Any Ukrainian riders?

[fryman]

4 minutes ago, RockyTop said:

Ok fellers, …  this is the plan! First we build a fence so no one can get over there and buy their gas. That will hurt them bad. Then to keep from starving to death we are going to dig a tunnel under the fence so people can buy the gas. … See problem solved. 

Lol.. All politicians around the world need to pull their head out.

[Paul A]

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-05-16/european-gas-prices-drop-as-eu-drafts-plan-for-russian-payments?utm_source=google&utm_medium=bd&utm_campaign=Markets&cmpId=GP.Markets

Warmer-than-normal weather is adding to the downtrend in prices, while stronger wind power production expected in Germany next week is reducing the need for gas to generate electricity.

In addition, vessels carrying liquefied natural gas continue to arrive, providing the continent with alternatives to supplies from Russia, while storage levels are improving. 

_________________________________

 

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/europes-plan-wean-itself-off-russian-gas-faster-2022-03-02/

March 9, 2022

Factbox: Europe's plan to wean itself off Russian gas

BRUSSELS, March 8 (Reuters) - The European Union laid out plans on Tuesday to cut its reliance on Russian gas by two-thirds this year and end it "well before 2030", in a bid to wrest countries free from depending on Moscow for energy.

The invasion of Ukraine by Russia, the EU's top gas supplier, has sharpened concerns of supply disruptions and increased scrutiny of countries' reliance on imported fossil fuels.

The 27-country EU relies on Russia for 40% of its gas.

 

SUPPLY BUFFER

The EU says it has enough gas in storage and non-Russian supplies to get through this winter, if Russian imports were disrupted - though a prolonged halt could require countries to use emergency measures like factory closures to curb demand.

The Commission will in April propose rules requiring EU countries to fill gas storage 90% by Oct. 1 every year, to buffer against supply shocks. EU gas storage is currently 27% full.

[Paul A]

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/evacuated-azovstal-servicemen-arrive-ukraines-novoazovsk-some-wounded-reuters-2022-05-16/

May 17, 20229

Last Updated an hour ago

Ukraine ends mission to defend Azovstal steel plant

 

NOVOAZOVSK/LVIV, Ukraine, May 17 (Reuters) - Ukraine's military command said in early hours on Tuesday that the mission to defend the besieged Azovstal steel plant by "the heroes of our time" in the strategic southern port of Mariupol is over and pledged to rescue servicemen still trapped inside.

 

A total of 53 injured servicemen were evacuated to a hospital in Novoazovsk, east of Mariupol, on Monday and a further 211 were taken to another point, Ukraine's deputy defence minister said.

 

Five buses and an armoured personnel carrier carrying the servicemen arrived late on Monday in Novoazovsk, and some of the evacuees were carried out on stretchers into a hospital, a Reuters witness said.

Novoazovsk is now under the control of Russia-backed separatists who have held parts of eastern Ukraine since 2014.

[UniMe]

10 hours ago, Wolverine said:

Now we’re talking!

Finnish brewery launches Nato branded beer:

https://yle.fi/news/3-12447932

 

Yeaaa Byeee -- welcome!!! 

[Paul A]

https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/3484986-fourth-mass-grave-revealed-through-satellite-imagery-in-mariupol.html

16.05.2022

Fourth mass grave revealed through satellite imagery in Mariupol

 

One more mass grave has been revealed through satellite imagery in the city of Mariupol, near the Central cemetery.
The relevant statement was made by Radio Svoboda [Radio Liberty], an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

 

“The satellite imagery spotted the fourth mass grave in the occupied city of Mariupol, near the Central cemetery, which the local authorities reported about. It appeared in early March,” the report states.

 

The Radio Liberty ‘Schemes’ journalists studied the satellite imagery provided by Maxar Technologies and found two trenches, one of which is more than 30 meters long.

[Paul A]

 

[Paul A]

https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/3485201-russia-resorts-to-artillery-bombardment-due-to-unwillingness-to-risk-flying-combat-aircraft-british-intel.html

Tuesday, 17 May 2022

Russia resorts to artillery bombardment due to unwillingness to risk flying combat aircraft - British intel

The Russian army has resorted to an increasing reliance on indiscriminate artillery bombardment in Ukraine due to an unwillingness to risk flying combat aircraft.

According to Ukrinform, the UK Ministry of Defense said this in its latest intelligence update published on Twitter.

"Russia has likely resorted to an increasing reliance on indiscriminate artillery bombardment due to a limited target acquisition capability, and an unwillingness to risk flying combat aircraft routinely beyond its own frontlines," the ministry said.

It added that in the coming weeks, Russia is likely to continue to rely heavily on massed artillery strikes as it attempts to regain momentum in its advance in the Donbas.

According to the update, in the Chernihiv region north of Kyiv, approximately 3,500 buildings are estimated to have been destroyed or damaged during Russia's abandoned advance towards the Ukrainian capital.

"80% of the damage has been caused to residential buildings," the ministry added.

[Jswizzy84]

A ton of fake news slipping through into the mainstream media. Reuters is posting pictures of Ukrainians with paintball guns in a tweet headlined as counter attack and a retire four star General on MSNBC was trying to pass off video game clips as actual war footage. Then NYTimes called the surrender in AZOV an evacuation after a completed mission. 

Edited May 17, 2022 by Jswizzy84

[Paul A]

Russian military recruitment centres targeted with Molotov cocktails in spate of activist attacks

7,454 views

May 17, 2022

The Telegraph

2.87M subscribers

Russia is facing a spate of arson attacks targeting military recruitment offices as local activists seek to derail Moscow's war in Ukraine.

Videos posted online show men wearing hoodies and balaclavas attacking what they say are recruitment centres with Molotov cocktails – a Russian street weapon and symbol of anti-establishment resistance.

 

 

[Paul A]

Russian state TV commentator admits Russia is isolated and Ukraine's military is formidable

44,348 views

May 17, 2022

The Telegraph

2.87M subscribers

Defence columnist Mikhail Khodaryonok gave a damning assessment of Russia's war in Ukraine on Russian state TV, and admitted to his country's international isolation.

It's not the first time he's made such an open criticism of the Russian war effort. He recently said Moscow's armies are 'making a feat out of something that should be routine'.

 

[Paul A]

Ukrainian army say they pushed back Russian forces over the border near Kharkiv

50,965 views

May 16, 2022

The Telegraph

2.87M subscribers

 

[Paul A]

Ukraine troops blast Russian invaders with new US howitzers

417,159 views

May 17, 2022

The Sun

2.93M subscribers

This is the moment Ukrainian troops shell Russian targets with brand new M777 howitzers donated by the US with the message “From America with Love”.

 

 

 

[Freeforester]

The accuracy of the howitzer and specialised munitions is impressive:

 

However the ‘impact’ of their use is felt rather farther afield…

 

 

Edited May 18, 2022 by Freeforester

[Paul A]

Finland and Sweden submit application to join NATO

496 views

May 18, 2022

The Sun

2.94M subscribers

 

[Paul A]

NATO war games: US & Estonia joint military drills as Russia continues to attack Ukraine

16,213 views

May 18, 2022

The Sun

2.94M subscribers

 

[Freeforester]

 

[Paul A]

North Korea population approximately 26 million, 2020.

Covid infected currently approximately 1.5 million.

First reported cases in early May.

 

 

Edited May 18, 2022 by Paul A

[Jswizzy84]

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-05-17/what-turkey-wants-from-sweden-and-finland-in-nato-expansion-spat

 

Turkey holding Sweden and Finland NATO membership hostage.

[Paul A]

 

[Paul A]

 

[Paul A]

https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-economy/3486750-poland-to-provide-25000t-of-petrol-to-ukraine.html

Thursday, 19 May 2022

Poland to provide 25,000t of petrol to Ukraine

Poland will supply 25,000 tonnes of petrol to Ukraine to help the nation overcome shortages.

This was stated during a press conference by First Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Economy of Ukraine Yulia Svyridenko, Ukrinform reports with reference to Radio Poland.

According to the official, the reason for the fuel shortage is that before the war, 97 percent of fuel was supplied to Ukraine from Russia and Belarus. Today these supplies are no longer available. In addition, the Kremenchuh refinery was destroyed in Russian missile strikes.

Now, 25,000 tonnes of petrol will be delivered from Polish reserves to balance Ukraine’s fuel market. The first batch will arrive early next week.

 

[Paul A]

https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/3486909-australia-to-provide-over-30-armored-vehicles-to-ukraine-defense-minister.html

Thursday, 19 May 2022

Australia to provide over 30 armored vehicles to Ukraine – defense minister

The Australian government will provide 14 M113 armored personnel carriers and 20 Bushmaster protected mobility vehicles to Ukraine as it continues to fight Russian aggression.

That's according to Australia's Defense Minister Peter Dutton, Ukrinform reports.

 

According to the statement, the $60.9 million in new support for Ukraine (14 APCs is $12 million and the 20 PMVs is $48.9 million) takes Australia's total contribution to date to over $285 million.

 

[Paul A]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/05/19/finland-sweden-nato-maps/

May 19, 2022

 

Four maps explain how Sweden and Finland could alter NATO’s security

Over more than 70 years, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO, has grown to an alliance of 30 countries.

Founded in 1949 to counterbalance the growing power of the Soviet Union, NATO — long a source of tension between the West and Russia — has reasserted itself as a significant and unified force against Moscow since Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

 

A new northern border

The Finns remember the Winter War of 1939-1940, when the country incurred great losses fighting back Soviet forces.

“Their relationship with Russia is defined by mistrust,” said Cristina Florea, a historian of Central and Eastern Europe at Cornell University.

 

 

Increased Baltic presence

To the South, Finland and Sweden’s membership would give the alliance an edge in the Baltic Sea, a strategic waterway bordered by Russia’s St. Petersburg, as well as some of NATO’s most vulnerable members.

 

In the middle of the sea lies Gotland, a 109-mile-long Swedish island home to medieval ruins and military fortifications.

In April, Sweden announced it would spend $163 million to ramp up its forces on the island, including expanding barracks to house more troops.

 

An Arctic agenda

Finland and Sweden’s accession to NATO would mean an increase in its presence in the Arctic.

The two countries are members of the Arctic Council, an organization overseeing the northernmost parts of the world whose members include Russia, Canada and the United States. With their membership, “Arctic security would continue to climb on NATO’s agenda,” Nietsche said.

As more than 50 percent of Arctic Ocean coastline is Russian territory, it could climb on Moscow’s agenda too.

[Paul A]

https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/3487367-40b-for-ukraine-biden-announces-provision-of-additional-artillery-other-weapons.html

Friday, 20 May 2022

$40B for Ukraine: Biden announces provision of additional artillery, other weapons

U.S. President Joe Biden applauded the completion of legislative procedures and the US Congress’ adoption of a bill on large-scale funding for measures to combat Russian aggression in Ukraine.

 

“We have provided a historic amount of security assistance to Ukraine to date, and my Administration will continue to expedite the delivery of additional weapons and equipment for which Congress has provided authority. And today, I am announcing another package of security assistance that will provide additional artillery, radars, and other equipment to Ukraine, which they are already using so effectively on the battlefield,” the U.S. President noted.

As Biden underscored, “these weapons and equipment will go directly to the front lines of freedom in Ukraine.”

[Paul A]

https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-economy/3487686-insurance-giant-zurich-leaving-russian-market.html

Friday, 20 May 2022

Zurich Insurance leaving Russian market

A Swiss-based Zurich Insurance Group Ltd. (Zurich), one of the world’s leaders in insurance, is set to leave the Russian market, selling its business to 11 members of its local team.

That’s according to a company statement, seen by Ukrinform.