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Russian stuff blowing up: More mysterious explosions aboard a Russian oil tanker [1]
['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']
Date: 2025-02-18
It should be a war crime for a commander to send troops across a big open field without support, knowing full well they’ll never come back.
WARNING: Video shows dead Russians.
x National Guard fighters repelled a Russian assault on the Pokrovsk sector. The movement of the enemy was detected by the aerial reconnaissance of the NGU brigade "Spartan," while UAV crews and artillery struck enemy targets.
t.me/c/1377735387...
[image or embed] — WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) February 18, 2025 at 5:17 AM
They went to all that trouble to install that chain-link fence (or whatever the hell it is) around that tank and it still got smoked. Damn shame.
x It seems that the metal meshes Russians worked so hard on to protect their "Rodnoy" tank don't protect much from Javelins.
[image or embed] — WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) February 17, 2025 at 11:37 AM
There seems to be a rash of explosions involving tankers hauling Russian oil.
I’m sure it’s just a tragic coincidence.
Savona is in northern Italy west of Genoa and not far from the French border.
x ❗️Two explosions took place on the moored Seajewel oil tanker near the Italian city of Savona on the night between Friday and Saturday. The tanker was transporting Russian oil, Ukrainska Pravda media reports.
The cause of explosions is unknown although ⤵️
[image or embed] — Anton Gerashchenko (@antongerashchenko.bsky.social) February 18, 2025 at 7:09 AM
x /1. Two explosions presumably occurred on board of tanker “Seajewel” which was transporting oil from Russia to Europe despite sanctions. The vessel's crew states that they heard two loud bangs and the damaged hull shows concave deformation, indicating the likely use of explosive devices.
[image or embed] — 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) February 17, 2025 at 4:27 PM
North Korean Stuff Blowing Up
x ❗️For the first time North Korean Koksan 170mm SPG was targeted at the frontline. The Nemesis unit identified it as M1978, which has not been spotted in Russia yet. Only M1989 Koksan were seen. Upon close comparison it looks more like targeted model of SPG was M1989 Koksan and not M1978.
[image or embed] — 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) February 18, 2025 at 11:35 AM
Another 1,170 winners of the Russian Lottery of Death and Dismemberment — plus 12 tanks.
A Russian double-tap hit on a Ukrainian emergency vehicle.
x Russia’s war crimes in action: An FPV drone struck a rescue vehicle in Kostiantynivka, injuring emergency workers delivering water. As medics helped the wounded, a second drone hit. Targeting those who save lives — that’s russia’s true face.
[image or embed] — Iryna Voichuk (@irynavoichuk.bsky.social) February 18, 2025 at 3:51 AM
So, according to this, in 18 months time there were enough deserters from this one unit to fill up at least two brigades. Makes you wonder what happened to all of them.
x Russia: Nearly 10,000 soldiers deserted from the 132nd Motorized Rifle Brigade in just 18 months, between January 2023 and June 2024, prior to even being thrown into the Toretsk meatgrinder.
A Russian motorized rifle brigade is typically comprised of 3,000 to 5,000 soldiers.
[image or embed] — Igor Sushko (@igorsushko.bsky.social) February 17, 2025 at 11:53 PM
Combat video from Toretsk.
This info comes from the Ukrainian government and claims that Russia has lost more men in the Pokrovsk area than it did in the entire Afghan invasion.
"However, it is precisely near Pokrovsk that clear signs have begun to emerge that the Russians are starting to exhaust themselves. Capturing Pokrovsk is the main objective of this stage of the enemy's campaign," said Trehubov, adding that the Russians are trying to encircle the town from the west and break through from the east. "Despite their significant advantage in manpower, the Russians have lost momentum. This is the very impulse that allows them to push forward. First of all, it is impossible to maintain such pressure continuously — they are also wearing out. Secondly, the Ukrainians have managed to build an effective defense based on the coordination of infantry and drones. The Russians have encountered resistance they did not expect," Trehubov explained. Russian losses in manpower and equipment have reached extreme levels, the Spokesperson stressed. "They are losing a record number of armored vehicles. They have even started losing multiple rocket launch systems (MRLS). This means they are being hit quite deeply. And their losses in manpower are also very high: 7,000 killed and total losses of 14-15,000. This is in one month, and this is only the Pokrovsk direction. Under Pokrovsk alone, the Russians bury more soldiers in Pokrovsk in a month than the USSR did in Afghanistan over several years," summarized Trehubov.
Russian version of hot rodding.
x An FPV drone strike on a vandalized Russian BMP-1 with the roof of the troop compartment cut off and a machine gun installed in place of the turret. t.me/Zigun_Mangus...
[image or embed] — 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) February 18, 2025 at 3:39 AM
Those exploding drone goggles blinded eight Russians.
x Russian publics say that 8 Russians went blind because some "good people" put explosives in their FPV goggles. Such cases were recorded in early February in the Kursk region, as well as in the occupied Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
[image or embed] — WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) February 18, 2025 at 12:41 PM
More evidence of how fiber-optic drone warfare is currently biting Russia in the ass.
Not exactly Hell’s Angels.
Not exactly Fast and Furious.
A mashup of Russian stuff blowing up.
WARNING: Video incudes a Russian soldier being propelled through the air by an explosion.
Can we develop a cluster munition that takes out invading assholes but spares donkeys?
Riding through a hellscape of blasted armor sporting drone cages on an unarmored and open four-wheeler. This sort of tells the story of the Russian Army.
The soundtrack is catchy though.
Here’s another Highway of Death video. In this one Russians sing while cruisin’ the road they recently covered with netting in an effort to thwart Ukrainian drones. I don’t know what song he’s singing but “Born to be Wild”* would have been more appropriate.
Get your Lada runnin'
Head out on the highway
Lookin' out for HIMARS
And the drone that comes our way
Yeah, darlin', gonna stay in one piece
Grabbin’ loot in a love embrace
Fire all of your guns at once and
Explode into space
*With apologies to Steppenwolf
x Russians have repeatedly complained about the number of Ukrainian drones, and this is how they decided to tackle the problem - covering the roads they use with fishing nets.
[image or embed] — WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) February 18, 2025 at 11:05 AM
x Russians have repeatedly complained about the number of Ukrainian drones, and this is how they decided to tackle the problem - covering the roads they use with fishing nets.
[image or embed] — WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) February 18, 2025 at 11:05 AM
The day is probably coming when the drone operator could be seated in an office building in Des Moines or Mumbai while his drone takes out a Russian tank in Kursk.
More drone-on-drone violence.
Baghdad Bob is back!
x Lavrov said during talks with the U.S. that Russian armed forces "have never jeopardized the energy supply systems of the population".
t.me/c/1377735387...
[image or embed] — WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) February 18, 2025 at 8:42 AM
At the risk of being a cynic, this scenario is entirely plausible.
x My (limited) takeaway of the discussions in KSA: US is using Ukraine as a bargaining chip to score "victories" in other hotspots, such as China, Iran, Middle East, BRICS... this will position the orange idiot to claim multiple victories...at the cost of sacrificing Ukraine. — Orion412 (@orion412x.bsky.social) February 18, 2025 at 10:01 AM
Well, this sounds promising.
This is the same guy who purchased a Palm Beach house from Donald Trump for $95 million. At that time in 2008, Trump was in a difficult financial position, had difficulty finding banks to lend him money, and was considering filing for bankruptcy.
x US-Russia talks are underway in Saudi Arabia. The russian delegation is headed up by foreign minister Lavrov and Putin advisor Ushakov. Most interesting is the presence of a russian oligarch Dmitry Rybolovlev. A close friend of Putin. 1/n
[image or embed] — Roman Sheremeta (@rshereme.bsky.social) February 18, 2025 at 7:17 AM
Wait! I thought they wanted to nuke the Yellowstone volcano.
x Russian propagandist Solovyev has his own ideas on what Russia and the US should negotiate. "Why not create a military coalition between Russia&America and divide Europe?Who needs it? I think it's a great idea.We'll set up our bases, without a hitch, at the usual points -Berlin, Paris, as in 1814.
[image or embed] — Anton Gerashchenko (@antongerashchenko.bsky.social) February 18, 2025 at 10:38 AM
Zelenskyy’s honeymoon period with Trump appears to be over
x "The "Afghan scenario" could threaten Ukraine in the event of a reckless end to the war." - Zelenskyy. "The U.S. is saying things today that are very pleasing to Putin. They want to appease him to meet with each other and achieve a quick success." — WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) February 18, 2025 at 5:05 AM
Meanwhile, in Syria.
Meanwhile, in Georgia.
x #Georgia ’s legitimate President Salome Zourabichvili was assaulted by pro-Kremlin thugs at Tbilisi airport upon her return from the Munich Security Conference.
[image or embed] — Anonymous (@youranoncentral.bsky.social) February 18, 2025 at 10:34 AM
The business elite of this country supported the Leopards Eating Corporate Faces Party so no one should be shocked that faces are on the menu.
x 🇺🇸🤔 US defense stocks are falling. Over the month:
• Lockheed Martin: -16.41%
• Northrop Grumman: -13%
• General Dynamics: -10.93%
• Raytheon Technologies: -2.66% European defense stocks are rising:
🇩🇪 Rheinmetall: +36.4%
🇫🇷 Thales: +22.66%
🇬🇧 BAE Systems: +10.17%
🇪🇺 Airbus: +5.85% — MAKS 24 👀🇺🇦 (@maks23.bsky.social) February 18, 2025 at 5:58 AM
Would we also have to swear on a stack of Trump-autographed Bibles?
x 🤡 Russia demands the annulment of the Bucharest-2008 summit promise regarding Ukraine’s NATO membership, not just a refusal to accept it — Ru Foreign Ministry press-Alcaché Maria Zakharova. Well, then Ukraine should demands the annulment of the Budapest Memorandum I suppose.
[image or embed] — Maria Drutska (@mariadrutska.bsky.social) February 18, 2025 at 10:36 AM
Yep. Welcome to Trump World.
x I think it's the first case in human history where a nation fighting for its survival against a major aggressor is being forced—by a non-combatant partner—into paying Versailles-style reparations over military aid that had earlier been provided purposefully at no cost. — Illia Ponomarenko (@ioponomarenko.bsky.social) February 17, 2025 at 3:10 PM
Chinese troops in Ukraine? No thanks.
x Chinese military expert Zhou Bo,during an interview with DW, said that China might have 3 roles to end the war in Ukraine: ◾️To join other major forces in providing a collective security guarantee to Ukraine; ◾️China is one of the best options when talking about sending peacemaking troops to Ukraine
[image or embed] — Anton Gerashchenko (@antongerashchenko.bsky.social) February 17, 2025 at 9:35 AM
Europeans are much better at artistic protest than we are.
And finally — a triumph for Ukraine on many levels.
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