Before we get started, I’ve just want to quickly deal with the Starlink Snowflake’s canine and equine extravaganza. When I first dealt with the subject of Hunter Biden’s laptop, on 19 OCT 2020, I indicated that this was similar to what we’ve seen from Russia in regard to influence ops. When I next took up …
War for Ukraine Day 283: Just a Quick Saturday Night UpdatePost + Comments (45)
Dear Ukrainians, I wish you health!
I held another meeting of the Staff. The commanders reported on the situation in specific directions – in the most important directions.
In Donetsk region – Bakhmut, Soledar – now, as before, it’s the hottest, most painful. We do everything to help our boys in this direction. Our heroes who are holding the defense there. Everyone there deserves the highest gratitude!
And now I would like to separately thank the border guards of the Chop detachment, who are fighting near Bakhmut and today “landed” another plane of the occupiers.
Luhansk region and Kharkiv region – we’re strengthening our forces. South – we continue to erase the capabilities of the occupiers. Border – we’re strengthening the entire perimeter. Black Sea water area – we’re working so that finally Kalibr missiles could be at least at the bottom of the sea.
Of course, we discussed further steps in the area of total spiritual independence of Ukraine and protection of our state from informal networks of influence of the terrorist state.
A separate conversation at the meeting of the Staff is about energy. Recovery progress and object protection. We are constantly working on it.
The discussion on price caps, i.e. on limiting the export price of Russian oil, has ended in the world. Unfortunately, without big decisions, as you wouldn’t call it a big decision to set such a limit for Russian prices, which is quite comfortable for the budget of a terrorist state.
Russia has already caused huge losses to all countries of the world by deliberately destabilizing the energy market. And the world cannot dare its real energy disarmament. It’s a weak position.
And it’s only a matter of time when stronger tools will have to be used anyway. It is a pity that this time will be lost.
The logic is obvious: if the price limit for Russian oil is $60 instead of, for example, $30, which Poland and the Baltic countries talked about, then the Russian budget will receive about a hundred billion dollars a year.
This money will go not only to the war and not only to Russia’s further sponsoring of other terrorist regimes and organizations.
This money will also be used to further destabilize precisely those countries that are now trying to avoid big decisions.
Today, I held a meeting with the leaders of our foreign policy bloc.
We summed up the week and are preparing new events for December and January. Very powerful steps. Ukraine’s position will be heard, Ukraine’s interests will be realized despite everything.
And one more. Yesterday I spoke with students of universities: Skovoroda University in Pereiaslav, Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, Skovoroda Kharkiv National Pedagogical University. Three institutions out of many that keep the memory of Skovoroda and preserve Ukrainianness itself.
And today I also visited the exhibition “The World of Skovoroda” at the Ukrainian House in Kyiv.
And it is right that in such conditions, in such a year, events for the 300th anniversary of Skovoroda are taking place all over the country. It is right that there is strength, there is the strength to take care of Ukrainian in all its manifestations.
Because our victory is being achieved by the strength of arms and the strength of the spirit. The strength of the soldiers and the strength of the people. The strength of the state and the strength of culture. The strength of our unity is our ability to work together for the sake of Ukrainian interests and our ability to support each other. Support, because we are Ukrainians, and the strength of this argument alone should be enough for all of us.
Glory to all who fight for Ukraine!
Glory to all who work for our country!
Eternal memory and respect to all those who gave their lives for independence!
Glory to Ukraine!
On November 15, we launched humanitarian program #GrainFromUkraine to help people who are most vulnerable to acute food crisis. Today, the first vessel arrived to Doraleh Port carrying a humanitarian cargo of 25 thousand tons of wheat for Ethiopia. We ship food. We ship hope. pic.twitter.com/LO8lcp5z7E
— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) December 3, 2022
Here is former NAVDEVGRU Squadron Leader Chuck Pfarrer’s most recent assessment of the situations in Izium and Bakhmut:
IZIUM AXIS/ 2330 UTC 3 DEC/ UKR forces are reported to be in contact on the outskirts of the city of Kremenna, the southern anchor of RU defenses along the important P-66 HWY. On 2 DEC, UKR tactical elements crossed the P-66 HWY in the vicinity of Chervonopopivka. pic.twitter.com/2EJilSrhOe
— Chuck Pfarrer | Indications & Warnings | (@ChuckPfarrer) December 3, 2022
BAKHMUT/1530 UTC 3 DEC/ Reportage indicates that RU has registered incremental gains in the Bakhmut Area of Operations (AO). RU has continued indiscriminate barrages along the line of contact. UKR and RU conducted numerous aviation strike missions during the past 24 hours. pic.twitter.com/86igoogC11
— Chuck Pfarrer | Indications & Warnings | (@ChuckPfarrer) December 3, 2022
The Russians have been leaving a new batch of booby traps for the Ukrainians. CAT-UXO has the details:
Ukraine AD Switch
Description
This is a new improvised Russian Anti-disturbance (AD) Switch recently observed in Ukraine, used to boobytrap landmines.On the 01 Dec 2022, a Ukrainian sapper was killed by this anti-disturbance switch fitted to a TM-62 AV landmine.
The landmine was pulled in accordance with demining and EOD clearance SOPs and then when lifted by the deminer it detonated.
The images show a mock-up of the improvised switch.
The switch has a double-impulse, anti-disturbance function that uses two ball bearings, a magnet and an electric circuit.
It is assessed the first movement dislodges one of the ball bearings, which is attached to an electrical contact.
This movement closes the arming switch.
The second movement returns the ball to its original position, which closes the firing switch and fires the detonator.
When conducting demining pulling drills on the first pull, lifting the landmine causes the fuze to arm and on a second pull, movement or pickup of the landmine causes the second ball bearing to drop causing the completion of the circuit.
A massive thanks to the EOD operators in Ukraine who have allowed this information to be shared further within the EOD community, together our knowledge saves lives.
Any additional images and technical information are very much appreciated.
This is what the landmines can do:
Today, two men were killed by a mine explosion in the Izyum district when they were delivering bread in the #Kharkiv region. The mine danger in the de-occupied territories is still extremely high. pic.twitter.com/lvpAzcG72a
— Iryna Voichuk (@IrynaVoichuk) December 3, 2022
Mariupol last winter:
Today is the first day of winter and I want you to watch this video of Christmas #Mariupol as it was a year ago, when the city and its residents didn’t yet know what awaited them in 2 months. pic.twitter.com/HxtXJsdmeF
— Iryna Voichuk (@IrynaVoichuk) December 1, 2022
Kharkiv this winter:
This year the central square of #Kharkiv won’t be decorated with a Christmas tree. But the city council decided to decorate the metro lobbies to cheer up the city's residents on the eve of the holidays. Video from a past life💔
📹 IG: vit.shulga pic.twitter.com/wX4aSvfsBP— Iryna Voichuk (@IrynaVoichuk) December 1, 2022
There was a lot of discussion a couple of days ago about Carol of the Bells and its roots in the Ukrainian song Schedryk. I meant to get back to it last night or the night before, but there were other things to cover. However, and recognizing that G&T and Dr. Luba answered a bunch of questions in the comments for people, I thought I’d get to it tonight.
The tweet below contains the earliest recording of the song. I have included the full video documentary referenced in the first tweet as well:
This is the first recording of Shchedryk made in 1922 in New York. The song is performed by the Ukrainian National Choir under the direction of Oleksandr Koshyts. pic.twitter.com/JD0GMuOM6w
— Iryna Voichuk (@IrynaVoichuk) December 3, 2022
And here’s the Ukrainian Children’s Choir doing an impromptu performance:
🎄The 🇺🇦children’s choir “Schedryk” performed the legendary song in the middle of the Grand Central Terminal in New York. In a few days, they will sing in the #NotesFromUkraine concert at @carnegiehall.
🎶More about #Schedryk:https://t.co/8jPHL3W3ff
📹notesfromukraine pic.twitter.com/Yz5DDFzNOT— MFA of Ukraine 🇺🇦 (@MFA_Ukraine) December 2, 2022
And here’s a completely different song that I felt like posting:
💙💛"Oh, the Red Viburnum in the Meadow": The Ukrainian refugee, accompanied by 300 Lithuanians, sings the Ukrainian patriotic march and the anthem of Ukrainian resistance in Vilnius.
Performance idea: Neringa Rekasiute pic.twitter.com/sYL1UF24Oe— Toronto Television / Телебачення Торонто (@tvtoront) April 15, 2022
Oh, The Red Viburnum in the Meadow has an interesting history. The melody is based on a 17th century Cossack tune. The earliest version of the song was written by Vasyl Pachkovsky for a play sometime between 1907 and 1912. In 1913 the song was re-written by Stepan Charnetsy, the new artistic director at the playhouse where the play had premiered. It is this version that became the anthem for the Sich Riflemen, a Ukrainian unit that fought in World War I. This article at The Kyiv Post has all the interesting details.
Speaking of bells:
Anthem of the Ukrainian Sich Riflemen "Oi u luzi chervona kalyna" performed by the bell ringers of St. Michael's Cathedral.
📽️: Mykhailo Omelyan pic.twitter.com/yaaQr4g3Or
— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) May 18, 2022
That’s enough for tonight.
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