I don’t have a Smerch O’Clock graphic, so just pretend…
Weapon of Retribution.
It’s our land! pic.twitter.com/XbE0v5YaeZ— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) October 23, 2022
See Smerch O’Clock!
Here is President Zelenskyy’s address from earlier today. Video below, English transcript after the jump:
Good health to you, fellow Ukrainians!
Today we can already report that in all our regions, which became the target of yesterday’s Russian terrorist attack, the technical possibility of electricity supply has been restored.
I am thankful to each and every one who worked tirelessly to bring light to people.
Of course, in many cities and districts, our energy companies have to apply stabilization shutdown schedules. This is done so that all our people have access to energy – in conditions where it is not possible to produce it in sufficient quantities.
Restoring energy facilities destroyed by terrorist attacks is a much longer and more difficult task. But over time, we will provide that, too. Over time…
This time must be passed. Therefore, today and in the future, as before, we should consume electricity very consciously. Please remember to limit the use of unnecessary and energy-consuming appliances.
Separately, I want to address community leaders and mayors of our cities: please make sure that energy is not wasted. Now is definitely not the time for bright shop windows and signs. It is necessary to be really frugal with energy consumption in public space.
Reconstruction continues in the de-occupied territory. Every day I receive new reports about the connection to gas, water, electricity of hundreds of households in liberated areas. In particular, just today in only two districts of the Kharkiv region, 346 households have gas again. The city of Vovchansk – 750 more households with electricity. The city of Izyum – 300 more households with electricity. This is constant work that does not stop for a single day and continues throughout the liberated territory of Ukraine.
Wherever Russia has brought death and degradation, we are restoring normal life. This is precisely about Ukrainians. Where Ukraine is, life is never destroyed. But wherever Russia comes, it leaves behind mass graves, torture chambers, destroyed cities and villages, mined land, destroyed infrastructure and natural disasters.
So when today the Russian Minister of Defense organizes a phone carousel and calls foreign ministers with stories about the so-called “dirty” nuclear bomb, everyone understands everything well. Understands who is the source of everything dirty that can be imagined in this war.
It was Russia who blackmailed with the radiation disaster at the Zaporizhzhia NPP.
This is the trajectory of Russian missiles that goes, in particular, over Ukrainian nuclear facilities.
Those are Russian troops who mined the dam and aggregates of the Kakhovka HPP and are blackmailing with their detonation.
It is Russia that uses phosphorous munitions, banned anti-personnel mines and the entire range of weapons against civilian infrastructure.
Ukraine is always about recovery. Always about life. And there’s only one subject who can use nuclear weapons in our part of Europe, and this subject is the one who ordered comrade Shoigu to call somewhere.
If Russia calls and says that Ukraine is allegedly preparing something, it means one thing: Russia has already prepared all this. I believe that now the world should react in the toughest possible way. If Russia has prepared another round of raising stakes and another escalating step, it must see now, preemptively and before its any new “dirt” that the world will not swallow that.
Even the very Russian threat of nuclear weapons – and even more so against our country, which has given up its nuclear arsenal under promises of security from the largest nuclear powers – is a reason for both sanctions and even greater strengthening of support for Ukraine. Because the stronger the support for us is, the sooner this war and any possible Russian threats will end. When a terrorist state raises the stakes, it must feel that it won’t work.
During the upcoming week, this will be the number one task for our diplomats – to explain what is happening. And I am sure: the world will be with us. The world will understand.
It is very important that today the sixth ship with food chartered in the framework of the UN World Food Programme left our port. This vessel is bound for Yemen, with wheat. Ethiopia, Yemen and Afghanistan are three countries that have already received food thanks to our exports and the UN food program.
Such programs are exactly what we in Ukraine are thinking about. How to help get out of the crisis – not how to create a crisis. How to help solve a problem – not how to drive someone into a problem. How to restore the destroyed – not to destroy even more.
This is what distinguishes Ukraine from Russia. This is what will help us win in the end. Because we fight and work for life.
Glory to Ukraine!
I spoke by phone today with Russian Minister of Defense Sergey Shoygu, who requested a follow up call. I rejected any pretext for Russian escalation & reaffirmed the value of continued communication amid Russia’s unlawful & unjustified war against Ukraine. https://t.co/yzfk4oEeIy
— Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III (@SecDef) October 23, 2022
Here’s the readout from the DOD:
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Readout of Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III’s Phone Call With Russian Minister of Defense Sergey Shoygu
Oct. 23, 2022Attributed to Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder:
“Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III spoke by phone Oct. 23 with Russian Minister of Defense Sergey Shoygu, who requested a follow up call. Secretary Austin rejected any pretext for Russian escalation and reaffirmed the value of continued communication amid Russia’s unlawful and unjustified war against Ukraine.”
Here’s the context to today’s call:
NSC spokesperson https://t.co/MbsSJ89Q2R
— Laura Rozen (@lrozen) October 23, 2022
Keep in mind with these sorts of claims that Russia spent a few years in Syria claiming a false flag chemical attack was going to happen once a fortnight, and nothing came of those claims, nor did they pre-empt Syrian government chemical attacks. It's just their propaganda churn. https://t.co/N6Pih6AxZQ
— Eliot Higgins (@EliotHiggins) October 23, 2022
Presumably fake stories like this serve two purposes: prepare the Russian public opinion for the possible use of TNWs while attempting to influence Western threat perceptions by signalling such preparation. Hopefully the second is the main reason. But we just don’t know. https://t.co/67kdMVK1x0
— Sergey Radchenko (@DrRadchenko) October 23, 2022
And Ukraine’s response:
Every day, #UAarmy liberates our land from rus dirt.
The thought of a "dirty bomb" is repulsive to us.
We invite @UN @iaeaorg monitoring missions to visit🇺🇦.The world should provide a response to rus nuclear blackmail.We demand adherence to paragraph 4 of the Budapest Memorandum pic.twitter.com/aE3G4pd1XF— Oleksii Reznikov (@oleksiireznikov) October 23, 2022
Good night, world 🌙#Ukraine is fighting evil. And Ukraine will prevail 🇺🇦#StandWithUkraine#UkraineWillWin#russiaIsATerroristState#ArmUkraineNow#CloseTheSky pic.twitter.com/HQyCwgdP7h
— Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine – Ukrainian Parliament (@ua_parliament) October 23, 2022
This woman’s response isn’t to the Russian agitprop, but it might as well be:
She speaks for all of us.
“Shob vin zdoh, blyat” is a polite way of wishing Putin death in Ukrainian. pic.twitter.com/nJgmX8OWQX
— Saint Javelin (@saintjavelin) October 20, 2022
Another Russian fighter jet has crashed into a building in Russia:
Another Russian warplane (an Su-30) has crashed into a residential building, this time in Irkutsk. The two pilots reportedly died. pic.twitter.com/0j25ycJ8eV
— Kevin Rothrock (@KevinRothrock) October 23, 2022
Footage of the crash itself. https://t.co/7yx8mhgVqJ pic.twitter.com/EB6woUDMIr
— Kevin Rothrock (@KevinRothrock) October 23, 2022
Treason is never good:
Never a dull development with Ukraine’s Motor Sich. Security Service confirms arrest of company’s president Vyacheslav Boguslayev on treason, embezzlement charges, claiming he provided Russia with MS engines to produce, repair its attack helicopters, despite ban on export to Rus. https://t.co/l5jVsUwT1H
— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) October 23, 2022
They’re going to have to move for a change of venue for this guy to get an impartial jury (that’s sarcasm).
#FreedomIsOurReligion pic.twitter.com/F79JxYIkSg
— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) October 23, 2022
That’s enough for a Sunday evening.
Your daily Patron!
Do you remember the stamps with my image? Part of the profit goes to equipment for sappers, and another part to the needs of animals that suffered during the war. Me and @smelyansky_igor (CEO of @ukrposhta) brought booths and food to the first 2 shelters personally. Thank you! pic.twitter.com/w09sBZ01kf
— Patron (@PatronDsns) October 23, 2022
And will make again. Thank you 👊🏻
— Patron (@PatronDsns) October 23, 2022
For those who wish to purchase and are having trouble with the official UKRPOSHTA site, here’s the link where I purchased mine at Amazon. The ones at the Amazon link are the official UKRPOSHTA stamps and postcard. Here’s the info on the seller who is handling the transactions for UKRPOSHTA on Amazon:
And a new video from Patron’s official TikTok:
@patron__dsns Спрацювало?😀 #песпатрон #патрондснс
The caption machine translates as:
Did it work? 😀 #PatrontheDog #PatronDSNS
Open thread!
War for Ukraine Day 242: It’s Smerch O’ClockPost + Comments (69)