A new historic step between Ukraine and the EU should take place this year, and all branches of government should work for this step – address by the President

12 September 2023 – 22:03

Good health to you, fellow Ukrainians!

A report for the day.

First, the law on electronic declaration. As soon as the law was received from the Verkhovna Rada this morning, I signed a veto.

I expect a new vote – one with a positive outcome regarding the immediate opening of the register of declarations. This decision should be made already in September.

The same is true for the draft law on PEPs – politically exposed persons.

And this is a matter not only of the political responsibility of the parliament, but also of our negotiations with the European Union on accession.

A new historic step between Ukraine and the EU should take place this year, and all branches of government in Ukraine should work to make it happen.

Before all other meetings, I held a Military Cabinet meeting today. A special circle of participants.

We only discussed the situation at the front and our expectations for the near future. Strengthening of our brigades, our own production of weapons and ammunition in Ukraine and supplies from our partners. Important intelligence reports. We can clearly see what the occupiers are really preparing for and what our warriors should be ready for.

Today, Denmark has made a significant decision – the largest defense package for the entire period of a full-scale war and already the twelfth. This new package is worth more than $800 million. In terms of content, it is exactly what we agreed on with Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and her government team. A good reinforcement, thank you for it!

Today, I had a very productive conversation with students from Dutch universities. It was a broad format – several universities. The questions were quite political. There was really good attention to Ukraine, to our struggle for freedom. And there is a great hope that we will return peace to our entire land, to all our people, without exception. I am grateful to the Netherlands – to the society, to the political community, and to you, Mark, Mr. Prime Minister, personally, for such sincere support of Ukraine and for your faith in Ukraine and our people.

And, of course, our warriors.

Today, we have a lot to thank all the warriors of our 95th air assault brigade for. The 3rd assault brigade – well done, guys! “Fury”  joint assault brigade of the National Police – thank you! All three brigades distinguished themselves in the battles in the Bakhmut sector. Those were important successful actions.

The 46th separate airmobile brigade and the 47th separate mechanized brigade – thank you, warriors, for your advancement! The 72nd separate mechanized brigade and the 79th separate air assault brigade – thank you for the extremely strong defense of our positions!

Today I would like to particularly mention the MID’s special units that are performing tasks in the area of Klishchiivka and other extremely hot spots. Thank you, guys!

Glory to Ukraine!

The cost:

https://twitter.com/DefenceU/status/1701672028183343162

https://twitter.com/DefenceU/status/1701702472774173052

The information war grinds on:

https://twitter.com/maria_avdv/status/1701595559235366954

Ukraine is proceeding with their anti-corruption efforts.

https://twitter.com/ChristopherJM/status/1701505741557747897

https://twitter.com/ChristopherJM/status/1701494609354887546

Daria Kaleniuk in The Financial Times:

The writer is co-founder and executive director of the Anti-Corruption Action Center

Ukraine has been resisting unprovoked Russian aggression for more than 500 days. Today the world’s attention is on the progress of its counteroffensive, launched in June. At the same time, there is growing global interest in the internal politics of Ukraine and in the workings of its democracy.

Sometimes this interest is politicised and potentially harmful to the war effort — discussion of corruption in Ukraine could become a bargaining chip when its allies are weighing their future support for the resistance to Russia. And all this comes at a time when we Ukrainians need unconditional military assistance from our American partners and other Nato countries.

Russian propaganda contends that Ukraine is a corrupt state not worth investing political and financial capital in. Yet at this decisive moment in its recent history, one of maximum jeopardy, the country is also managing to make progress in the fight against corruption at home.

Consider some recent developments. A petition launched by a soldier calling on President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to allow open access to the asset declarations of government officials attracted more than 80,000 signatures in 24 hours.

Meanwhile investigative journalists, operating under the constraints of martial law, have exposed graft in defence procurement. Defence minister Oleksiy Reznikov was replaced by the president after sharp criticism of his handling of these allegations.

In May, Vsevolod Kniaziev, chief justice of Ukraine’s Supreme Court, was arrested on corruption charges by an independent law enforcement agency — at the same time as Russian troops were targeting civilians, schools and hospitals. Finally, a few days ago the same agency froze the assets of oligarch Ihor Kolomoisky as part of an embezzlement investigation.

A poll taken in June shows that nearly 34 per cent of Ukrainians consider government corruption to be a significant security threat in the coming months, against almost 24 per cent who mention the risk of Russia using nuclear weapons. Tolerance of corruption is falling now that it is rightly considered a danger to national security.

The Kremlin has long considered Ukraine’s anti-corruption agencies to be an obstacle to taking over the country from inside — as Russia arguably did with Belarus by penetrating corrupt and authoritarian state security and defence institutions.

It is hardly surprising that President Vladimir Putin cited anti-corruption institutions and judicial reform in his speech on February 21 last year, just ahead of the invasion. Having failed to establish control over the country from the inside, Putin decided to destroy it by military means.

Recent corruption scandals in Ukraine should be seen as a sign that internal checks and balances are functioning well in a society that faces existential challenges. Such episodes should not be regarded as a reason for ceasing to assist Ukrainian resistance to Russian aggression.

On the contrary, by exposing and dealing with corruption in wartime, Ukraine shows its gratitude for the financial and military assistance it is receiving from the international community. Government officials who do not show such respect will lose their posts sooner or later under pressure from wider society.

More at the link!

This goes hand in hand with Ukrainian attempts to protect minority rights as part of the EU ascension process. Also, from The Financial Times:

Ukraine is prepared to make changes to its laws on minority rights to unlock EU agreement later this year on opening accession talks, its deputy prime minister has said.

Olga Stefanishyna, who is in charge of Ukraine’s drive to join the EU, told the Financial Times Kyiv was prepared to make “additional amendments” to rules on secondary education in minority languages, including Hungarian, as long as a balance was struck with teaching in Ukrainian.

The issue has become the biggest potential obstacle to the start of formal EU membership negotiations with Kyiv. The bloc’s leaders are due to decide in December whether to begin talks, but Hungary’s prime minister Viktor Orbán has repeatedly threatened to veto the process over the minority rights issue, accusing Kyiv of “Hungarophobia”.

Ukraine has dozens of minorities — Zakarpattia province in western Ukraine is home to an estimated 80,000 ethnic Hungarians — and protecting their rights is one of seven reform benchmarks demanded by the EU before it opens membership talks.

Ukrainian officials will this week begin bilateral talks with Hungary and Romania to try to iron out an agreement on the balance of Ukrainian and minority language education in secondary schools.

“We will amend the legislation on national minorities and we can put additional amendments [into law] if needed, but we need to have the [bilateral] negotiations first,” Stefanishyna said.

However, the deputy prime minister said ethnic minority Ukrainians needed to be taught enough Ukrainian so they could pursue further education or job opportunities outside minority areas. She said the current rules that had introduced more mandatory Ukrainian language teaching were working well: “A balance has been found and it is working. So we really need to assess that.”

Officials in Kyiv and Brussels fear Orban, an ally of Moscow, has no interest in finding a solution to the education issue and will use it as an excuse to block the start of accession talks in December.

The Venice Commission, an advisory body on constitutional law attached to the Council of Europe, has also said Ukraine should protect the language rights of Russian speakers. Stefanishyna has previously expressed confidence the EU would not hold up the start of talks over that issue.

The European Commission said Ukraine had fully met two of the seven benchmarks for starting talks: on media freedom and judicial reform. It will assess progress on the other five — minority rights, anti-corruption reforms, anti money laundering rules, anti-oligarch laws and constitutional court reform — later this autumn.

More at the link!

Someone in the EU is going to have to yank Orban’s chain. I’m not going to hold my breath.

Luhanske:

https://twitter.com/DefenceU/status/1701584245708267878

Robotyne:

https://twitter.com/DefenceU/status/1701531957509882117

https://twitter.com/ChuckPfarrer/status/1701586974770143403

https://twitter.com/wartranslated/status/1701557530797687098

Avdiivka:

https://twitter.com/ChuckPfarrer/status/1701701070295363854

Zaporizhzhia:

https://twitter.com/bayraktar_1love/status/1701625760052555829

Donetsk:

https://twitter.com/wartranslated/status/1701563595773862262

Yesterday, on 11 September, a pro-Russian “military reporter”, Gennady Dubovoi, died after getting run over by a car in temporarily occupied Donetsk. With his death, he continues the traditions of pro-Russian combatants dying under mysterious circumstances. He belonged to the cohort of terrorists alongside Motorola, Zakharchenko, Givi and others who joined the war back in 2014.

Quite notable is the message he posted on his Telegram just a few days before death where he openly said he was a combatant, and cast a shadow on other “military reporters”, including Slakdov, Kots and Pegov. He said that the Russian audience only wants glossy reports about imminent victories, so in this sense, just saying that you’re a fighter is more honest.

https://twitter.com/bayraktar_1love/status/1701691527758495792

The Velyka Novosilka-Vuhledar Axis:

https://twitter.com/ChuckPfarrer/status/1701647232372482439

The Black Sea and Russia occupied Crimea:

https://twitter.com/ChuckPfarrer/status/1701670327019864394

BLACK SEA BLINDED: Ukraine has been playing a long game in the Black Sea. Recent special ops and precision strikes targeted Russian S-400 air defense systems as well as associated costal radar complexes in occupied Crimea. These ops seriously degraded RU sensor coverage of the Black Sea.

This series of operations culminated UKR’s late August missions to recapture the Petro Hodovalets & Ukraina offshore platforms. Illegally seized by Russia in 2015, these rigs were being used by Russia as surveillance outposts.

UKR naval special warfare operators were able to neutralize these radars as well as capture a pair of Russian R-330M1P ‘Diabazol’ Electronic Warfare Systems deployed to the platforms.

With Russian radars, air defenses and electronic warfare systems seriously degraded, the western Black Sea has been made into a non-permissive environment for Russian surface warfare.

Moscow:

https://twitter.com/officejjsmart/status/1701705645198819749

Volgograd, Russia:

https://twitter.com/bayraktar_1love/status/1701697966304551018

For you enthusiasts of Russian equipment going kaboom:

https://twitter.com/DefenceU/status/1701688380009177161

If I understand this correctly, the 30th Mechanized BDE used one of those mine clearing line charges in the video above. You can see the line charge at around the 33 second mark in the video.

For you acquisitions and logistics enthusiasts.

https://twitter.com/Tatarigami_UA/status/1701455768644374814

The Financial Times has detailed reporting on the difficulties that the EU is trying to overcome to get their defense manufacturing sector up to speed. (emphasis mine)

Boris Pistorius is proud to come from Lower Saxony — a part of Germany where people, as he puts it, “have their feet firmly on the ground”.

Yet the defence minister is worried that even these stoic voters will balk at the idea of Berlin spending tens of billions of euros a year on building up the country’s military capacity.

Convincing electorates of the need to spend more on defence requires “a totally changed mindset”, Pistorius said at a gathering of defence ministers this summer.

Since the fall of the Berlin Wall, politicians have grown so accustomed to spending next to nothing on defence that peace is now considered, in the words of Sweden’s defence minister Pål Jonson, something so freely available that it is akin to air. “When you have it, you don’t really miss it,” he said.

This “peace dividend” has also enabled countries to spend billions of dollars on health and education policies instead of on their armed forces.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has been a brutal wake-up call not just to Germany but all western governments. Alongside China’s rise, the threat of a nuclear-armed Iran and instability in Africa, the war has forced ministers to commit to more defence spending.

However, persuading voters of the sacrifices required to make such commitments a reality represents a seismic reordering of the budget and electoral priorities.

“Everyone is still living in a peacetime dream world, but those days are gone,” one western defence adviser said.

Pistorius believes there needs to be “honest” discussions with voters about the price of security. That will be tough to have in a climate where greening the economy and other social priorities associated with ageing are high on the agenda and governments’ own borrowing costs are shooting up owing to higher interest rates.

Defence ministers have also backed calls for the military alliance to have 300,000 high-readiness soldiers, who would be deployable within a month — almost eight times the current number of 40,000.

“Nato’s new force model sets a benchmark that most allies will struggle with,” said General Sir Richard Barrons, former commander of the British armed forces. “I suspect it will make some eyes water.”

Germany’s Bundeswehr had only 20,000 155mm artillery shells in stock, enough for less than three days of fighting, according to a confidential finance ministry assessment reported by Der Spiegel in late July.

Speaking of the Starlink Snowflake:

https://twitter.com/anneapplebaum/status/1701282864011121024

From The Atlantic: (emphasis mine)

One evening in September 2022, a group of Ukrainian sea drones sped out into the Black Sea, heading for Russian-occupied Crimea. Their designers—engineers who had been doing other things until the current war began—had carefully targeted the fast, remote-controlled, explosive-packed vessels to hit ships anchored in Sebastopol, the home of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet. But the drones ran into a problem: Starlink, the satellite-communications system that Ukraine had been using since Russia invaded early last year, unexpectedly wasn’t working. This was a surprise to the engineers. Several people, in Ukraine and elsewhere, frantically called and texted Elon Musk, the owner of Starlink, to persuade him to enable the system.

Musk, in turn, called Walter Isaacson, his biographer, and told him there was a “non-trivial possibility” that the sea-drone attack could lead to a nuclear war. According to Isaacson, Musk had recently spoken with Russia’s ambassador in Washington, who had warned him explicitly that any attack on Crimea would lead to nuclear conflict. Musk implied to several other people (though he later denied it) that he had been speaking with President Vladimir Putin around that time as well.

These are details that you may have already heard. Many of them were first reported in May, by Oliver Carroll at The Economist. Since then, The New Yorker has also described how Ukrainian soldiers abruptly lost their access to Starlink on the battlefield during a different set of land operations. Isaacson’s version of the maritime story implies that all of the drones in the operation washed ashore that evening. But recently in Ukraine, I met some of the engineers who helped design the unmanned sea vehicles, including an engineer who was involved in the first attempt to hit Russian ships in Sebastopol. They told me that not all of the drones involved were lost. Some returned back to base, undamaged.

Here is the part you might not have heard, or not registered: The same team launched a similar attack again a few weeks later. On October 29, a fleet of guided sea drones packed with explosives did reach Sebastopol harbor, using a different communications system. They did hit their targets. They put one Russian frigate, the Admiral Makarov, out of commission. The team believes that they damaged at least one submarine and at least two other boats as well.

And then? Nuclear war did not follow. Despite Musk’s fears, in other words—fears put into his head by the Russian ambassador, or perhaps by Putin himself—World War III did not erupt as a result of this successful attack on a Crimean port. Instead, the Russian naval commanders were spooked by the attack, so much so that they stuck close to Sebastopol harbor over the following weeks.

For their own security, I am choosing not to publish the names of the engineers. I was introduced to them by a tech executive I met on a previous trip to Ukraine, when I was writing about drone operations more broadly. This team has shown off its unmanned boats before, so I am not revealing secrets when I write that they are small, black, and hard to see on the water, and have a very long range—now more than 650 miles, the engineers told me. The drones are constantly reinvented and redesigned. Some of those I saw were described as the “fifth generation.” I was given remote control of one on a distant body of water; directing it felt remarkably like playing a video game.

Like the more famous air drones, sea drones are a central important part of Ukraine’s idiosyncratic way of waging war. Unable to compete plane for plane or ship for ship against the much larger Russian military, Ukraine is using tiny, high-tech, custom-designed, and relatively cheap devices that can take large, expensive artillery, tanks, and ships out of the game. Many of these devices are built by groups that are not quite part of the military, but not exactly private either. This networked, grassroots, asymmetric response is part of how the Ukrainians hope to win the war. “This is Ukraine. We are hybrid,” one of the engineers told me.

He also told me that although his drones didn’t destroy the whole Black Sea fleet, they have had an impact on the war. Russian military ships became more cautious. Instead of physically blocking Ukrainian grain transports, as some observers expected them to do, they have stayed in port. “We made them scared,” he told me. They were happy to confirm that if a Russian warship does try to block a cargo ship carrying Ukrainian grain, they will hit it.

Musk was wrong, in other words. Instead of inspiring World War III, the sea-drone attack helped reduce violence, protected commerce, boosted Ukrainian farmers, and maybe even ensured that some people outside Ukraine didn’t go hungry. If not for Musk’s hubris, those effects might have been felt earlier. Maybe the first attack could have eliminated more of the ships whose missiles have been killing civilians in Ukrainian cities. Maybe fewer people would have died as a result. And maybe the war, which will be over when Ukraine takes back its own territory, and ends the torment of its own citizens on that territory, would be closer to its end.

This is a cautionary tale about the arrogance of a billionaire who has come to play a mercurial role in U.S. foreign policy. But it’s also a story about fear, seeded and promoted by the Russians, deliberately designed to shape broader Western perceptions of this war. Musk is not alone: Many people in Washington, and in Berlin, Brussels, and other European capitals, including people who support Ukrainian sovereignty and who want Ukraine to win the war, have also been cowed by conversations with Russian ambassadors, by threats issued by Russian leaders, and by the pictures of nuclear explosions shown on Russian state television. Long before he spoke with any real Russians, Musk likely encountered that same propaganda in the Russian-influenced far-right echo chambers that he frequents. In 2016, Donald Trump probably got the idea to accuse Hillary Clinton of wanting to start World War III in that same social-media milieu.

The Russians do this for a reason: Fear of escalation is designed to create self-deterrence—and it works. In 2014, Western leaders, fearing escalation, advised Ukraine not to fight back when Russia invaded Crimea. This advice led to misery for the people arrested, imprisoned, and chased away from the peninsula. It also persuaded the Russians to continue their invasion of eastern Ukraine. They stopped only when the Ukrainians fought back.

From 2014 to 2022, the United States and European nations, fearing they might provoke Russia attack, limited or banned weapons sales to Ukraine. This, too, proved to be a terrible, consequential mistake: Had the Russians actually been afraid of the Ukrainian army, they might never have launched the full-scale invasion at all.

Even when the full-scale invasion began last year, amorphous fear of Russian reaction again persuaded Americans and Europeans to hold back on long-range weapons to Ukraine, partly because we feared what could happen if they were used to hit Russian targets. But then the Ukrainians used their own weapons to hit Russian targets, first in the border region, then in Moscow, Pskov, and other cities. Nuclear war did not break out then either.

I could repeat the same story for just about every significant class of weapons. Fear of escalation meant that some nations, notably Germany and the United States, did not give Ukraine the tanks that it needed to go on the offensive and take back its territory. Fear of escalation also meant that Ukrainians did not receive F-16s in time to help with this summer’s counteroffensive. Fear of escalation meant that we have refused to give the Ukrainians a long-range ballistic-missile system known as ATACMS. Now the tanks are on the ground, the F-16 pilot training has begun, and the Biden administration reportedly may be planning to give Ukraine ATACMS.

Each of the delays wasted time. And time has cost lives—maybe tens of thousands of lives.I was in Ukraine exactly a year ago, on the weekend that Ukrainian troops took back the northern cities of Izyum and Kupiansk. A few weeks later, the Ukrainians took back the city of Kherson. At the time, they had momentum. A year later, the euphoria is gone, and no wonder: That momentum was lost. After taking Kherson, Ukrainian forces did not have the weaponry to move farther forward. They did not try to advance again until June of this year. By that time, Russians had created hundreds of kilometers of minefields, some of the most extensive minefields any army has ever tried to cross, as well as a system of tank traps and trenches that has slowed Ukraine’s counteroffensive and, again, led to the deaths of Ukrainian soldiers and civilians.

Think about what the world might look like if Putin’s nuclear threats had not influenced our imaginations so profoundly. If Musk had not been spooked by Russian propaganda, then some of Russia’s fleet might have been disabled a month earlier. If Washington, London, Paris, and Berlin had not been spooked by Russian propaganda, then the Ukrainians might have expelled the Russians earlier, and the war might be over. Death, horror, and terror have been the result every time outsiders hesitated to aid Ukraine.

There is always a “non-trivial possibility,” to borrow Musk’s term, that the Russians will use nuclear weapons; there was also a nonzero possibility that Robert Oppenheimer’s nuclear-bomb test would blow up the planet. But if we want to deter the Russians from using their nuclear weapons, we have other ways to do it. Our own nuclear weapons, and our own superior conventional forces, are powerful deterrents: Most analysts think they explain why Russia has not deliberately hit any targets on NATO territory. Heavy hints from China and India that nuclear escalation would be a terrible mistake, as well as statements about the unacceptability of nuclear war from the G20, the United Nations, and others help, too.

Ukrainian attacks—especially unexpected, asymmetric attacks, like those from sea drones—are also a form of deterrence. So is our continued commitment to Ukraine. Every time we announce another weapons shipment, or the European Union makes another financial pledge, or President Joe Biden makes another statement of support, then the Russians know that the price of occupation, and of any escalation, is growing higher. Resistance doesn’t provoke Putin; weakness does.

More at the link!

That’s enough for today.

Your daily Patron!

There is a new slideshow at Patron’s official TikTok. Those don’t embed here, so click across if you want to watch it.

Open thread!

Paperwork in the military should be much less – address of President of Ukraine

11 September 2023 – 21:44

I wish you all good health, dear Ukrainians!

Today, there is good news: we are preparing to strengthen the package of defense support from Germany. Air defense systems, artillery, equipment. What was agreed upon with Chancellor Scholz. What was discussed today with German Minister of Foreign Affairs Baerbock – she was on a visit to Ukraine, I met with her today in Kyiv. It’s crucial that partners hear the needs of our state, our soldiers, and the protection of our energy infrastructure. I am confident – there will be results.We are also making progress with our other partners, in particular, regarding air defense systems. Additional systems will be in Ukraine.

Today, I held several important meetings. First of all, I would like to highlight the meeting with Ukraine’s Defense Minister Umerov, First Deputy Minister Pavliuk, and Deputy Prime Minister Fedorov regarding the provision of our soldiers and the transparency of this provision. The specific needs of our combat brigades should be met as quickly as possible, and for this, all accounting should be digitized. In general, there should be much less paperwork in the military, and there should be no difference between what is reported here in the center and what is really needed at the front. The Ministry of Defense is currently relaunching the accounting system, with assistance from the Ministry of Digital Transformation.

Today, I also had a meeting with representatives of the law enforcement sector. Obviously, Ukraine needs more progress in protecting the interests of society. In protection from those who prioritize their own wallet above social norms and rules. Above even the war. There will be new steps of the state.

And one more thing.

Since this morning, various Ukrainian cities and regions have been hit by Russian attacks.

Nikopol – brutal Russian shelling, artillery. Ochakiv in Mykolaiv region, Kherson, and other cities and villages in Kherson region, Polohy district in Zaporizhzhia region, Donetsk, Pokrovsk district, Bakhmut district, Volnovakha district, and others. Kharkiv region. Chernihiv region. Sumy region. Kryvy Rih – a missile strike. Another attack by Shaheds. Even when there is a relative peace and quiet in some parts of our territory, we should always remember our land, our cities, and villages that are almost constantly under fire.

And even though today is the 565th day of this war, all of us, each and every one in Ukraine, should remain focused on defending the state just as we did in the early days. Russia does not hope to win. The enemy hopes only that we will not endure. Ukraine must endure. Anything that strengthens us is a priority. And only that is a priority.

No weakening! And we won’t allow anyone to weaken Ukraine.

Glory to all our soldiers! Thank you to everyone who helps!

Glory to Ukraine!

A message from Ukraine’s new Minister of Defense:

Minister @rustem_umerov
Weaponry: we need it today, we need it now, we need it more. pic.twitter.com/BGsc2F5fxt

— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) September 11, 2023

The 25 best representatives of our unconquered nation will participate in the Invictus Games this year. They earned six medals on the opening day of the tournament for wounded servicemen and women in Dusseldorf: 1 gold, 3 silver, and 2 bronze! We are extremely proud of our team! pic.twitter.com/2ENRtRtGVm

— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) September 11, 2023

Senior Lieutenant Volodymyr Hera won a silver medal in shot put in the 2023 Invictus Games!
In the Luhansk region in 2014, under fire from russian MLRS and helicopters, Volodymyr was instrumental in the evacuation of the encircled 24th Mechanized Brigade, saving about 400 of his… pic.twitter.com/JsIR61GDx8

— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) September 11, 2023

Senior Lieutenant Volodymyr Hera won a silver medal in shot put in the 2023 Invictus Games!
In the Luhansk region in 2014, under fire from russian MLRS and helicopters, Volodymyr was instrumental in the evacuation of the encircled 24th Mechanized Brigade, saving about 400 of his brothers in arms.
He was awarded the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky, 3rd Class for this.
Volodymyr has a tattoo of an airplane on his arm with the message “We Need F-16.” They’ll be here soon.

The Black Sea off the coast of Russian occupied Crimea:

A film about a unique operation of @DI_Ukraine.
russian special troops captured Ukrainian oil and gas drilling platforms in the Black Sea off the coast of Crimea in 2014 and 2015. The occupiers have been utilizing them for military purposes ever since – in particular to… pic.twitter.com/txFAcdgpfE

— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) September 11, 2023

A film about a unique operation of @DI_Ukraine.
russian special troops captured Ukrainian oil and gas drilling platforms in the Black Sea off the coast of Crimea in 2014 and 2015. The occupiers have been utilizing them for military purposes ever since – in particular to coordinate the recent attacks against Ukrainian grain export infrastructure. Defense Intelligence personnel have returned the rigs to Ukraine’s control. During the operation, valuable trophies were captured, and a russian Su-30 fighter plane was damaged.
🎥 @DI_Ukraine

The wise will, indeed, rule over the stars!

Russian occupied Berdyansk:

More than 20 Russian helicopters are visible in recent satellite imagery of the airport in occupied Berdyansk.

Over the past few months, Russian forces at this base built new revetments and shelters for vehicles and equipment. pic.twitter.com/Wz5T8Wk0U4

— Brady Africk (@bradyafr) September 11, 2023

Orikhiv Axis:

ORIKHIV AXIS /1915 UTC 11 SEPT/ UKR forces maintain advances east of Novoprokopivka. Russian combat losses include a T-72B3M tank, an MT-LB & a Zu-32-2 anti-air system. See inset of UKR tank shrugging off a Lancet UCAV hit and bravely continuing mission. pic.twitter.com/seQjSGo2Uv

— Chuck Pfarrer | Indications & Warnings | (@ChuckPfarrer) September 11, 2023

Velyka Novosilka-Vuhledar:

VELYKA NOVOSILKA – VUHLEDAR /1600 UTC 11 SEPT/ UKR forces break up attack south of Rivnopil, inflicting heavy losses on RU units. UKR also in contact within northern urban limits of Novomaiorske. pic.twitter.com/pr0hBehslE

— Chuck Pfarrer | Indications & Warnings | (@ChuckPfarrer) September 11, 2023

Bakhmut:

Detonation of Russian mortar ammunition as a result of a cluster munition strike. Bakhmut direction. pic.twitter.com/fJnLiUBsuo

— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) September 11, 2023

Robotyne:

https://twitter.com/bayraktar_1love/status/1701138521312923838

Torrey, here is that tweet by Tatarigami:

To address one of the most common questions from ordinary citizens living abroad regarding how they can contribute to supporting Ukraine, I've compiled this guide

Please note that while I aim to provide a comprehensive guide, there may be some important organizations and steps I… pic.twitter.com/0LDRoyYoEP

— Tatarigami_UA (@Tatarigami_UA) September 6, 2023

To address one of the most common questions from ordinary citizens living abroad regarding how they can contribute to supporting Ukraine, I’ve compiled this guide

Please note that while I aim to provide a comprehensive guide, there may be some important organizations and steps I may have forgot to add. Nevertheless, I hope that it will be helpful nevertheless, featuring only organizations with which I have personal experience or have heard consistently positive feedback.

I’ll structure the guide into three main sections:
-Donations;
– Democracy in Action;
– Informational Support and Economic Boycott;
– Leveraging Influencer Power.

1. Donations

Here is a list of foundations that I highly recommend. While this may not be an exhaustive list, these are the organizations with a proven track record of delivering consistent results, based on my personal experience: ComeBackAlive (@BackAndAlive) – Widely regarded as the most reputable organization in Ukraine dedicated to supporting the military. They have been functioning for many years and have established an excellent reputation. The organization is managed by Taras Chmut (@TarasChmut), who is also the founder of Militarnyi (@militarnyi_en), an excellent source of information in English covering developments in military technology, procurement, and significant updates in the Ukrainian Defense industry. Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation (@CharityPrytula) – Another highly regarded and reputable charity foundation created by @serhiyprytula. This foundation is highly recommended and has procured a substantial amount of equipment for our military, including a satellite. Follow them as they frequently organize valuable fundraisers and have a good reputation among many individuals whom I personally trust and know. The Liberty Ukraine Foundation (@LibertyUkraineF) is a remarkable 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, represented by the dedicated Ukrainian veteran @Teoyaomiquu. It’s an excellent option, particularly for those residing in the US. I can personally attest to the swift and timely delivery of essential life-saving equipment to several brigades at my request.

While there are indeed many more organizations, such as United 24, I haven’t included them in this list as I lack personal experience with them.

2. Democracy in Action

While some may occasionally question the efficacy of democracy in the Western world, there’s no denying that it works; otherwise, politicians wouldn’t invest millions of dollars in every election to persuade you to vote for them.

What actions can an everyday citizen take?

Make it clear that when it comes to foreign policy, Ukraine is a deal-breaker for you. This can be accomplished through various means, such as sending emails, making phone calls, utilizing personal connections, or participating in support rallies. Public support is what drives assistance for Ukraine. Without your daily voices, your frustration over delays, and your requests for continuous help, Ukraine would never have received aid on such a significant scale. Whether it’s through Facebook or Twitter, displaying the Ukrainian flag on your balcony or social media profile, or joining rallies in support of Ukraine, your voices can save the lives of Ukrainian soldiers and civilians. Be vocal, and your message will be heard.

3. Informational Support and Economic Boycott

This section serves as a natural extension of the previous one but emphasizes a slightly different aspect:

The relentless spread of aggressive Russian propaganda and disinformation across the internet is designed to erode support for Ukraine. To effectively counter this, it’s crucial to identify these propagators and expose their false narratives and hidden agendas.
It’s important to remember that engaging with small trolls and individuals without a significant following can inadvertently amplify their message, so it’s often best to ignore them. However, when dealing with individuals who have a substantial following, it becomes important to counter their misinformation and provide additional context, much like appending community notes on X (Twitter).

Furthermore, consider actively participating in economic boycotts against companies that continue to conduct business in russia. It’s essential not to remain silent about your actions; don’t hesitate to post about why you’ve chosen not to buy certain products or support specific businesses, such as refraining from purchasing Pepsi products, for example. This transparency can help raise awareness about the importance of economic pressure as a means of discouraging companies from supporting russian actions, ultimately contributing to the effort to protect Ukraine.

4. Leveraging Influencer Power

If you happen to be an influencer on platforms like YouTube or any other social media, consider dedicating at least one episode or post to Ukraine within your field of expertise. For instance, if you’re a historian, you can create an episode about significant historical events, much like the course of lectures by Professor Timothy Snyder (@TimothyDSnyder). If literature is your forte, introduce your audience to Ukrainian authors. If you’re involved in the arts, set aside a day to talk about Ukrainian art. If your content revolves around IT or GameDev, use an episode to highlight Ukrainian contributions in these fields. This is of paramount importance, as Russia persists in its imperialistic policies with the objective of erasing any mention of Ukraine or its accomplishments, while denying its status as an independent nation and country.

While this guide may not be exhaustive, I hope that it can serve as a valuable reference point for ordinary citizens worldwide to contribute towards Ukraine’s victory. Don’t forget to like and share this message to help with algorithms.

Last night I said I’d include some of what Indian government officials are putting out on social media regarding the G20 summit. Here’s some of it.

About the most chilling press releases I've read https://t.co/wg0MHHs22e

— Ashok Malik (@MalikAshok) September 10, 2023

From India’s Press Information Bureau:

Prime Minister’s meeting with the Prime Minister of Canada
Posted On: 10 SEP 2023 7:05PM by PIB Delhi

Prime Minister met Prime Minister of Canada H.E. Mr. Justin Trudeau on 10th September on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in New Delhi.

Prime Minister Trudeau congratulated Prime Minister on the success of India’s G20 Presidency.

Prime Minister highlighted that India-Canada relations are anchored in shared democratic values, respect for rule of law and strong people-to-people ties. He conveyed our strong concerns about continuing anti-India activities of extremist elements in Canada. They are promoting secessionism and inciting violence against Indian diplomats, damaging diplomatic premises, and threatening the Indian community in Canada and their places of worship. The nexus of such forces with organized crime, drug syndicates and human trafficking should be a concern for Canada as well. It is essential for the two countries to cooperate in dealing with such threats.

Prime Minister also mentioned that a relationship based on mutual respect and trust is essential for the progress of India-Canada relationship.

In case anyone is curious, here’s Canada’s read out of the same meeting:

Today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, on the margins of the G20 Summit in New Delhi, India.

The prime ministers discussed India’s priorities under this year’s G20 theme, ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’. They spoke about inclusive economic growth, support for low-and middle-income countries, and access to concessional finance for sustainable development. They noted the importance of welcoming the African Union as a member of the G20.

Prime Minister Trudeau raised the importance of respecting the rule of law, democratic principles, and national sovereignty.

Compare and contrast at your leisure.

This one from the Senior Advisor at India’s Ministry of Information & Broadcasting is particularly obnoxious:

Indian official exulting in the failure to support a country that is under attack. Seems a strange thing to celebrate. Also maybe choose a local balladeer rather than an American to assert your independence? https://t.co/rq5XBvHBUl

— Gideon Rachman (@gideonrachman) September 10, 2023

Here’s the full text of Gupta’s tweet:

As Nobel Laureate Bob Dylan sang,

Come gather ’round people
Wherever you roam
And admit that the waters
Around you have grown
And accept it that soon
You’ll be drenched to the bone
If your time to you is worth savin’
And you better start swimmin’
Or you’ll sink like a stone
𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚-𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧’
Come writers and critics
Who prophesize with your pen
And keep your eyes wide
The chance won’t come again
And don’t speak too soon
For the wheel’s still in spin
And there’s no tellin’ who
That it’s namin’
For the loser now
Will be later to win
𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚-𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧’

So there are a couple of things to unpack here. The first is that Bob Dylan’s grandparents immigrated to the US from Odesa. So the US and our EU allies give in to Modi’s bullshit demands to weaken the language regarding Russia’s genocidal re-invasion of and war on Ukraine and to add insult to injury a senior Indian official tweets the lyrics to a song by a Ukrainian-America to rub the US’s and our EU partners’ noses in what India clearly sees as a victory for them and a defeat for the US and the EU. As I wrote last night, this isn’t diplomacy, it is strategic failure. All it does is further prop up Modi, who is a religious extremist that is turning India into an illiberal democracy by giving him something he can tout internally in India and externally with the other BRICs and states in the global south as a win over the US. And if anyone is naive enough to to think that Modi now owes the US a favor, then I have a bridge to sell you on a beach.

This was a capitulation, not a diplomatic win.

“Let’s say you had no G-20 statement, headlines would say G-20 is finished, G-20 could be replaced by blocs like BRICS and G-7. So in a way by having a statement [we] keep the platform and the organisation alive,” said a senior EU official when asked about the climbdown by G7&EU https://t.co/gzGEaO3ZOx

— Suhasini Haidar (@suhasinih) September 10, 2023

And before someone starts again, I have read the entire document. This was not a win, it was a loss. Even worse it is another indicator to Ukraine that the US and its EU and other allies will do what is expedient for themselves at Ukraine’s expense. States have interests, they do not have friends. And we keep demonstrating to Ukraine and to Russia that our interests and Ukraine’s are only partially aligned. And when they do not overlap, then even though Ukrainians are fighting and dying to achieve our objective of degrading Russia’s military without every having to commit a single US Soldier, Sailor, Airman, or Marine, Ukraine’s interests are quickly jettisoned.

That’s enough for tonight.

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A new video from Patron’s official TikTok:

@patron__dsns

Те, що зазвичай залишається за кадром😂

♬ The Strumbellas – Spirits – Alikhan

The machine translation of the caption:

What usually remains behind the scenes 😂

Open thread!