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Balloon Juice

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

A norm that restrains only one side really is not a norm – it is a trap.

Stop using mental illness to avoid talking about armed white supremacy.

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

They were going to turn on one another at some point. It was inevitable.

After dobbs, women are no longer free.

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

He seems like a smart guy, but JFC, what a dick!

They fucked up the fucking up of the fuckup!

Do we throw up our hands or do we roll up our sleeves? (hint, door #2)

Narcissists are always shocked to discover other people have agency.

Let’s delete this post and never speak of this again.

But frankly mr. cole, I’ll be happier when you get back to telling us to go fuck ourselves.

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

Putin must be throwing ketchup at the walls.

Dear Washington Post, you are the darkness now.

Bad people in a position to do bad things will do bad things because they are bad people. End of story.

If you don’t believe freedom is for everybody, then the thing you love isn’t freedom, it is privilege.

Republicans: The threats are dire, but my tickets are non-refundable!

No Kings: Americans standing in the way of bad history saying “Oh, Fuck No!”

If you voted for Trump, you don’t get to speak about ethics, morals, or rule of law.

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

The snowflake in chief appeared visibly frustrated when questioned by a reporter about egg prices.

The lights are all blinking red.

With all due respect and assumptions of good faith, please fuck off into the sun.

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Open Thread:  Hey Lurkers!  (Holiday Post)

Open Threads

You are here: Home / Archives for Open Threads

It’s Up To Us To Fix This

by WaterGirl|  September 10, 20259:35 am| 250 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads, Politics

Good morning.

I hope you all have 6 minutes to listen to the former president, and then talk about it in the comments.

Listening to this from Barack Obama – it’s maybe 6 minutes long – it’s clear to me that he thinks it’s gonna get worse before it gets better.  He seems to be saying that we are all going to have to take risks if we want to preserve democracy.  Personal risks.

Chilling thought.  But I think he’s likely right.  It’s bittersweet for me to remember how hard I worked to get him elected.  So much hope!  And nearly 20 years later, here we are.  How I miss that time, and that presidency, and that hope.

Test 2

It occurs to me to wonder… if Barack Obama were trying to lead the opposition, would the current guy pull a Navalny?  What a terrible thing it is to have to wonder about that in the United States of America.

If you watch the video, let us know what you think.  The rest of you, let us know what you think, too. :-)

On a brighter note, props to Barack for his third Emmy!   Eat your heart out, you-know-who  you worthless piece of shit.

Open thread.

 

It’s Up To Us To Fix ThisPost + Comments (250)

107 Days (Open Thread)

by Betty Cracker|  September 10, 20257:32 am| 204 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads, Politics

Today, The Atlantic published an excerpt of Kamala Harris’s campaign memoir, 107 Days. Here’s a gift link.

I wasn’t planning on reading it anytime soon — still too painful! But there it was in my inbox, so I read the excerpt. It’s a bit saltier than I expected! Harris indicates multiple times that she felt undermined by Biden’s staff and occasionally by Biden himself.

As to the juicy parts the media hounds will be slobbering over, here’s how Harris describes her dilemma given her role as VP when Biden decided to run for reelection. (She pretty clearly indicates it was the wrong decision due to persistent voter concern about his age.)

During all those months of growing panic, should I have told Joe to consider not running? Perhaps. But the American people had chosen him before in the same matchup. Maybe he was right to believe that they would do so again…

And of all the people in the White House, I was in the worst position to make the case that he should drop out. I knew it would come off to him as incredibly self-serving if I advised him not to run. He would see it as naked ambition, perhaps as poisonous disloyalty, even if my only message was: Don’t let the other guy win.

“It’s Joe and Jill’s decision.” We all said that, like a mantra, as if we’d all been hypnotized. Was it grace, or was it recklessness? In retrospect, I think it was recklessness. The stakes were simply too high. This wasn’t a choice that should have been left to an individual’s ego, an individual’s ambition. It should have been more than a personal decision.

As for the alleged administration coverup of Biden’s condition, Harris has this to say:

Many people want to spin up a narrative of some big conspiracy at the White House to hide Joe Biden’s infirmity. Here is the truth as I lived it. Joe Biden was a smart guy with long experience and deep conviction, able to discharge the duties of president. On his worst day, he was more deeply knowledgeable, more capable of exercising judgment, and far more compassionate than Donald Trump on his best. But at 81, Joe got tired. That’s when his age showed in physical and verbal stumbles. I don’t think it’s any surprise that the debate debacle happened right after two back-to-back trips to Europe and a flight to the West Coast for a Hollywood fundraiser. I don’t believe it was incapacity. If I believed that, I would have said so. As loyal as I am to President Biden, I am more loyal to my country.

I believe her, and the excerpt convinced me to read the whole thing when it is released.

In addition to the palace intriguey stuff above, it contains fascinating details about Harris’s role in the Biden admin, her perspective as the first woman and person of color ever elected VPOTUS and how she used her experience to approach the job. Harris remains a compelling figure, and I want to hear more from her, whether she chooses to run for office again or not.

Open thread!

107 Days (Open Thread)Post + Comments (204)

Late Night Open Thread: Pop Culture

by Anne Laurie|  September 10, 202512:04 am| 71 Comments

This post is in: Music, Open Threads, Popular Culture

Madonna releases “Lucky Star” 42 years ago today — a track that failed at first.
“The first time we put ‘Lucky Star’ out, nothing happened,” said Warner exec Jeff Ayeroff. “But MTV started to play the video, and suddenly it was like an explosion. That was the difference—television created her.”

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— Carl Quintanilla (@carlquintanilla.bsky.social) September 9, 2025 at 11:34 AM

Yes, we are old… or at least, I am. I would’ve been 27 when this video came out in 1983 (we didn’t subscribe to MTV, but it was inescapable at the time), and while it didn’t shock it did surprise me that mainstream news services were playing clips of it. In retrospect, I think this can be considered as part of the wink-wink ‘If she’s old enough to roll around like that…’ normalization of not-quite-kiddy-porn for an increasingly abusive social attitude towards women’s sexuality.

(And, of course, in Donald Trump’s mind, that era was the high point of his existence.)

Late Night Open Thread: Pop CulturePost + Comments (71)

Another One Bites the Dust

by WaterGirl|  September 9, 20258:35 pm| 50 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads, Politics

It was expected, but now it’s official!  The Democrat won in Virginia’s special election today to replace Gerry Connolly.

Another One Bites the Dust
Another one bites the dust!

I call that getting creamed.  I bet one of you enterprising jackals can come up with results from when Connolly won. It would be interesting to see how much these results might differ from those.

I don’t want to count our chickens too early, but surely this candidate would sign the discharge petition?

Can I also put in a plug for our two Virginia statehouse candidates?

I would love to repeat these results in November.  With our help, maybe they can!   Thermometers are in the sidebar.

Open thread.

Another One Bites the DustPost + Comments (50)

War for Ukraine Day 1,293: The Department of War Seems To Be Unclear on the War Part

by Adam L Silverman|  September 9, 20257:17 pm| 25 Comments

This post is in: Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, Military, Open Threads, Russia, Silverman on Security, War, War in Ukraine

Just a quick note: I am aware of the revolution in Nepal today. Including the very notable acts of violence. A few of you may know that I have had the privilege of being the front line supervisor, academic advisor, research advisor, and faculty sponsor for three Nepalese Army generals. I am waiting to hear back from them, given the time difference and the events of the day, I expect I won’t hear until at least tomorrow.

The Russian drone swarms are once again moving east to west across Ukraine with air raid alerts up for all of central, northern and eastern Ukraine, as well as Odesa and Dinpropetrovsk Oblasts at 1:53 AM local time/6:53 PM EDT.

Good night, world. There will be no lasting peace while you tolerate russia’s brutal, bloody terrorist attacks on Ukraine every day. Unpunished evil always grows, it always comes to claim more.

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— Olena Halushka (@halushka.bsky.social) September 9, 2025 at 5:01 PM

There are also reports that Russian bombers are up, but there’s nothing showing on the alert maps:

Russian bombers are in the air, many of them, and they’re heading to strike Ukraine.

The drone attack has already started.

We’re bracing for another massive attack tonight.

Please keep Ukraine in your thoughts.

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) September 9, 2025 at 5:50 PM

And Poland, apparently:

Russians are attacking Ukraine and Poland with drones.

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) September 9, 2025 at 6:51 PM

Two “Shaheds” were shot down over the territory of Poland, and another one is heading to Rzeszów — the largest logistics hub of Ukraine in Europe. Your move, NATO! 🤬 😩 wtaf?! When is enough, enough? Stiffen the spine already!
#News
#UkraineNews
#russiaMustFall

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— Baba Yaga Fèlla (@babayagafella.bsky.social) September 9, 2025 at 7:05 PM


The cost:

Russia hit a village in Donetsk Oblast with an aerial bomb as locals were receiving their pensions, killing 20 people and wounding 20 others.

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— Iryna Voichuk (@irynavoichuk.bsky.social) September 9, 2025 at 6:31 AM

The newly rebranded Undersecretary of War for Policy (USWP) seems to have some unfortunate conception of the war part of the new job title.

Ukraine is at risk of shortages of air defence weapons after a US DoD review of military aid in June resulted in slower deliveries. The review, stemming from a memo written by Pentagon’s Elbridge Colby, remains in effect even as Moscow intensifies attacks.
www.ft.com/content/26df…

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— Christopher Miller (@christopherjm.ft.com) September 9, 2025 at 7:27 AM

From The Financial Times:

Ukraine is at risk of shortages of air defence weapons after a US defence department review of military aid resulted in slower deliveries just as Moscow intensifies air attacks, according to western and Ukrainian officials.

Pressure on supplies has become more acute after months of irregular and smaller than expected shipments since a Pentagon directive in June. Officials and analysts warned that if Moscow keeps escalating or just sustains its higher tempo of missile and drone attacks, Ukrainian air defence units will face shortfalls.

“It’s a question of time for when munitions run out,” said a person familiar with US deliveries of air defence materiel to Ukraine.

Ukraine’s vulnerability was underscored on Tuesday when, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, at least 20 people were killed in a Russian air strike on Yarova, a village in the Donetsk region. Zelenskyy, who posted on Telegram a graphic video of the aftermath of the attack, said the dead civilians included pensioners waiting to collect their retirement benefits.

“The world must not remain silent,” he said.

The slowdown in air defence supplies has been particularly worrying because other missiles procured directly from manufacturers under a separate programme, the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, are produced in batches, leaving gaps between deliveries.

While Ukraine has long warned about supplies for its air defences, including during Joe Biden’s administration, Moscow’s intensifying attacks have made the worries more acute. The US slowdown in arms deliveries followed a memo in early June written by Elbridge Colby, the Pentagon’s top policy official, for defence secretary Pete Hegseth.

Colby, who has said he wants to refocus the US military on countering the growing threat posed by a rising China, argued in the memo that Ukraine’s requests for American weapons could further stretch depleted Pentagon stockpiles.

A White House official said: “Reporting that we are ‘depriving Kyiv of vital air defence munitions’ is demonstrably false, and the Department of War is working very deliberately to support Ukraine’s requirements, including with respect to air defences.”

Following a readiness review of 10 important systems, the Pentagon first paused and then slowed down shipments to Ukraine of Pac-3 interceptors for Patriot air defence systems; dozens of Stinger man-portable air defence systems; precision-guided artillery shells; more than 100 Hellfire missiles and Aim missiles launched by Ukraine’s Nasams air defence systems and F-16 fighter jets, said senior US and Ukrainian officials.

Much more at the link.

Every time a cascading effect of Colby’s decision from June is reported, the White House either tries to claim it isn’t true or announces a reversal. A reversal that is subsequently reported to not be accurate. And, to be blunt, Colby doesn’t really want to prepare to fight China, that’s just a convenient excuse and top cover for putting his, as well as his patron Charles Koch’s, form of genteel isolationism into effect.

A reminder that Angela Merkel could have singlehandedly changed the world history for the better had she only agreed for Ukraine and Georgia’s NATO Membership Action Plan in 2008.

— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) September 9, 2025 at 3:31 PM

President Zelenskyy sat for an interview with ABC News on Sunday. Here is the video. I’ve got the English subtitles on because there’s Ukrainian voiceover of the English language interview.

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

show full post on front page

Russians Continue to Kill – And It Is Terrifying That There Is Still No Strong Enough Response to It From Global Actors – Address by the President

9 September 2025 – 18:30

Dear Ukrainians!

Today, the Russians carried out a horrendous strike on the village of Yarova in the Donetsk region – a strike with a guided aerial bomb. The Russians knew full well what they were targeting, and they clearly saw that they were hitting civilians. These were ordinary people who were collecting their pensions. As of now, 24 people have been confirmed killed. My condolences. Another 19 were wounded. All of them are receiving the necessary assistance. And this is only one strike out of many that the Russians launch every day against Ukrainians – against our people, against our state. Russians continue to kill – and it is terrifying that there is still no strong enough response to it from global actors. This is precisely what Putin sees as permission to continue the war – if there is no strong pressure, if there are no decisive actions in response. Russia’s economy and the Russian state must feel pain every time they kill, every time they strike like this.

Ever since this February, the Russians have been rejecting all ceasefire proposals. For weeks, Russia has been unable – and unwilling – to give any concrete response to the United States on a leaders’ meeting format. Russia invests in war, and solely in war. The response must be strength. And we are talking about strengthening our air defense – quicker decisions on systems are needed, Patriots above all. I want to thank everyone who supports us in this. This weekʼs Ramstein meeting must give concrete results on air defense and on funds for the PURL initiative, which enables us to purchase American weapons. September must be productive for this program. I want to thank each country with which we are expanding our bilateral cooperation. Everything that gives us greater ability to protect lives – it all matters.

It is also crucial that sanctions against Russia continue to work and get stronger. Our team is working with Europeans, with Americans, with the G7 countries at every level: the Government, the Office team. There is an understanding that without new sanctions, there will be no progress in diplomacy and in all efforts to end this war. And time matters. For far too long, there has been no strengthening of pressure on Russia that would hit the Russian war machine directly, tangibly and without delay – precisely the sectors and industries that fuel aggression. Delayed economic effects do not work – the Russians prove this every time with new strikes. The Russians’ killing of Ukrainians in Yarova today – ordinary civilians, elderly people simply waiting for their pensions – is a crime from any perspective. On such matters – on matters of human life – there is no division between West and East, between liberal democracies or any other systems. For everyone, this is clearly murder. And everyone who has ever said that the war must end should respond to this. China, India, Latin America, Japan, Europe, the Arab countries, the United States, or anyone else at all.

I have just spoken with the Prime Minister of Norway – we greatly value his support and appreciate his condolences. I also want to thank António Costa, the European Commissioners, and others who have already spoken. Together, we must find a way to pressure Russia that could become the way toward ending this war. There are no other ways. I thank everyone who has enough resolve. I thank everyone who stands with us, with Ukraine!

Glory to Ukraine!

Georgia:

It’s the first time we enter the Rustaveli Avenue with chanting “Revolution!”

#GeorgiaProtests Day 286

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— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) September 9, 2025 at 2:43 PM

“Revolution!”

Day 286 of uninterrupted protests in Tbilisi. Protests continue in 8+ cities across Georgia. 🇬🇪

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— Rusudan Djakeli (@rusudandjakeli.bsky.social) September 9, 2025 at 2:21 PM

Georgian protesters, gathered in front of GD’s new campaign offices, chant “revolution.”

Many GD representatives are hiding inside the building.

Day 286 of daily, nationwide protests.

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— Rusudan Djakeli (@rusudandjakeli.bsky.social) September 9, 2025 at 1:34 PM

That is a significant escalation.

Protesters marched from Kakha Kaladze’s election headquarters to Rustaveli avenue.

#GeorgiaProtests
Day 286

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— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) September 9, 2025 at 3:00 PM

Tbilisi is on fire tonight—protesters marching, cars honking, the noise deafening.

Day 286 of daily, nationwide protests in Georgia. 🇬🇪

The illegitimate, pro-Russian regime must collapse.

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— Rusudan Djakeli (@rusudandjakeli.bsky.social) September 9, 2025 at 2:34 PM

Georgian protesters have arrived on Rustaveli Avenue, keeping it blocked for the 289th consecutive night.🇬🇪✊

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— Rusudan Djakeli (@rusudandjakeli.bsky.social) September 9, 2025 at 2:56 PM

My favorite tradition in the 286-day nonstop #GeorgiaProtests: walking onto Rustaveli Avenue with flashlights. ✨🇬🇪

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— Rusudan Djakeli (@rusudandjakeli.bsky.social) September 9, 2025 at 3:00 PM

Citizens gathered today at Kakha Kaladze’s election headquarters, where his supporters had attacked protesters yesterday. ‘Russians, Russians,’ ‘Who is Kaladze? – A murderer,’ they chant.

#GeorgianProtests
Day 286

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— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) September 9, 2025 at 12:16 PM

“Russian Dream” — During the protest on Melikishvili Street, in front of Kakha Kaladze’s campaign headquarters, demonstrators wrote inscriptions on his banners.

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— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) September 9, 2025 at 1:25 PM

Regime campaign office has been egged at the large and very angry rally today, still ongoing. #GeorgiaProtests

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— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) September 9, 2025 at 2:15 PM

Some other posters now have graffiti saying “Russian Dream.”

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— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) September 9, 2025 at 2:15 PM

These regime thugs left the office once protesters moved towards Rustaveli – from the back door, completely silent and sulking.

Some report that they see the Titushky (thugs) scattered around parks, complaining that we outnumber them.

No sh*t, clowns.

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— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) September 9, 2025 at 3:43 PM

GD “launched investigation” and threatens 5 years jail time over the graffiti on Kaladze’s campaign poster.

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— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) September 9, 2025 at 4:52 PM

🟥Sept 8, #Tbilisi – GD activists attacked journalists & protesters despite heavy police presence. Several injured.
🟥Journalists were targeted, their phones stolen & passed to cars.
🟥One phone was retrieved by a Netgazeti reporter, Ketevan Khutsishvili, who confronted the thief.
#GeorgiaProtests

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— Batumelebi&Netgazeti (@netgazeti.org) September 9, 2025 at 3:46 AM

🆘 Batumelebi has collected video footage of multiple violent attacks by GD members and activists against protesters, journalists, and even police on the night of September 8.

🟥 Several people were injured. Attackers have been identified by media, yet no arrests have been made.
#GeorgiaProtests

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— Batumelebi&Netgazeti (@netgazeti.org) September 9, 2025 at 4:38 AM

📢 Honoring courageous investigative journalism under extreme conditions, the @frittord.bsky.social & ZEIT Stiftung announce #FreeMediaAwards2025 winners: jailed Georgian journalist Mzia Amaglobeli and journalists/media from #Ukraine, #Hungary, #Russia, #Belarus & #Azerbaijan.

#JournalismIsNotACrime

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— Batumelebi&Netgazeti (@netgazeti.org) September 9, 2025 at 5:31 AM

Georgia’s legitimate President Salome Zourabichvili reiterated her solidarity with protesters, called on all to attend the larger dates, September 13 & October 4, and underlined the wrongfulness of participating in any elections in such conditions (for Lelo and Gakharia to hear).

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— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) September 9, 2025 at 3:01 PM

Germany:

🇩🇪🇳🇴The German Defense Minister announced today that the delivery of two previously promised Patriot systems to Ukraine has begun. The first launchers have already been transferred to Ukraine. German Defense Minister also thanked Norway for agreeing to cover half of the cost of two Patriot systems.

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— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) September 9, 2025 at 11:44 AM

🇩🇪/1. Germany: Russian spy ship seized in Kiel Canal

German special forces boarded the freighter Scanlark in the Kiel Canal, uncovering espionage equipment on board. Investigators suspect the vessel was used by Russia to launch drones over critical infrastructure.

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— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) September 9, 2025 at 8:52 AM

/2. According to authorities, a drone had already been deployed on August 26, 2025, to monitor a German Navy ship. The 40-year-old vessel, officially sailing under the flag of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, is linked to an Estonian operator, while the crew is Russian.

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— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) September 9, 2025 at 8:52 AM

🇩🇪🇺🇦/1. The German Rheinmetall announced a new large-scale contract with Ukraine. According to the words of the general director of the company, until the end of this year, Ukraine will receive first batch of Skyranger mobile anti-aircraft defense systems for protection against drones.

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— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) September 9, 2025 at 3:52 AM

/2. The contract will reportedly be signed on Wednesday at the DSEI defense exhibition in London.

The exact number and modification of Skyranger that Ukraine will receive is not yet disclosed.

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— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) September 9, 2025 at 3:52 AM

Back to Ukraine.

HIMARS strike on the Russian Zoopark radar station t.me/pidrozdilsha…

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— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) September 9, 2025 at 2:54 PM

“Hunting” Ukrainian style. The 110th Separate Mechanized Brigade is targeting Russian Zala and Lancet drones.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) September 9, 2025 at 10:26 AM

The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine published a video showing a mobile unit with a ZU-23-2 shooting down a Russian Iskander-K cruise missile.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) September 9, 2025 at 7:58 AM

Yarova, Donetsk Oblast:

WARNING!! WARNING!! GRAPHIC IMAGERY!! WARNING!! WARNING!!

The death toll in Yarova has risen to 24 after a cynical russian airstrike on the line of elderly people for pension. An additional 19 people were injured in the attack.

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) September 9, 2025 at 10:02 AM

Once again, people stood in line to get their pension. Elderly people! Russia decided to murder them.

Hello, world media?????

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) September 9, 2025 at 9:16 AM

Russia murdered 21 people lined to receive pension❗️

21 people were killed and more than two dozen injured in a barbaric direct russian strike with an air bomb on ordinary people lined up to receive pensions in the village of Yarova in the Donetsk region.

Monsters! Bastards!

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) September 9, 2025 at 7:17 AM

ALL CLEAR!!!!

Russian occupied Donetsk Oblast:

Someone submitted all dystopian scenarios ever written into an LLM and we’re living through the product of that

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— Mira of Kyiv 🇺🇦 (@reshetz.bsky.social) September 9, 2025 at 12:20 PM

Donetsk Oblast:

The evening in Donetsk began with an air defense missile crashing down.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) September 9, 2025 at 4:00 PM

Russian occupied Crimea:

Special Forces of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine carried out strikes on valuable Russian air defense assets in Crimea.

Strikes were delivered against the following air defense system components:

▪️48Ya6-K1 “Podlet” radar;
▪️ RLM-M from the 55Zh6M “Nebo-M” complex.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) September 9, 2025 at 10:44 AM

Russian occupied Mariupol:

The Russians are “erasing” the history of Mariupol and forcibly Russifying the city.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) September 9, 2025 at 3:40 AM

Zaporizhzhia:

Russians attacked Zaporizhzhia with UAVs. A surveillance camera recorded the moment of the enemy strike on a private household in Zaporizhzhia.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) September 9, 2025 at 1:47 AM

The Republic of Tatarstan, Russia:

/1. Satellite imagery of the Logistics Complex in Yelabuga, taken after the drone strikes in August, shows that the damaged sections of the warehouse roof have been removed and are still undergoing repairs.

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— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) September 9, 2025 at 1:45 PM

/2. The facility serves as a key logistics hub for the import of foreign components later used in drone production including Shahed kmikaze drones. In addition, the site is used to store completed Shahed drones and decoys before those are distributed to launch sites. t.me/DniproOffici…

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— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) September 9, 2025 at 1:45 PM

Vladimir Oblast, Russia:

Yesterday, USF commander ‘Magyar’ reported that the the Vtorovo oil pumping station, which supplied fuel to the Moscow ring oil pipeline was targeted on September 7. Today we have satellite images of the damage to confirm this.

(56.1764532, 40.9633522)

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— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) September 9, 2025 at 2:10 AM

Sochi, Russia:

Drones visited Sochi last night. Local residents had the opportunity to enjoy an air raid alert, followed by explosions.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) September 9, 2025 at 4:18 AM

That’s enough for tonight.

Your daily Patron!

There are new Patron skeets or videos today. Here is some adjacent material.

Your daily Bayraktar!

And how we know that the degeneration has been effective? Our old friend Bayraktar is back in frontline fight. Cause and effect in action

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— Sven-Erik Volberg (@volberg.bsky.social) September 5, 2025 at 11:59 AM

“Ukraine has reignited one of its most iconic weapons campaigns, unleashing a wave of Bayraktar drone strikes after systematically dismantling Russia’s air defenses.” euromaidanpress.com/2025/09/08/f…

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— Christophe Kopp (@chkopp.bsky.social) September 8, 2025 at 11:20 AM

From EuroMaidan Press:

Today, there are interesting updates from Crimea.

Here, Ukraine has reignited one of its most iconic weapons campaigns, unleashing a wave of Bayraktar drone strikes after systematically dismantling Russia’s air defenses. With the skies cleared, and the battlefield exposed, the return of these drones has already cost Russia hundreds of troops and naval vessels.

The Bayraktar drone, once a symbol of Ukraine’s resilience in the early months of the war, is experiencing a resurgence, as Ukraine’s Navy and Defense Intelligence have released a lot of combat footage from the most recent strikes campaign carried out against Russian naval targets in the Kherson region.

One clip shows the destruction of a Russian high-speed boat near Zaliznyi Port, which had been preparing to transport troops to the Tendrivska Spit, a key Russian staging point for drone relay stations and observation missions across the northern Black Sea.

Seven Russian soldiers were killed and four were wounded in the attack, and analysis suggests the strike was delivered by Roketsan’s MAM-L guided munition.

A second video featured another Russian boat near Zaliznyi Port being destroyed after being marked by a laser pointer. Intriguingly, Ukrainian sources described this attack as being carried out with a “missile,” raising speculation about the possible use of the Cirit, a 70 millimeter precision missile also compatible with the Bayraktar.

This resurgence is inseparable from Ukraine’s recent campaign to dismantle Russian air defense networks in Crimea, as strikes confirmed by released footage eliminated a 91N6E radar from an S 400 system, a Kasta 2E2 radar near Yevpatoria, and a Podlyot system near Novofedorivka. Ukrainian forces also hit Nebo SVU, Podlyot K1, and 96L6E radars tied to S 400 batteries, as well as a Russian BK 16 landing craft. Further operations destroyed a Utes-T radar and a 96L6 AP radar from another S 400 battery. Ultimately, a raid on Saky airbase destroyed an S 300 radar, with each of these precision strikes, often executed with drones, stripping away Russia’s ability to monitor and intercept hostile aircraft. Without these radars, expensive air defense launchers are rendered blind, and with each passing week, the protective shield over Crimea weakens further.

This methodical air defense suppression is paving the way for a renewed Bayraktar campaign and a glorious comeback. In the war’s early phase, the drone was a star performer, taking out Russian armor and artillery before defenses adapted. But once Russia thickened its air defense umbrella, the drone’s large radar signature made it an easy target, leading to a drastic reduction in its use. Conditions have now changed, as Ukraine has gained the upper hand by degrading Russian radar coverage, while also launching domestic production of Bayraktars with Turkish cooperation. This combination ensures Kyiv has both the tools and the freedom to deploy them at scale once more.

More at the link, including imagery.

Open thread!

War for Ukraine Day 1,293: The Department of War Seems To Be Unclear on the War PartPost + Comments (25)

Monday Evening Open Thread: Eyes on the Prize, Everyone

by Anne Laurie|  September 9, 20254:38 pm| 154 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads, Proud to Be A Democrat, Republican Politics, Trumpery

Whenever you see Republicans offering messaging advice to Democrats you know the Repubs are losing.

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— Dana Houle (@danahoule.bsky.social) September 9, 2025 at 11:50 AM

===

The police in Illinois work closely with the ATF to get guns off our streets, with the FBI to arrest gang members, and with the DEA to destroy the fentanyl trade.
So why is Trump sabotaging our ongoing work with federal law enforcement partners?

— Governor JB Pritzker (@govpritzker.illinois.gov) September 9, 2025 at 3:12 PM

===

"hoax" in Trumpspeak always means "my enemies are saying this so you are instructed to ignore it." Kinda the fash version of 'this is a distraction.' Same intention but with an added 'meddlesome priest' implication.

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— Zeddy (@zeddary.bsky.social) September 9, 2025 at 2:43 PM

Greg Sargent, at the New Republic — “Trump Is a Weak and Failing President, and It’s Time to Say So”:

President Donald Trump understands better than anyone else alive that his hold on his supporters—and on plenty of swing voters too—depends on the mere perception that he’s strong, wins everywhere, always acts boldly, and wields absolute mastery over his eternally feckless, disoriented enemies. Last month, after an anemic July jobs report, Trump fired the steward of jobs data, magically transforming the story from one about the Trump economy’s weakness into one about him decisively crushing a newly designated foe.

On Friday, however, the new jobs report found that only 22,000 jobs were created in August, far fewer than the 73,000 created in July. A downward revision of the previous month shows 13,000 jobs were lost in June. Shockingly, firing the commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics could not disguise the impact of Trump’s own policies: As economists noted, most signs suggest his tariffs are an important reason for the slowdown.

All this suggests that Democrats have a fresh opening to undermine the foundation of Trump’s political strength by portraying him as a politically weak, failing, diminished, naked-emperor figure—and some new internal polling conducted by Senate Democrats hints at why.

show full post on front page

The polling—conducted for the Senate Majority PAC and provided to The New Republic—probes voter attitudes toward Trump, his tariffs, and the economy. It finds that 56 percent of likely 2026 midterm voters nationally say Trump’s tariffs are hurting the economy overall, with 44 percent saying they’re hurting a lot. Only 32 percent say they’re helping. Among swing voters—defined as voters who switched in either direction from 2020 to 2024—57 percent say they’re hurting…

Between this new polling and the awful jobs numbers, Democrats no longer need to fear any Trump meta-advantage on the issue. An appeals court has found most of the tariffs to be illegal (though this will go to the Supreme Court), meaning they’re failing legally too…

This Democratic polling shows the party now sees Trump’s failing tariff regime as a big liability. “The polling does show that instead of creating strength or a sense of economic security, it is doing the opposite,” Lauren French, a spokesperson for Senate Majority PAC, told me. “When you are reckless on the economy, you don’t actually project strength.”

Trump relentlessly runs his messaging through a strong-versus-weak frame. He constantly uses the word strongly in descriptions of everything he does. For years he has attacked his foes as sickly and enfeebled. Trump’s most deranged displays—the silly claims about crowd sizes, the dumb imagery of his face attached to cartoonishly steroidal bodies, the vile agitprop about occupying U.S. cities—have an over-the-top quality that itself seems designed to convey an overbearing, resistance-is-futile aura.

Trump regularly runs his performance on issues through this frame too, but reality is shattering the illusion. Trump insists Russia wouldn’t have invaded Ukraine with him as president—and blusters that his feckless predecessors gave Ukraine away—but Vladimir Putin has humiliated Trump by keeping up the killing. Trump’s propagandists glorify his militarization of cities, but while it does constitute a massive abuse of power, Trump’s lawyers are unprecedentedly struggling to indict people swept up in his crackdown…

“Democrats need to attack this dimension of Trumpism—the essential story Trumpworld tells about him being ‘strong,’” says Democratic strategist Simon Rosenberg, who often argues for this. “The way they see politics is they operate in the strong/weak, winning/losing framework. We have to understand that and take it away from them.”…

Much more at the link.

Monday Evening Open Thread: Eyes on the Prize, EveryonePost + Comments (154)

I would love for us to not be our own worst ene – Squirrel!

by WaterGirl|  September 9, 202512:47 pm| 171 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads

I posted a thread last night with some (I think) great news about how people are reacting to the new regime, and it quickly became a thread about picking apart how the information was presented.  Betty’s awesome Burn It Down thread about Epstein quickly turned into comments and speculation about Bill Clinton.

Now I’m not gonna blame the original commenter from last night because he’s a math /numbers guy, of course he had to point out one particular detail. And I’m not gonna blame the person this morning who mentioned Clinton.  This is a blog, we should be able to say what comes into our heads.  That’s why we’re here, right?

I do the same thing – I write a post about Topic X and I include some random throwaway line in there about something else that I’m thinking about, and then screw Topic X, the discussion is only about the stupid throwaway line.

But maybe between all of us, someone might have a moment of self awareness notice when we get caught up in that, mention it in the comments, and maybe we won’t spend so much time fighting the old battles.

Someone will be sure to pipe up and call this tone policing.  Screw that.  I’m just suggesting that we are surely smart enough to know that it’s not particularly helpful to allow ourselves to be distracted by SQUIRREL!   Hmm, now what was I saying?

If we are losing the social media battle, might it be partially because we spend so much time bashing Democrats?  Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for bashing the Democrats who deserve it, but I wonder how much of the negative narratives about Dems are typed with Democratic fingers.

We are in a fight that we can’t afford to lose.  Just sayin’.

 

I would love for us to not be our own worst ene – Squirrel!Post + Comments (171)

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