NPR

- Participated in the Donbas war since 2014.
- A criminal, was in prison for bank robbery.
- A self-proclaimed "writer" (I haven't read anything).
- Since Feb 2022, been on and off in the Donbas, often traveling back to Russia.
- Definitely felt very comfortable in the war.
- Had a sizeable TG following, was posting "Evening Vladlen" summaries to his channel every night, in addition to opinions and suggestions.
- Close associate with a number of Rascists, including RSOTM admin (Wagner group). He was indeed very close with Wagner.
- In recent months, began hosting an irregular show on Solovyev's channel together with the creator of Rybar.
- Essentially, he was a minor superstar in the z-world, everyone knows him. While his death may not trigger a physical response, it will have a massive effect on the Russians. It already does.

EnergiseR2 wrote: Tue Apr 04, 2023 8:29 am The threats are all so ludicrously empty now. At this stage it looks like it could end up like the Greco-Persian wars for Russia. Tey just seem to have no exit strategy worth talking about. I presume they were going to try after gaining ground in the Winter period but that's all fucked on them now. Europe needs to do a proper bit of flexing now.

Member of Kremlin Guard Flees Russia, Details Putin’s Secret Life

An officer responsible for providing encrypted communications to President Vladimir Putin said he has fled Russia over the war in Ukraine and disclosed details about the Russian leader in an interview with the Dossier Center investigative website Tuesday.

Gleb Karakulov had served as an engineer in the Federal Guard Service (FSO) presidential communications unit and accompanied Putin on more than 180 trips over the past 13 years. The unit ensures that Putin and his prime minister are provided with 24/7 encrypted communications.

Karakulov told the Dossier Center he managed to flee with his family to Turkey while accompanying Putin on a visit to Kazakhstan for a summit in mid-October 2022.

Whole item at https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2023/04/ ... ife-a80699

Putin, Trump, Ukraine: how Timothy Snyder became the leading interpreter of our dark times

Historians aren’t supposed to make predictions, but Yale professor Timothy Snyder has become known for his dire warnings – and many of them have been proved correct

Hellraiser wrote: Wed Apr 05, 2023 10:25 pm

Hellraiser wrote: Fri Apr 07, 2023 9:15 pm Estimated remaining Russian tanks in storage that can be brought back into service.

fishfoodie wrote: Sun Apr 09, 2023 8:37 pm That's a lot of unclaimed Ladas !

laurent wrote: Sun Apr 09, 2023 8:54 pm

fishfoodie wrote: Sun Apr 09, 2023 8:37 pm That's a lot of unclaimed Ladas !

They can't make enough of them without Renault's help.

Denmark is preparing to hand over about 100 Leopard 1 tanks and 19 CAESAR 8×8 self-propelled guns to Ukraine by the summer, — Acting Minister of Defense of Denmark.

"We will start supplying Leopard tanks to Ukraine by the summer. And I hope, looking six months ahead, that it will be possible to hand over about 100 Leopard 1 tanks. This would be a significant help to the Ukrainian army in the fight for freedom. We can also discuss the transfer of Leopard 2 tanks ," said Acting the minister during a briefing in Odesa.

Also, Denmark hopes to send within a month the CAESAR artillery systems, on which the Ukrainian military is currently training at the Danish training grounds.

The Bulgarian Ministry of Defense confirmed the fact of negotiations on the transfer of MiG-29 fighters to Ukraine, subject to the receipt of more modern combat aircraft from Western partners.

In total, Bulgaria has 16 MiG-29 fighters, 6 of them are in working order. Due to EU sanctions against the Russian Federation, Bulgaria can no longer receive technical assistance from the Russian side.

Hellraiser wrote: Mon Apr 10, 2023 10:31 pm

The Bulgarian Ministry of Defense confirmed the fact of negotiations on the transfer of MiG-29 fighters to Ukraine, subject to the receipt of more modern combat aircraft from Western partners.

In total, Bulgaria has 16 MiG-29 fighters, 6 of them are in working order. Due to EU sanctions against the Russian Federation, Bulgaria can no longer receive technical assistance from the Russian side.

Russian jet agonisingly close to shooting down unarmed British plane, which could have brought UK and US into the war

A Russian plane came close to shooting down a British jet in an encounter near the borders of Ukraine, leaked military papers have shown. The Russian plane came close to striking the RAF Rivet Joint jet, a "nuke-sniffer", which was flying over the Black Sea, to the south of Ukraine on September 29 last year, Pentagon papers reveal.

Defence secretary Mr Wallace only said at the time that the Russian plane came close to the British jet and "released a missile in the vicinity". The incident took place in international waters.

He said the encounter was the result of a technical "malfunction", although he admitted it was a "potentially dangerous engagement.

He told MPs: "We don't consider this a deliberate escalation by the Russians, our analysis would concur it was a malfunction."

He said: "However, it is a reminder of quite how dangerous things can be when you choose to use your fighters in the manner that the Russians have done over many periods of time."

But the leaked Pentagon documents, uncovered by the Washington Post, show that the Russian Su-27 actually came very close to hitting the RAF jet, resulting in "a near-shoot down of UK RJ (Rivet Joint)." If the missile had hit the RAF plane, it might have brought the UK and the rest of NATO into direct armed conflict with the Russians. Article 5 of the founding treaty of NATO makes member states agree that an armed attack against one or more of them "shall be considered an attack against them all".

Every NATO member will help the country that has been attacked with any action "it deems necessary".

Mr Wallace said at the time: "The UK Ministry of Defence has shared this information with allies and, after consultation, I have restarted routine patrols, but this time escorted by fighter aircraft.

"Everything we do is considered and calibrated with regard to ongoing conflict in the region and in accordance with international law.

"We welcome Russia's acknowledgement this was in international airspace, and the UK has conducted regular sorties with the RAF Rivet Joint in international airspace over the Black Sea since 2019 and we will continue to do so."

The leak comes after a Russian fighter jet struck the propeller of a US surveillance drone over the Black Sea in March. American officials were forced to bring down the unmanned aerial vehicle in international waters.

https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/russian-jet- ... ish-plane/

fishfoodie wrote: Sun Apr 09, 2023 8:57 pm

laurent wrote: Sun Apr 09, 2023 8:54 pm

fishfoodie wrote: Sun Apr 09, 2023 8:37 pm That's a lot of unclaimed Ladas !

They can't make enough of them without Renault's help.

Sure they can !

They just adapted their production line to remove luxuries like, ABS, Cats, Electronic engine management, Radios ..... it's basically the same car .....

Hal Jordan wrote: Tue Apr 11, 2023 7:08 pm

fishfoodie wrote: Sun Apr 09, 2023 8:57 pm

laurent wrote: Sun Apr 09, 2023 8:54 pm

They can't make enough of them without Renault's help.

Sure they can !

They just adapted their production line to remove luxuries like, ABS, Cats, Electronic engine management, Radios ..... it's basically the same car .....

So basically just like any Renault after about five years.