Russia invades Ukraine

[Pete_uk]

Picture of two F16 jets.
But these jets are piloted by Ukrainian pilots!

 

[Pete_uk]

Something, probably a new patriot system is causing the Russians a few aircraft problems. Five downed in three days.

Also, the F16s are due very soon...

Ukraine says it downed three Russian Su-34 warplanes

Moscow has not commented officially on the claim but influential Russian bloggers report losses.

www.bbc.co.uk

Ukraine's military says it shot down three Russian fighter jets on Friday in the south of the country.
Three Su-34 fighter bombers were shot down over Kherson region, the Ukrainian air force announced.

Moscow has not commented on the claims, but influential Russian bloggers have reported losses.

 

[Russel]

The Ukraine situation seems to have slipped off the radar somewhat recently

 

[1D54]

Senate Republicans voting against aid to the value of $110 million is exactly what Putin has been waiting for. Support in Europe is still strong but there is not a bottomless pit of money and weapons and no end to this conflict is in site which has to be a concern to all in the west.

 

[brad465]

What happens in the next few months will be very interesting, as the Russian election is in March, so Putin will be trying to do all sorts of strongman stuff to look good, even though the election is already a foregone conclusion. In 2018 the Salisbury poisonings took place not long before that year's election, with the timings not believed to be a coincidence. However, I think Putin would be very naiive to do something like that on foreign soil again, as it will reinforce Western support and remind them that it's not just Ukraine at stake here.

 

[Lewisham2221]

Heard it reported on the news today that as a result of the conflict, Ukraine's Orthodox Christian's are celebrating Christmas today, rather than in January as they usually would, in order to differentiate from Russia

Ukraine celebrates first Christmas on 25 December

The move to the Western calendar is seen as a further shift away from Moscow's influence.

www.bbc.co.uk

Many Ukrainian Orthodox Christians are preparing to celebrate Christmas on 25 December for the first time this year.
Ukraine has traditionally used the Julian calendar, also used by Russia, where Christmas falls on 7 January.
In a further shift from Russia, it is now marking Christmas according to the Western - or Gregorian - calendar, which it uses in everyday life.

 

[Annetts key]

Senate Republicans voting against aid to the value of $110 million is exactly what Putin has been waiting for. Support in Europe is still strong but there is not a bottomless pit of money and weapons and no end to this conflict is in site which has to be a concern to all in the west.

There is a bottomless pit of money. Our entire financial and economic system is based on "growth" and inflation being greater than zero.

Also, when we provide "new" weapons to Ukraine, that normally means we give them equipment we already have. Then the governments buy the latest brand new equipment to "re-equip" our own military. Which we have to do periodically anyway... The companies that make the latest brand new equipment are within Western countries, so we are actually ensuring our own skilled workers continue to have work, and that these companies continue to be going concerns.

As for the USA, the majority of Americans support further aid for Ukraine, and so do many in the Republican party (still likely a majority of them). What's currently happening is that the Republicans are playing silly party politics.

 

[yorkie]

Just a gentle reminder to all that if your post is referring to anything you heard/read from an external source, we do ask for a hyperlink (if at all possible) and a quote, as well as your own comment; thanks!

There is a bottomless pit of money....

This is clearly not actually true; if you really think it is true then it could be debated in a separate thread though!

 

[najaB]

Seems that the landing ship Novocherkassk was a victim of smoker's disease last night.

Russia confirms damage to warship in Black Sea

The Ministry of Defence says the ship was struck by Ukrainian aircraft carrying guided missiles.

www.bbc.com

 

[Annetts key]

So, for Christmas Russia has apparently intercepted four Ukrainian missiles using their Sukhoi Su-34 aircraft plus intercepted one Ukrainian missiles using their SU-30 aircraft.

And today they have apparently used their landing ship Novocherkassk to also intercept a Ukrainian weapon.

What a nice Christmas present for Ukraine


Russia’s Best Su-34 Fighter-Bombers Are Falling From The Sky In Startling Numbers

Russia’s Best Su-34 Fighter-Bombers Are Falling From The Sky In Startling Numbers

Four claimed shoot-downs in three days.
David Axe
Forbes Staff

Two days after shooting down, in a deadly missile-ambush south of Kherson, three of the Russian air force’s best fighter-bombers, the Ukrainian claimed it shot down a fourth fighter-bomber. This one over occupied Mariupol.

That’s four Sukhoi Su-34s in three days, a weekly rate of loss that’s one of the worst so far for the Russian air force, 22 months into Russia’s wider war on Ukraine.

And it just might get even worse for the Russians. The Ukrainian air force is about to get a significant upgrade, in the form of ex-Dutch Lockheed Martin F-16 fighters.

The Ukrainian air force swatted those three Su-34s around noon on Friday just south of the Dnipro River in southern Kherson Oblast. The Sukhois reportedly were flying at high altitude, lining up to lob satellite-guided glide-bombs at the Ukrainian bridgehead in Krynky, on the otherwise Russian-held left bank of the Dnipro.

It’s unclear how the Ukrainians shot down those three twin-engine, two-seat Sukhois on Friday, reportedly killing most of the aviators aboard. But it’s worth noting that Germany recently had delivered a Patriot air-defense missile battery, Ukraine’s third.

A Patriot PAC-2 missile ranges as far as a hundred miles under the best circumstances, making it Ukraine’s farthest-traveling air-defense missile. A Patriot battery situated well behind the front line in Kherson easily can hit a Russian glide-bomber at its farthest release point, 25 miles or so from a target along the Dnipro.

The three confirmed recent Su-34 shoot-downs—four if you count Sunday’s claimed shoot-down—bring to 25 or 26 the number of the fighter-bombers the Russians have lost over Ukraine, out of a total pre-war fleet of probably fewer than 150 aircraft.

The Su-34 is the Russian air force’s best fighter-bomber, and the only type in the Russian inventory that has the combination of sensors, avionics and smart weaponry that allows it to detect and attack pop-up targets on short notice.

The Russian air force “is almost certainly anxious to minimize further losses of these expensive and complex aircraft,” Justin Bronk, Nick Reynolds and Jack Watling noted in a November 2022 study for the Royal United Services Institute in London.

At the time RUSI published the study, the Russians had lost just 17 Su-34s. Now that they’ve lost as many as 26 of the $50-million jets—nearly a fifth of the fleet—the Russians’ anxiety undoubtedly is much worse.

It’s not for no reason that, after the Ukrainians swatted three Sukhois on Friday, the Russian air force reportedly halted—at least temporarily—glide-bombing raids on Ukraine’s Dnipro bridgehead.

Novosibirsk-based plane-maker Chkalov Aviation Plant annually produces just a handful of new Su-34s. Moscow cannot sustain the current rate of loss, to say nothing of sustaining a potentially higher rate of loss once Ukraine’s new F-16s join the fight in the coming weeks.

Ukraine says it shot down Russian jets and drones as country officially marks Xmas

Ukraine says it shot down Russian jets and drones as country officially marks Xmas
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has hailed the shooting down of two Russian fighter jets on Christmas Eve, saying “This Christmas sets the right mood for the entire year ahead.”

ByALEX BABENKO Associated Press
December 25, 2023, 11:58 AM

KYIV, Ukraine -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday hailed the shooting down of two Russian fighter jets on Christmas Eve and said “this Christmas sets the right mood for the entire year ahead.”

In a Christmas message marking the first time the country has officially observed the holiday on Dec. 25 rather than Jan. 7, Zelenskyy also referred to Ukraine’s claim to have destroyed a further three Russian fighter planes on Friday.

“The stronger our air defense, the fewer Russian devils will be in our skies and on our land,” Zelenskyy said, praising Ukraine’s “capabilities in negotiations with partners, capabilities in bolstering our sky shield, capabilities in defending our homeland from Russian terrorists. ”

Ukrainian Air Force confirms downing of two more Russian fighter-bombers

Ukrainian Air Force confirms downing of two more Russian fighter-bombers

The New Voice of Ukraine
Mon, December 25, 2023 at 5:07 PM GMT

Two Russian fighter-bombers, a Su-34 and a Su-30, were shot down on Dec. 24, the Ukrainian Air Force reported, confirming the downing of the Su-30 in question.

According to Ukrainian Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk, Ukrainian forces intercepted a Su-34 jet with anti-aircraft missiles in the Mariupol sector, and engaged in combat operations against the Su-30 over the Black Sea. However, at that time, it was not clear whether the Su-30 was destroyed or not.

The downing of the Russian Su-30, which was attacking Odesa Oblast, was reported by monitoring Telegram channels on Dec. 24 amid reports from regional authorities of shelling and air defense activity.

According to the Ukrainian military’s General Staff, since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia has lost 329 warplanes and 324 helicopters.

Ukrainian defenders shot down three Russian Su-34 fighter-bombers in the south of Ukraine, Oleshchuk reported on Dec. 24.

Su-34 aircraft are carriers of guided bombs and X-59 missiles, which Russians forces use to attack Kherson Oblast and other regions of Ukraine. Russia is thought to have had 155 Su-34s before it launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. More than 20 of them have reportedly been shot down by Ukraine.

The Su-30 is a twin-engine, two-seat supermaneuverable fighter developed in the Soviet Union from the Su-27UB. It is a multi-role fighter for all-weather, air-to-air and air interdiction missions. It can also be used as a training and combat aircraft.

Russian ship in Crimea damaged in Ukrainian airstrike, Russian Defense Ministry says

Russian ship in Crimea damaged in Ukrainian airstrike, Russian Defense Ministry says
A Russian naval ship in Crimea was damaged in an airstrike by Ukrainian forces

ByThe Associated Press
December 26, 2023, 7:34 AM

KYIV, Ukraine -- A Russian naval ship in Crimea was damaged in an airstrike by Ukrainian forces, Russia’s Defense Ministry said Tuesday.

The landing ship Novocherkassk was hit at a base in the city of Feodosia by plane-launched guided missiles, the ministry said, adding that two Ukrainian fighter jets were destroyed by anti-aircraft fire during the attack.

Over the past several months, Ukrainian forces have conducted attacks around Crimea, mostly with sea drones. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy credits those attacks with allowing Ukraine to restore navigation in the Black Sea and allowing the export of millions of tons of grain.

The Russia-appointed head of Crimea, Sergei Aksyonov, said one person was killed in the attack.

“The Russian fleet has become smaller,” Ukrainian air force Cmdr. Mykola Oleschuk said in a mocking message on the Telegram app. He urged Russians to leave Crimea — which Russia annexed in 2014 — “while it’s not too late.”

The ministry did not specify the extent to which the Russian ship was damaged, but videos circulating on Ukrainian channels showed a large fire in the port area. Ukrainian authorities claimed the ship was destroyed and said it was likely carrying an ammunitions shipment, possibly including drones.

“We saw how powerful were the blast and detonation. It’s extremely difficult for a ship to survive something like that,” Ukrainian air force spokesperson Yurii Ihnat said on Radio Liberty.

Ihnat denied that Ukrainian planes were shot down in the attack.

Landing ships such as the Novocherkassk “are now used by the enemy almost constantly as logistics facilities, as transportation of important cargo,” the spokesperson for Ukraine's military southern command, Nataliya Gumenyuk, was quoted as saying by the UNIAN news agency.

The Novocherkassk was damaged in an attack in March 2022, about a month after the war started, but Ihnat said it has been recently used to transport weapons and soldiers to the Zaporizhzhia region, which is partly held by Russian forces.

The Ukrainian air force's Tuesday morning update said Russia launched 19 drones, mostly against the Odesa and Mykolaiv regions — 13 of which were shot down — over the past night. The remaining drones caused infrastructure damage, but no casualties were reported, according to Ukraine’s presidential office.

 

[Pete_uk]

What a few days huh!

Fantastic

 

[1D54]

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu has said his troops have seized the key town of Mariinka in eastern Ukraine.
Mr Shoigu told President Vladimir Putin assault units had taken the "powerfully fortified" area just outside Donetsk, a Russian-held regional capital.

-------------------------------------------------------

Not that good then.

 

[357]

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu has said his troops have seized the key town of Mariinka in eastern Ukraine.
Mr Shoigu told President Vladimir Putin assault units had taken the "powerfully fortified" area just outside Donetsk, a Russian-held regional capital.

-------------------------------------------------------

Not that good then.

Pre 2014 it was home to (at a guess) about 9,000 people.

Since 2022 it's been destroyed. Last figures I heard from brothers at Ukrainian Railways was that there was a grand total of 150 people waiting for evacuation - and they were all evacuated.

The town has been basically rubble for months now.

 

[DynamicSpirit]

While I don't at all trust anything any Russian Minister says, it's clear that Ukraine is struggling because we haven't sent them sufficient weapons/ammunition.

It occurs to me that, the longer it takes us to send Ukraine weapons, the greater the destruction Russia is able to wreak, and therefore the greater the eventual cost of rebuilding the country - much of which will inevitably fall on Western nations. Because of the likely bigger reconstruction costs, not sending Ukraine weapons in good time could end up costing us far than if we'd just sent weapons in good time in the first place

 

[najaB]

Pre 2014 it was home to (at a guess) about 9,000 people.

About that, yes. It really isn't in the same league as say Bakhmut - which itself was a strategically insignificant town - and the fact that it took the better part of 500 days and thousands of dead to capture it really does say loads about how the war has been progressing from the Russian side.

 

[357]

much of which will inevitably fall on Western nations.

The west doesn't do anything for free. Ukraine is full of natural resources that Ukraine will be made to pay the west with in return for the military aid and rebuilding that has been/will be supplied by the west.

 

[edwin_m]

About that, yes. It really isn't in the same league as say Bakhmut - which itself was a strategically insignificant town - and the fact that it took the better part of 500 days and thousands of dead to capture it really does say loads about how the war has been progressing from the Russian side.

Part of the importance of places like Marinka and Avdiivka is that they are in range to hit the only rail route into Russia's southern occupied areas and Crimea, apart from the Kerch bridge. Pushing the Ukrainians out of range would significantly benefit Russia's supply position.

 

[brad465]

About that, yes. It really isn't in the same league as say Bakhmut - which itself was a strategically insignificant town - and the fact that it took the better part of 500 days and thousands of dead to capture it really does say loads about how the war has been progressing from the Russian side.

Part of me wonders if Ukraine's best strategy is to let Russia come at them in very well defended/fortified places to grind them and supplies down more, like what happened in Bakhmut and with Ukraine struggling to gain ground this year due to Russian fortifications. Yes it will probably take time for any serious consequences to arise, but signs of instability in Russia include the mutiny last summer and the ever increasing interest rates by the Russian Central Bank to prop up a further depreciating Rouble, with is now around 90-100 to the dollar (pre-invasion it was around 70, and the strongest was 54 in the first few months of the invasion).

 

[w0033944]

While I don't at all trust anything any Russian Minister says, it's clear that Ukraine is struggling because we haven't sent them sufficient weapons/ammunition.

It occurs to me that, the longer it takes us to send Ukraine weapons, the greater the destruction Russia is able to wreak, and therefore the greater the eventual cost of rebuilding the country - much of which will inevitably fall on Western nations. Because of the likely bigger reconstruction costs, not sending Ukraine weapons in good time could end up costing us far than if we'd just sent weapons in good time in the first place

William Hague wrote in his Times column last week that it's a false economy as the cost of defending NATO members's lands against a buoyant R:ussia would far exceed the cost of supporting Ukraine.

 

[edwin_m]

William Hague wrote in his Times column last week that it's a false economy as the cost of defending NATO members's lands against a buoyant R:ussia would far exceed the cost of supporting Ukraine.

There is however some risk that if Russia really gets into gear with re-arming, they will be able to build up forces to threaten other countries. It isn't likely while war continues in Ukraine but could be when it comes to an end in whatever way, unless Putin or his successor is chastened by domestic unrest to the extent he doesn't want to risk another war. If that doesn't happen then bringing all his neighbours under the NATO nuclear umbrella may be the best solution to avoid this sort of conflict breaking out elsewhere.

 

[Pete_uk]

In good news, the F16s will land in Ukraine in the next few days.

I hope they make a difference.

 

[brad465]

It was a tossup which thread to put this in (vs the other news thread), but it has a some war in Ukraine references so have gone here for this exposure:

Russian celebs at 'almost naked' party stung by backlash

Some of Russia's best-known celebrities apologise as criticism of their behaviour spreads on social media.

www.bbc.co.uk

This is Partygate: Russia-style.
What happened at a Moscow nightclub was bizarre. What happened next says so much about the current atmosphere in Russia.
On 20 December, blogger and TV presenter Nastya Ivleeva threw an "Almost Naked Party" at Moscow's Mutabor nightclub.
Dress code? More like an undress code.
Scantily clad pop stars and celebrities attended the soiree. Including Russian rapper Vacio [real name Nikolai Vasiliev]. He turned up wearing only training shoes and one strategically placed sock.
It was a private party. But it became very public when videos and photos appeared on social media. Overnight, Vacio's became the most famous sock in Russia. And not in a good way.
There was uproar. Pro-Kremlin bloggers, MPs and activists, who support the war in Ukraine, were furious: how could celebrities be out partying like this while Russian soldiers were putting their lives on the line in the "special military operation"?
For the revellers, the party was well and truly over. Rapper Vacio was arrested and jailed for 15 days for "disorderly conduct". He was also fined 200,000 roubles (£1,700; $2,200) for "promoting non-traditional sexual relations".
The organiser of the "Almost Naked Party", Nastya Ivleeva, is facing legal action. More than 20 people have signed a class-action lawsuit. They're demanding she pay a billion roubles (£8.5m) to the Defender of the Fatherland Foundation, an organisation that donates money to participants of the Kremlin's "special operation".
Other partygoers are facing the music, too.

There's talk of concert dates being cancelled and advertising contracts terminated. Reports, too, that some of the stars are being edited out of pre-recorded New Year's Eve entertainment shows on Russian TV.
Big names - suddenly cancelled.
Cue the video messages.
One by one, the prominent party guests have been taking to social media - some to apologise for their attendance, others to insist they've done nothing wrong.
"I recognise I made a mistake," declared the now fully dressed megastar Philipp Kirkorov. "The last thing I want is for such an event, my mistake, to result in restrictions on my career in Russia, the only country I exist in as an artist and as a citizen."
"I wore a polo-neck, a big trench coat, trousers and shoes," said pop star Dima Bilan. "I couldn't know in advance what the other guests would be wearing."

"Тhey say that Russia knows how to forgive. If so, I would like to ask you, the people, for a second chance," said Nastya Ivleeva in her video message.
"If the answer is no, then I'm ready for my public execution. I won't shy away. I'm ready for any outcome."
Events of the last few days will have come as a shock to these celebrities.
Following the Kremlin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, they had taken the conscious decision to remain in Russia and continue their careers, and often lavish lifestyles, here. Public criticism was reserved for those anti-war celebs who had left Russia.
Not any more. But why?
It seems to me that Russia's political system, increasingly, relies on scapegoats. It needs groups or individuals it can point to and blame for problems at home and abroad.
Up till now, those scapegoats have included Ukraine, the US, the UK, the EU and Nato.
Now, it seems, some Russian celebrities are on the list.
In a social media post, this is how exiled Russian opposition activist Maxim Katz summed up events: "In the past, there was a simple social contract with people who went to parties like this: do whatever you want as long as you stay loyal.
"But life is no party now. These ostentatious displays contrast with reality outside. You can't flippantly party in a country waging war.
"For the first time in a long time, the system has pushed back against those who supported all its rules, as long as they weren't applied to them."

 

[najaB]

It was a tossup which thread to put this in (vs the other news thread), but it has a some war in Ukraine references so have gone here for this exposure:

Russian celebs at 'almost naked' party stung by backlash

Some of Russia's best-known celebrities apologise as criticism of their behaviour spreads on social media.

www.bbc.co.uk

That's one way to pay for the war special military operation!

 

[Pete_uk]

Horrendous night last night.

There are unconfirmed that a TU22 has beed damaged or destroyed.

 

[Annetts key]

BBC reports: UK sending more air defence missiles to Ukraine after Russia strikes

Link to BBC News report

UK sending more air defence missiles to Ukraine after Russia strikes

By Harrison Jones
BBC News

The UK will send more air defence missiles to Ukraine after Russia launched a wave of air strikes overnight, the government has said.
The Ministry of Defence said about 200 weapons would be provided.
At least 30 people were killed in the biggest wave of Russian attacks since the war began, Ukrainian officials say.
UK Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said the package "sends an undeniable message" that Britain is "absolutely committed to supporting Ukraine".

Mr Shapps branded the wave of strikes - which Ukraine's military said comprised 158 missiles and drones targeting a number of cities simultaneously - "murderous". More than 160 people were injured in cities including Kyiv, Odesa, Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv and Lviv.
The defence secretary suggested the attacks were "a desperate and futile attempt to regain momentum after the catastrophic loss of hundreds of thousands of conscripts and ahead of the humiliation of his three-day war entering a third calendar year."
He explained that the package would restock UK-gifted air defence systems capable of striking down Russian drones and missiles with "incredible accuracy".
The delivery is intended to protect civilians and infrastructure from drones and bombing.

The advanced short range air-to-air missiles are designed to be launched from aircraft and the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said Ukrainian operators have become adapt at using the weapons and have asked for more.
The MoD added that the UK has now supplied a squadron of battle-ready Challenger 2 tanks, three batteries of self-propelled AS90 guns, hundreds of armoured and protected vehicles, as well as long-range precision strike capability in the form of Storm Shadow cruise missiles and long-range attack drones - a total commitment of some £4.6bn.
But the latest announcement comes as questions are being asked about whether Western support for Ukraine is wavering after nearly two years of war there and a new conflict in the Middle East.
The most recent tranche of US support was approved this week, but further packages will need fresh approval from Congress.

There has also been disagreement among European countries about aid for Ukraine, with Hungary blocking a £43bn (€50bn) EU aid package earlier this month.
Mr Shapps added: "Putin is testing Ukraine's defences and the West's resolve, hoping that he can clutch victory from the jaws of defeat. But he is wrong.
"Ukraine's degradation of the Russian Black Sea fleet has proven it is still in this fight to win. And today's air defence package sends an undeniable message, in the face of Russian barbarity that the UK remains absolutely committed to supporting Ukraine."
He called on the West "to come together and redouble our efforts to get Ukraine what they need to win".
Earlier, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak posted on social media that the attacks showed Russian President Vladimir Putin would "stop at nothing to achieve his aim of eradicating freedom and democracy".
He said the UK would "not let him win" and called for the country to "stand with Ukraine - for as long as it takes".
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has spent recent weeks urging western allies to provide the country with more air defences to protect itself against such aerial attacks.

Image shows a bar graph showing the ten largest donors (most to least in order) to Ukraine. Here is the text from it:

EU and US have committed most Ukraine aid. Commitments made by the 10 largest donors, to 31 Oct 2023.
Military, Humanitarian and Financial.

EU institutions*
US
Germany
UK
Norway
Japan
Canada
Poland
Netherlands
Denmark

*These figures only include commitments by the EU Council and EU Commission.
Source: Kiel Institute for the World Economy.

 

[brad465]

The FT did an analysis of the use of Russian convicts as conscripts, and how they seem to be getting better treatment than ordinary citizens. Prisoners have been put on fixed 6 month contracts, and if alive at the end, go home and roam free, an effective pardon, while the Russian mobilisation conscripts are on indefinite contracts. Any regime and society where criminals get better treatment than innocents is about as messed up as you can get:

The Russian murderers sent home as free men after fighting in Ukraine

Victims’ families watch in horror as those convicted of gruesome crimes are pardoned in exchange for military service

on.ft.com

Anna Boltynyuk, from the Kaluga region of central Russia, lost her 18-year-old daughter Yana when she was raped and murdered in 2014. Now the man responsible has been freed after serving just three years of his sentence, following a campaign by the Kremlin to persuade convicts to fight in Russia’s war in Ukraine in exchange for a presidential pardon.

 

[Annetts key]

NATO to buy 1,000 Patriot missiles to enhance Allies’ air defences

link to article

NATO to buy 1,000 Patriot missiles to enhance Allies’ air defences

03 Jan. 2024 - Last updated: 03 Jan. 2024 17:03

NATO’s Support and Procurement Agency will support a coalition of Allies, including Germany, the Netherlands, Romania and Spain to procure up to 1,000 Patriot missiles to strengthen their air defences amid Russia’s war against Ukraine. The contract will expand the European production of the missiles, enhancing supply and ensuring the replenishment of Allied stockpiles.

“I welcome Allies’ timely announcement to invest in up to 1,000 new Patriot air defence missiles to bolster the Alliance’s security”, said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. “This investment shows the strength of transatlantic defence cooperation and NATO’s commitment to keeping our people safe. Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian civilians, cities and towns show how important modern air defences are. Scaling-up ammunition production is key for Ukraine’s security and for ours.”

The $5.5 billion contract has been awarded to COMLOG, a joint venture between the US company Raytheon and German company MBDA, located in Schrobenhausen, Germany. The large volume of the order will support the set up of a production facility for Patriot missiles in Germany. Patriot air defense systems can be used to defend against aircraft, helicopters and missiles, intercepting them at great distances. In the wake of Russia’s war against Ukraine, NATO has deployed Patriot missile batteries to protect its Allies on its eastern flank. NATO Allies have also delivered Patriot systems to Ukraine and are committed to further bolstering Ukraine’s defences.

 

[RailWonderer]

The west doesn't do anything for free. Ukraine is full of natural resources that Ukraine will be made to pay the west with in return for the military aid and rebuilding that has been/will be supplied by the west.

The West also has no intention for peace. The military contractors make a lot of money by sending these weapons out and the govt will print more money to do so at great inflationary cost, now Ukraine being Western aligned is a Western national security issue. Survival of influence and power trumps monetary policy and in the end, Ukraine will have to pay some of the bill at least.

 

[357]

The West also has no intention for peace. The military contractors make a lot of money by sending these weapons out and the govt will print more money to do so at great inflationary cost, now Ukraine being Western aligned is a Western national security issue. Survival of influence and power trumps monetary policy and in the end, Ukraine will have to pay some of the bill at least.

If only more people understood this.

 

[REVUpminster]

The West also has no intention for peace. The military contractors make a lot of money by sending these weapons out and the govt will print more money to do so at great inflationary cost, now Ukraine being Western aligned is a Western national security issue. Survival of influence and power trumps monetary policy and in the end, Ukraine will have to pay some of the bill at least.

Also American and Britain armed forces can test their weapons in real world conditions without losing any servicemen/women.