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Russian stuff blowing up: 'Happy people don't go to the frontlines' [1]
['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']
Date: 2025-01-23
A Scooby van full of Russians gets droned.
WARNING: Video shows Russians on fire.
Short answer: It’s a big advantage.
WARNING: Video shows Russians getting shot.
x How much of an advantage does night vision provide the AFU? See for yourself... Courtesy 3rd Assault Brigade operating in the #Toretsk sector. #OSINT #Russia #UkraineWar
[image or embed] — OSINT (Uri Kikaski) (@urikikaski.bsky.social) January 22, 2025 at 4:35 PM
It’s HIMARS o’clock in the Kursk area.
Another careless smoker.
x A powerful fire engulfed a large warehouse complex in the Moscow region's town of Klin, covering an area of 10,000 square meters.
The cause of the fire is unknown. However Klin hosts the "Klin-5" airfield, home to the 92nd separate special-purpose helicopter squadron.
[image or embed] — WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) January 23, 2025 at 7:41 AM
Time to pull back.
x ⚡️Ukrainian soldiers near Velyka Novosilka at risk of encirclement, spokesperson says. "Velyka Novosilka is currently in a rather difficult situation," military spokesperson Viktor Trehubov said on Jan. 23.
[image or embed] — The Kyiv Independent (@kyivindependent.com) January 23, 2025 at 9:34 AM
Another 1,340 Russians, 62 artillery systems and 62 other vehicles.
Meduza asked its Russian readers to write in with their stories of acquaintances who went to war and why.
This one is from a guy named Mikhail from the Leningrad region. The bold at the end was added by me.
Three people from the somewhat close circles of my social bubble went to the war. The first was my neighbor’s son, a 20-year-old guy. He finished high school but didn’t go to college. A normal kid, though he always seemed a little timid. In the summer of 2022, he went for mandatory military service, and while there, his commanding officers convinced him to sign a contract. In 2023, he came back — missing his left leg below the knee. He says he stepped on a mine at night and woke up without the leg. He’s optimistic about life, doesn’t talk about politics or the war, and isn’t employed. He says he’s studying programming and lives with his mom. His mother, however, has become a bit unhinged — she’s fiercely patriotic, rants about the West, Ukrainians, Nazis, fascists, Americans, liberals, gays, and traitors. She and her friends weave [camouflage] nets and sing songs together. The second is a distant cousin, 40 years old. A cheerful guy with three kids from different women, he graduated from [a defense technology institute]. He worked as a builder, sold auto parts, and traded berries and fish from locals. He’s always been patriotic and militant — [he worships] the USSR, Stalin, and [Soviet secret police founder Felix] Dzerzhinsky. In 2023, through some connections, he joined the missile forces. He’s stationed in Moscow, but I don’t know what he does there — we’re not in touch. In 2024, he started supporting his children and is paying for his son’s tuition at a polytechnic institute. The third was a neighbor in the village, a man in his 50s. A slightly older, lonely guy who loved history, archaeology, glorifying Soviet soldiers, and instilling “proper” values in the youth. He used to be one of the leaders of the local search squad. Religious, divorced, not much of a drinker — a regular guy overall. In March 2024, he volunteered to go. By September, he came back in a coffin. There was an official funeral, and they planted a small fir tree with a plaque next to the church. So, that’s the way it is. Why did they all go to war? I don’t know. I think it’s a mix of money, some hope for a special life, and a feeling of dullness, routine, and hopelessness in their regular lives. Happy people don’t go to the frontlines; the fuel of this war is unhappy, unsettled people. Sadly, there’s no shortage of that in our country.
I have seen this argument a few times now — that the end of the war would mean Russia would have time to rearm and fix the mistakes it made in Ukraine, then come after the rest of Europe.
x I read an article in The Times which I wanted to discuss with you.I think the points in it are important,but they leave out an important stakeholder - #Ukraine Mike Elviss, commander of the British field army, said: “What is certain is that once the guns fall silent in Ukraine, there will be a…
[image or embed] — Anton Gerashchenko (@antongerashchenko.bsky.social) January 23, 2025 at 11:54 AM
Mike Elviss, commander of the British field army, said: “What is certain is that once the guns fall silent in Ukraine, there will be a Russian resurgence, & more collusion with a new axis of aggressors" The article quotes several other British senior military officers who also express their concerns that Russia would build a stronger army & correct the mistakes it made in the beginning of the full-scale invasion into Ukraine. It’s implied that Ukraine should continue fighting while Europe and the UK race to (re)arm themselves and become stronger while Ukraine exhausts the Russian army. This sounds like a fair deal for Europe. But what about Ukraine? f Ukraine continues to fight at the same level for years more, we will simply bleed out and end. Our Defenders will continue dying, Russia will keep destroying our infrastructure. And Putin will have achieved his ultimate goal - to destroy Ukraine as a country.
He’s just making it up as he goes.
x ⚡️ Trump says Russia's war in Ukraine 'will end immediately' if OPEC lowers oil prices. President Donald Trump also said Ukraine was "ready for a deal," but added "you'll have to ask Russia" about a peace agreement within a year.
[image or embed] — The Kyiv Independent (@kyivindependent.com) January 23, 2025 at 11:39 AM
Meanwhile, the Russian economy is looking great.
x Russia’s largest bank, which owns a sprawling network of services, is slashing jobs at four subsidiaries. While executives cite “resource optimization,” industry sources point to growing financial struggles.
[image or embed] — Meduza in English (@meduza.io) January 22, 2025 at 3:11 PM
x After the end of 2021, Russian consumer prices have risen 35%. "Foreign brand cars" (now Chinese) +52%, beef +45%, sugar +33%, potatoes +32%, chicken +27%, gasoline +21%... Buckwheat is down 31%!
[image or embed] — Iikka Korhonen (@iikkakorhonen.bsky.social) January 23, 2025 at 12:42 AM
Does this sound familiar?
Such a sad and terrible sight.
x 🙏 One person killed and at least 25 injured in Russian missile attacks on Zaporizhzhia. 20,000 residents are without power, 17,000 without heating. 🐕😢 Dog Bim sits next to the body of a 47-year-old man and does not leave. The dog will be taken away by family friends.
[image or embed] — The Ukrainian Review (@theukrainianreview.bsky.social) January 23, 2025 at 2:33 AM
He was not willing to surrender the sausage.
x North Korean soldier refuses to drop sausage during capture in Kursk Ukrainian paratroopers from the 95th Air Assault Brigade revealed details about the capture of one of two Pyongyang soldiers.
[image or embed] — Euromaidan Press (@euromaidanpress.bsky.social) January 23, 2025 at 8:08 AM
In the Ukrainian 95th Air Assault Brigade’s video, soldiers disclosed details about the capture of two North Korean soldiers. Ukrainian soldier Pavlo recounted that after destroying attacking North Korean troops, a drone operator spotted movement on the ground. When Ukrainians approached the soldier, he remained unresponsive in Ukrainian, Russian, or English, wearing a non-Ukrainian uniform. The soldiers resorted to gestures to communicate. “He had a grenade and a knife on his body armor, which he showed he was dropping. In his pouches, there was something red we initially thought was a makeshift lighter. But when he took it out, it was a sausage – he was indicating it was for eating… and he wouldn’t drop it, we let him keep it,” Pavlo said. Another soldier, a paratrooper with the call sign Ded (Grandpa), noted that the captured North Korean had injuries to his jaw and hand. Later, the captured soldier attempted self-harm during his extraction. When an armored vehicle arrived for evacuation, the captive suddenly ran and hit his head on a concrete pillar, which rendered the prisoner unconscious, according to Ded. Pavlo added that they were later informed via radio communication that the captured soldier calmed down after receiving food and medical attention and even requested romance movies in Korean.
Last time I rented a truck it didn’t come with an MLRS.
x Russia is using North Korean MLRS systems, mounted inside regular trucks, in the Kursk region. The system was first seen in a 2023 Pyongyang parade.
[image or embed] — NOELREPORTS (@noelreports.com) January 23, 2025 at 2:51 AM
Sweden steps up.
x 🇸🇪🇺🇦 In the near future, Ukraine will receive the largest aid package from Sweden, - MoD 👀 The previous record was $1.3 billion. Part of the package provides for investments in the Ukrainian military-industrial complex, in particular long-range capabilities.
[image or embed] — The Ukrainian Review (@theukrainianreview.bsky.social) January 23, 2025 at 9:53 AM
What is it with these pro-Russian East Europeans?
x Czech opposition aims to halt Ukraine shell supply initiative Karel Havlíček, the second-in-command of the opposition ANO party, leading in polls before autumn elections, revealed plans to stop the supplies.
[image or embed] — Euromaidan Press (@euromaidanpress.bsky.social) January 23, 2025 at 3:38 AM
Trump will find another excuse.
x 🇪🇺 NATO Secretary General announces that Europe will finance the purchase of American weapons for Ukraine. Mark Rutte stated: "We need the U.S. to continue supporting Ukraine, and if a new Trump administration is willing, Europe will cover the costs." www.reuters.com/world/europe...
[image or embed] — NOELREPORTS (@noelreports.com) January 23, 2025 at 4:55 AM
In 2024, another Ukrainian documentary — “20 Days in Mariupol” won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.
Directed by Brendan Bellomo and Slava Leontyev, the film tells the story of three Kharkiv artists who joined the Ukrainian army while continuing to create porcelain figurines as an act of cultural resistance during Russia's full-scale invasion.
x ⚡️ Ukrainian documentary 'Porcelain War' nominated for Oscar. This marks the second consecutive year a Ukrainian documentary has been nominated for an Academy Award.
[image or embed] — The Kyiv Independent (@kyivindependent.com) January 23, 2025 at 10:39 AM
Dad’s home.
[END]
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