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“US vetoes Canada’s plan to create G7 working group on 🇷🇺Russia’s shadow fleet — Bloomberg
The US has rejected Canada’s proposal to create a working group to address Russia’s shadow fleet of oil tankers as the Trump administration reassesses its position in multilateral organizations.”
“Frankrike ska ge 🇺🇦Ukraina 195 miljoner euro i militärt stöd — Franska försvarsministern
Det militära stödpaketet kommer att inkludera AASM “Hammer” flygbomber och 155 mm granater.”
“At night, 🇺🇦Ukrainian military shot down 73/119 🇷🇺Russian UAVs, another 37 were lost to tracking due to EW action”
“Night UAVs attack on Russia, 4 enterprises were attacked:
▪️Distillery in Buturlinovka (Voronezh region);
▪️Novolipetsk Metallurgical Plant;
▪️Ryazan Oil Refinery;
▪️Oil depot in Cheboksary (Chuvash Republic).”
“At night, kamikaze drones attacked Voronezh, Lipetsk, Rostov Region, and Korenevo on Kursk. The Ryazan Refinery was also attacked.”
Now the vodka is going down 😳
“The EU is in talks with four European satellite internet operators to replace Starlink in the 🇺🇦Ukrainian defense forces.
Negotiations are underway with four major satellite operators: Luxembourg’s SES, Spain’s Hisdesat, Britain’s Viasat and the Franco-British Eutelsat/OneWeb.”
In a hurry as Elon has announced in the last 24 hours that it should be shut down. I hope that it will be quick to provide alternatives for critical parts of the front. Here I assume that EU countries will provide funding.
Yes, it’s really urgent.
“The fact that this fucking narcissistic lunatic is the de facto Co-President of the United States is absolutely insane.
The man who backed out of a fight against Mark Zuckerberg and an interview on the Daily Show now wants to fight Putin.
He is the most deeply insecure toddler on this planet.”
“Ukrainska partisaner saboterar järnvägslinjen i ockuperade Krim, grupp hävdar.
Atesh partisangruppen saboterade en järnvägslinje som förbinder delar av ockuperade Krim med frontlinjen i Zaporizhzhia Oblast, vilket störde de ryska försörjningslinjerna, hävdade gruppen via Telegram den 9 mars.”
It seems that this is where the discussions are taking place. Moving the post…
There are reports from multiple sources that Ukraine is planning an organized retreat from Russian Kursk. I am wondering what will happen next besides the propaganda victory for Russia, which will be painful to read. Obviously, the defense line should be significantly shortened and a retreat to prepared defensive positions should be carried out. Will the 100,000 Russian soldiers, at least a large part of them, then shift their focus back to Pokrovsk?
It might have been wrong of me to start a new thread. It took some time before any posts came in, and I thought maybe it would be better to have a dedicated Ukraine thread.
Responded to you like this:
It may depend on how strong Ukraine and Russia are there at Kursk. If they withdraw in time and there are good defense lines, it’s probably not a problem, but there is also a risk that the Russians instead continue into Ukraine. If they feel they have the upper hand, it is not at all impossible that they will at least try. They should be just as interested in tying up Ukrainian troops there as in giving them the opportunity to reinforce elsewhere.
Hopefully, Ukraine has managed to give the Russians such a beating at Kursk that they do not have the opportunity to continue so that they settle for a retreat. Or we may see Ukraine push again after backing off. It’s hard to know exactly what’s happening there; maybe it’s not as bad as it seems, and rumors of withdrawal could be a smokescreen.
Thank you 👍🏻
Ukraine’s goal is to bleed out Russia. When the Kill Rate is no longer high enough, they must try to find other alternatives. Kursk never became a bargaining chip because the USA and Russia are not interested in (realistic) negotiations.
Apparently, Russia has moved their best assets to Kursk, including their best drone units with drones that are difficult to disrupt. They change frequencies very quickly. This is hitting the Ukrainian supply lines as I understand it.
Even the US ban on using ATACMS and HIMARS offensively seems to have had an effect, as no videos have emerged of destroyed gathering points around Kursk.
I saw the Prime Minister on the morning sofa on TV4. I was a bit puzzled when he talked about many important decisions to be made at the next NATO summit. That’s not until this summer…..
However, France is doing what they can and speeding up the deliveries of artillery and armored vehicles. Germany might also soon be able to make some major decisions as the government formation seems to be progressing faster than feared. Taurus in the end……? Hägglunds in Sweden has no more capacity and the order books are full for years ahead.
Unfortunately, it has been like this throughout the whole war, one hastens slowly. At the same time, we do not know what important decisions he is considering in this case.
It may well be about more overarching issues such as whether Ukraine should be admitted to NATO or included in Article 5, etc. Things that will surely take a long time to discuss.
When it comes to weapons and ammunition, I am convinced that the importance of accelerating has been understood, and even though it will not happen overnight, I believe the ball is rolling now at last.
Very good news from France in the last 24 hours. Deliveries to Ukraine and I also read that they are increasing the production rate of fighter jets. There are rumors that Sweden is preparing a new large package, but deliveries of this are probably not immediate.
If I understand correctly, it is during the NATO summit that countries’ different capabilities are to be decided. The capability that a country is deemed to have is voted on by all countries except the country in question. I’m not sure, but I don’t think such a decision has been made for Sweden before. I also don’t think the decision is binding, but I suspect that most will follow suit in this situation.
The defense decision made in December (?) is considered outdated and surpassed by most, but a new defense committee is not being called in, and that is precisely because of the NATO summit.
Many speculated that one reason for entering Kursk was to force the Russians to allocate personnel and equipment from places like Pokrovsk. The immediate effect did not materialize, but now one wonders if it simply took the Russians considerably longer to make that move.
They lost momentum at Pokrovsk, and Ukraine has instead managed to recapture part of the area. Even if Ukraine has to give up Kursk, it seems they have still succeeded in protecting Pokrovsk, a key city that would cause significant logistical issues for Ukraine if it were to fall.
As you write, considering Trump’s detached peace negotiations (where both Ukraine and Russia are far apart), Kursk has probably lost its value as part of the negotiations.
Regarding Kursk, I wonder if it’s simply a matter of “radio silence,” and that could be a reason why we don’t see much from there. DeepStateMap has been slow with updates. Today, they did update and show that the Russians have taken more ground in Kursk, probably with a delay, so it may look worse than it actually is.
We’ll see how it ends.
No Mats, no retreat from Kursk, I think I wrote it the day before yesterday?
Now Ukraine has read that comment and will not retreat 👍
Misunderstand me correctly, but I feel skeptical about the rush to get to peace negotiations. What has actually changed in the last six months? Apart from the new regime in the USA?
– Is Ukraine short of personnel (as some claim) and things are going so badly for them that they are trying to salvage what they can?
– Do the Russians want negotiations because they see that they are not getting any further and that the war and sanctions are costing too much? And they see that they are going to collapse and lose what they have conquered?
– Does the USA think that the military support costs too much?
Of course, a peace process is to be pursued, but in whose interest is it happening?
I also don’t understand why there is such a hurry. Trump did promise to create peace within 24 hours, and it could be because of that. Other theories could be that Trump is as close to Putin as many believe, and that he quickly wants to achieve a peace that Putin is satisfied with, since Putin has started to realize that Russia’s economy is declining and a certain dissatisfaction is spreading among the population. Trump and Putin probably hoped that Europe would just comply. If Europe had complied, Ukraine would of course have been forced to accept almost any conditions.
Now that Europe instead seems more united than ever to stand up for Ukraine, a rushed peace plan will never succeed. Russia and Ukraine are too far apart in terms of the conditions for peace.
The only way for Trump to achieve peace now is if he openly fully supports Russia, or conversely supports Ukraine, but I don’t think he will do that. He will probably make it easier for Russia and further complicate things for Ukraine, but when he doesn’t get any further, he will probably give up with the justification “It’s Europe’s problem, and if apparently no one wants peace, then they can just kill each other, the USA will not be involved.”
My opinion, only.
1. There is no rush for peace negotiations, per se. However, it is important that there are channels for communication so that it is possible to communicate when the time comes.
2. Ukraine always lacks everything. This does not mean that it is critical in any way, a risk of collapse, or similar. But since they cannot crush the Russians and invade Moscow, this weekend, they lack the resources they want. However, a poorer supply of materials means more deaths, a great sorrow in itself.
3. The Russians always want to negotiate, provided they get what they want. Then they can reload and come back, like in Chechnya, Georgia, etc.
4. The USA wants to save money above all else, due to domestic politics and an economy in free fall. Then they want to focus on the China issue. – They want to get rid of the problem of the Ukraine war and are willing to do anything for it. Commentators (as well as bloggers, media, etc.) mix up the US goal with the results for other states. Put on US glasses and think of the US goal, then think away the consequences for everyone else = US actions now. – It is completely misunderstood what the US is willing to sacrifice (soft power, reputation) to achieve its goals.
5. The peace process (admittedly utopian) is in the interests of the US and Russia. Truly NO one else’s interest now (well, there are a few Russian gas enthusiasts in Central Europe too).
Update from 08:00 09.03.2025 on the Russian invasion
A total of 167↗️combat actions were recorded during the past 24 hours.
#Kharkiv 6
#Kupyansk 11💥
#Lyman 23💥
#Kramatorsk 2
#Toretsk 19💥
#Pokrovsk 25💥💥
#Novopavlivka 6
#Huliaypillia 3
#Orikhivsk 7
#Kursk-44💥💥💥
AFRF🇷🇺 fired three missiles and 83 air strikes against Ukrainian units’ positions and populated areas, using three missiles and releasing 103 guided glide bombs. Additionally, AFRF🇷🇺 carried out more than 6,200 artillery attacks, including 217 from MLRS, and used 3,229 kamikaze drones.
Over the past 24 hours, AFU🇺🇦’s air, rocket, and artillery units have eliminated 18 areas where personnel and equipment were concentrated, two artillery pieces, and two control points for AFRF🇷🇺’s UAVs.
In the Kharkiv sector, the AFU🇺🇦 repelled six hostile attacks in the Vovchansk area and towards Petro-Ivanivka.
In the Kupyansk sector, there were 11 attacks by the AFRF🇷🇺 yesterday. The AFU🇺🇦 repelled attacks near Kindrashivka, Lozova, Stepova Novoselivka, Nova Kruglyakivka, and Zahryzove.
The AFRF🇷🇺 attacked 23 times in the Lyman sector. They attempted to advance near Novomykhailivka, Novove, Myrne, Kolodyazy, Yampolivka, and Zelena Dolyna.
In the Kramatorsk sector, two firefights were registered in the areas of Chasovyi Yar and Bila Hora.
In the Toretsk sector, the AFRF🇷🇺 carried out 19 attacks near Druzhba and Toretsk.
In the Pokrovsk sector, the AFU🇺🇦 stopped 25 attacks and offensive actions from the attacker in the areas of Yelizavetivka, Promin, Andriivka, Oleksandropil, Pokrovsk, Serhiivka, Novooleksandrivka, Bohdanivka, Tarasivka, Lysivka, Zelenyi Kut, and Ulakly.
In the Novopavlivka sector, the AFU🇺🇦 repelled six attacks near Kostiantynopil and Burlatske.
In the Huliaypil sector, the AFRF🇷🇺 made three attacks against Charyve.
In the Orikhiv sector, the AFU🇺🇦 repelled seven attacks in the areas of Pyatikhatky, Stepove, Shcherbaky, and Kamianske.
In the operational zone in the Kursk region, units of the AFU🇺🇦 repelled 44 attacks from the AFRF🇷🇺 in the past day. Additionally, the AFRF🇷🇺 carried out 30 air strikes with 44 guided bombs and fired 577 artillery shells at AFU🇺🇦 positions and settlements, including 52 from multiple rocket launchers.
44 attacks in Kursk, almost a doubling compared to the recent norm?
👍
The political scientist and researcher Joseph Nye coined the term “soft power” in the 1980s – the power a country exerts through its attractiveness rather than through sheer strength. In an essay in the Financial Times, he now writes that American soft power will face challenges in the coming four years.
Some argue that Trump is aligning himself with Russia to stand stronger against China, but that doesn’t seem to fit well with the fact that his buddy Musk is benefiting from Chinese investors.
I personally believe that Trump is only interested in benefiting his own economy (and power in the USA) and that everything else is secondary. If the USA were not dependent on imports from Taiwan, he would have no problem letting China force them to become part of China. Democracy is not something he cares about (except when he wants to accuse others of being undemocratic, for example when he himself risks being convicted).
“Chinese investors have discreetly entered Elon Musk’s company with large sums, writes the Financial Times, referring to managers and investors involved in the transactions.”
“The hidden setup takes place through a so-called ‘special-purpose vehicle,’ which protects their identities from the public.”
To meet Donald Trump privately costs 5 million dollars, equivalent to 50.5 million Swedish kronor.
But there are also cheaper alternatives. A spot at the so-called “candlelight” dinners costs 1 million dollars to reserve, according to an invitation seen by the tech magazine.
Space X is probably a bit sensitive. I remember Musk talking about the Biden administration investigating Space X for not hiring foreign workers, but at the same time, Space X is prohibited from hiring (some?) foreign workers because they are classified as a national security interest.
“Molotov cocktails and shots fired at Tesla stores”
“More than a dozen violent incidents have been directed at Tesla stores since President Donald Trump was sworn in, according to a review by The Washington Post. At the same time, a wave of demonstrations outside Tesla stores has swept across the USA.”
https://omni.se/molotovcocktails-och-skottlossning-mot-telsas-butiker/a/wgpMPL
I’m running out of words to describe Trump’s disgusting behavior.
US will not resume military aid to Ukraine even after minerals deal — NBC News
Trump wants to see more than just a minerals deal to restart aid and intel to Ukraine.
“Russian propaganda is frustrated, having to invent new excuses every morning for their failures in repelling Ukrainian attacks on critical economic targets in Russia while trying to cover up the shortcomings of their air defense system.”
The EU’s plans to invest 150 billion euros in the defense industry have triggered a new dispute between France and Germany, writes the Financial Times. Germany wants the funds to go towards weapons from allies outside the EU, such as the United Kingdom and Norway. France, on the other hand, wants the money to go towards European production within the EU.
https://omni.se/a/Pp2Wlz
For me, it is natural to include Norway and the United Kingdom, both of which have a strong defense industry. Preferably through offset agreements.
We have a very large part of our defense industry in foreign ownership, does that damn frog eater not want us to trade with it to benefit the French industry? Sometimes that little Napoleon is just too much.
Agree, since it involves investments and not just purchases, it would be foolish if countries outside of Europe get involved (read USA), but otherwise, the most important thing is to get production started.
“[Journalist]: Are you comfortable with the fact that you walked away and Ukraine may not survive?
[President Trump]: Well, it may not survive anyway.”
It is claimed that Putin has helped the madman Rocketman develop a submarine capable of carrying nuclear weapons. Trump should perhaps be a bit careful about who he appoints as BFF. It could get a bit tricky when it shows up in the Gulf of Mexico heading towards Mar-a-Lago.
https://edition.cnn.com/2025/03/08/asia/north-korea-nuclear-submarine-int-latam/index.html
In today’s Expressen, there was a mention that Europe owns a significant share of the US state debt. A bit amusing.
Yes, quite interesting actually. Saw something about it on Omni as well. China is known to have bought some, but Europe’s holdings were significantly larger. The problem, it was argued, is that if one starts selling off, the value will quickly drop, resulting in significant losses, but it could still be used as leverage if needed.
Many ominous reports about Kursk now. Russia probably wants Kursk before the Saudi negotiations and seems to have gained momentum now with its significant advantage in the number of soldiers. Unfortunately, Ukraine seems to be quickly losing this Kursk negotiating advantage. Hopefully, they manage to retreat in a controlled manner and cause Russia significant losses.
https://bsky.app/profile/maks23.bsky.social/post/3ljxltffg3c26
Has UA retreated from Kursk?
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