after the gop

These days, even the boring Republicans are nuts.

There are a lot more evil idiots than evil geniuses.

Giving in to doom is how authoritarians win.

Mediocre white men think RFK Jr’s pathetic midlife crisis is inspirational. The bar is set so low for them, it’s subterranean.

He really is that stupid.

Let the trolls come, and then ignore them. that’s the worst thing you can do to a troll.

You are here: Home / Foreign Affairs / War for Ukraine Day 953: Would You Look at That, Apparently You Can Bomb a Russian Airbase Deep Behind the Lines, Who Knew?

War for Ukraine Day 953: Would You Look at That, Apparently You Can Bomb a Russian Airbase Deep Behind the Lines, Who Knew?

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Two quick housekeeping notes. First, Rosie is doing great. Thank you all for the good thoughts, well wishes, prayers, and donations.

Second, thank you all for the Rosh HaShana wishes.

Apparently you can strike a Russian base well behind enemy lines.

Helping Ukraine defeat Russia will isolate Iran, thus degrading Iranian support for Hizbollah, Hamas, and Houthis. It will also send a message of deterrence to China. These wars are connected…parts of one strategic challenge to our way of life, requiring political will, industrial capacity and military capability.

Who knew?

I expect that the Biden administration will now turn off the long range weapons systems and the flow of long range weapons to Ukra… Wait, I’m getting an update: Israel.

Never mind.

Here’s the butcher’s bill from last night’s Russian attack:

Russia continues to terrorize the civilian population of Ukraine, overnight launching 105 Shahed kamikaze drones onto several regions of the country.

Despite the relentless attacks, Ukrainian air forces are still downing the majority – this time successfully eliminating 78.

Ukraine is forbidden by the US to strike the source of the attacks with western weapons.

From The Kyiv Independent:

About 15 Russian drones were detected and shot down near Kyiv overnight on Oct. 3, city authorities said.

The air raid alert in Ukraine’s capital lasted 5.5 hours, with explosions reported in Kyiv and surrounding areas.

Drone attacks on Kyiv have increased in recent weeks, with Russia launching several groups of drones at night, approaching from various directions and altitudes, according to the Kyiv City Military Administration.

“The enemy launched the first groups of drones before midnight, but more and more UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) were constantly added throughout the night,” authorities reported on Oct. 3.

“Nevertheless, none of the Russian drones reached their target.”

Debris from downed drones fell in Kyiv’s Desnianskyi district. No damage or injuries were reported.

Ukraine’s Air Force reported that Russia launched 105 Shahed-type drones across Ukraine overnight. Seventy-eight were shot down across 15 oblasts, while 23 were lost to electronic warfare, and one flew toward Belarus, the statement said.

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

Long-Range Capabilities Must Finally Be Provided in the Way Necessary to End This War – Address by the President

3 October 2024 – 19:29

Dear Ukrainians!

Today, the new NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte, paid his first visit to Kyiv, and this is a significant visit to Ukraine he made immediately after assuming the powers of the Alliance’s Secretary General. And the key now is to actually back up this priority with decisions. It’s clear how important it is to fully implement every agreement we’ve made with our partners on defense support. Timeliness in support means resilience on the frontline. The frontline must be strengthened, and long-range capabilities must finally be provided in the way necessary to end this war. Everyone in the Alliance understands the needs.

As we head into winter, Ukraine’s air defense is no less important, along with real progress in the joint interception of Russian missiles and drones. We see that one of the main reasons for the security deficit in the skies of Ukraine, and in particular near the borders of NATO, our neighbors, is the lack of decisions on joint operations and joint defense. What works in the skies of the Middle East and helps Israel’s defense can work just as well in the skies of our part of Europe – in Ukraine – helping to save lives. There are specific technical solutions and fully effective tactics for this. Today, we discussed these matters with Mark Rutte – we will continue convincing all partners of what needs to be implemented for effective air defense.

Also, the invitation for Ukraine to join NATO and the progress toward membership is a constant topic on the table in our discussions with partners. Today, Mark and I talked about the details of this. It is equally necessary for all of us in Europe – Ukraine in the Alliance – not just for the sake of greater collective strength, and not just because it’s fair and deserved for Ukrainians, but also because only with Ukraine’s full integration and our clear place in the Euro-Atlantic space can we effectively eliminate Russia’s old, criminal temptation to disrupt the European way of life. Geopolitical certainty for Ukraine and for the whole of Europe is of the utmost value. This is the solid foundation of peace – when there is no insufficiently secure place in Europe’s security architecture.

There was a report today from Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi. Frontline – Donetsk, Kharkiv, and Zaporizhzhia regions. Our response to Russia’s attacks on border communities. As well as the operation in the Kursk region – our ongoing active measures. I am grateful to all our warriors – every combat brigade – who are really effective on the battlefield now, in the most intense sectors. These weeks, the 35th separate marine brigade, the 57th separate motorized infantry brigade, the 68th separate jaeger brigade, the 102nd separate territorial defense brigade, the 118th separate mechanized brigade and the 425th separate assault battalion especially deserve our gratitude. Thank you all, warriors!

I thank everyone who is fighting and working for Ukraine! Glory to our people!

Glory to Ukraine!

Mark Rutte, the new Secretary General of NATO, made his first official visit today. To Ukraine.

Mark Rutte’s first visit as NATO Secretary General @SecGenNATO is to Ukraine, and this is truly significant. It immediately and clearly outlines the priorities, highlighting where the shared values of the entire Euro-Atlantic region are being defended right now. It also emphasizes that we in Ukraine can count on Mark’s continued personal leadership.

Our key objective, of course, remains Ukraine’s full membership in the Alliance. Today, we also discussed Ukraine’s Victory Plan, the situation on the battlefield, the current needs of our troops, as well as Ukraine’s air defense needs and additional cooperation with our neighbors.

As winter approaches, it is crucial to implement all the agreements regarding air defense, especially those discussed at the NATO summit in Washington.

He and President Zelenskyy held a joint press conference.

Ukraine needs to strengthen its positions on the frontline so that we can increase pressure on Russia for the sake of fair, real diplomacy. This is why we need a sufficient quantity and quality of long-range weapons, the provision of which, in my opinion, is being delayed by our partners.

Today, with Mark Rutte @SecGenNATO, we also discussed Ukraine’s air defense needs and additional cooperation with our neighbors. We see, particularly in the Middle East, how it is possible to protect people’s lives through the unity of allies. Jointly intercepting Iranian missiles is no different from jointly intercepting Russian missiles, and especially “Shaheds,” which link the Russian and Iranian regimes.

What we need in our region is more determination from our partners to put an end to Russian terror.

Here’s the full video.

I’m sure it will.

Romania:

Here’s the full text of the quoted tweet:

Romania will donate Patriot air defense system to Ukraine. Official website of the president of Romania:

«Considering the significant deterioration of the security situation in Ukraine, as a result of Russia’s constant and massive attacks on civilians and civil infrastructure, especially on the energy sector, as well as the regional consequences of this situation, including on Romania’s security, in close coordination with the Allies, Council members decided to donate a PATRIOT system to Ukraine.»

https://presidency.ro/ro/media/sedinta-consiliului-suprem-de-aparare-a-tarii1718883520

Russia committed another war crime today by executing another Ukrainian POW.

russians have once again executed a Ukrainian prisoner of war on camera.

I wish everyone advocating for ‘peace deals’ would reflect on how can you make peace with those who come to murder you, your family, everyone you love, and destroy your very way of life?

I wish the UN and the Red Cross would stop being passive, uninvolved, and indifferent, as they hang out on Carphatian resorts.

I wish something would change.

How many more of us need to die on camera for the world to finally understand what we are up against and the consequences of delaying crucial support and decisions?

I’ve watched the video. You do not need to watch it, you do not need to see the screen shots from it. Just note what Russia has done.

 

Vovchansk:

Kharkiv:

When russian aircraft bombed Kharkiv last night, I couldn’t reach my parents. The fear was paralyzing. Minutes felt endless. Then my dad answered – they were okay. I cried with relief, rage, and exhaustion. The wounds left by russia’s war will never fully heal. Something inside me is broken beyond repair.

Vuhledar:

SildstvoInfo has the details:

After two years of defence of Vuhledar, the Ukrainian military withdrew from the city. Today, the Khortytsia operational and strategic grouping of troops officially announced this: ‘Having suffered numerous losses as a result of prolonged fighting, the enemy did not give up trying to capture Vuhledar. In an attempt to take control of the town at any cost, they managed to send reserves to conduct flanking attacks that exhausted the defences of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. As a result of the enemy’s actions, the city was threatened with encirclement. The Higher Command gave permission for a manoeuvre to withdraw units from Vuhledar in order to save personnel and military equipment, and to take up a position for further actions.’

Slidstvo.Info spoke to one of the military officers at the headquarters of one of the battalions of the 72nd Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which has been defending this area and Vuhledar in particular since August 2022 without rotation. The soldier’s name has been changed for security reasons.

‘Before the brigade was redeployed to the Donetsk region, we had a fully operational unit and staff. But over two years of fighting without rotations and rest, we turned into an incapacitated unit, the brigade was wiped out,’ says Viktor, who holds a position at the headquarters of one of the battalions of the 72nd Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

‘In the two years since we have been in the Vuhledar area, only once in my battalion have we been able to fully staff only one company — out of the entire battalion. Every three months, we received 25 new recruits, mostly old men aged 50+. They were poorly trained in the ‘training schools’, they did not know tactical medicine at all, nor what a grenade launcher was. There was zero fire support, so we managed to teach them what we could in a week on the spot, but understood that it was very little time.’

When asked why they failed to hold the town, which was situated on a hill and had a very favourable position for defence, and which his brigade and other units had held for two years, Viktor explains: ‘And what is a dominant height now, if the enemy’s reconnaissance drones are hovering over you around the clock? And they have an advantage in artillery, we had practically no artillery, it’s not like it was in the winter of 23rd, when we defeated the 155th Brigade (in February 2023, the 72nd Brigade destroyed several columns of Russian tanks and effectively rendered the 155th Marine Brigade of the Russian Federation incapable of fighting, which attacked Pavlivka, near Vuhledar — ed.) Then we had a lot of artillery, shoot if you want, but now we don’t, they have parity in the air due to the larger number of FPV drones. The Russians also started remotely mining all the access roads to the front line. Yes, their infantry are bums, but they have an advantage in means and numbers. We simply had no one and nothing to fight with.’

Viktor tells us how many men he has left in the battalion. Out of 350 people, there are up to 30 people left for one platoon. This includes mechanics, drivers, and recently infantrymen who held the front line — a 2-3 kilometre strip — and there were 14-18 people in the unit.

‘We have repeatedly said that the unit is incapable of fighting, we were sometimes given some manpower, but they were also quickly worn out due to inadequately cut tasks, such as “restoring lost positions”, and we could no longer hold the ones we were standing on at the time,’ the soldier says.

When asked whether the Russian offensive on Vuhledar could have been deterred in recent months, Viktor replies that yes, ‘if we had been replaced at least 2-3 months ago, but it depends on who and what quality of infantry would have been there, whether they would not have been afraid to hold the front line.’

Slidstvo.Info asked the press service of the 72nd Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine for a comment on the circumstances of their withdrawal from Vuhledar, but they have not yet officially commented on this information.

Before the full-scale invasion, about 15,000 people lived in Vuhledar. The town was destroyed in 2023. A few days before the capture of Vuhledar, there were just over 100 residents left. According to the Donetsk Military-Civilian Administration, all children were evacuated.

The Kursk cross border offensive.

Voronezh Oblast, Russia:

That’s enough for tonight.

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I would have been a cheesecake or ice cream, probably!🤭🧀🍮 Ідея: @mavka.kytsia

Open thread!

Reader Interactions

15Comments

  1. 1.

    HumboldtBlue

    A historic United States port strike has been suspended, according to the International Longshoremen’s Association and the U.S. Maritime Alliance.
    A tentative agreement was reached “on wages” and extending “the Master Contract until January 15, 2025 to return to the bargaining table to negotiate all other outstanding issues,” the ILA and USMX said in a joint statement Thursday evening.
    “Effective immediately, all current job actions will cease and all work covered by the Master Contract will resume,” the statement read.

  3. 3.

    KatKapCC

    I cannot begin to imagine how maddening it is for Ukraine to constantly be told “Yeah we’ll talk about it, yeah we’ll send this, yeah we’ll think about that” over and over and most of it never happening. Meanwhile their land and people are being decimated. It’s unconscionable what the world has allowed to happen there.

  4. 4.

    KatKapCC

    Also shanah tovah u’metuka, Adam and all the MoTs here. I may possibly have eaten half my weight in apples and honey already.

  5. 5.

    Bill Arnold

    @KatKapCC:

    I may possibly have eaten half my weight in apples and honey already.

    I just had my first this new year. (Infinitely more than zero. :-) )

  13. 13.

    Chris

    @KatKapCC:

    I am deeply sorry.

    I have IBS, have for almost a decade.  The two things I’ve found my body just can’t do are alcohol and coffee.  I don’t miss the alcohol.  I really miss the coffee.

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