UKRAINE WAR - 1 YEAR AND GOING.

[Lord Revan]

My guess is sell them to 7 different people. Though that still leaves the question of what a single one of them would be useful for.

Tractor or another large vehicle? Also it might not be case the engines themselves are useful but their parts of them are so they're essentially selling the engines as spare parts.

Also depending where those engines are used you might also sell them to countries that use the T-80 or T-72 tanks (or tanks using similar designs).

[LadyTevar]

My guess is sell them to 7 different people. Though that still leaves the question of what a single one of them would be useful for.

Tractor or another large vehicle? Also it might not be case the engines themselves are useful but their parts of them are so they're essentially selling the engines as spare parts.

Also depending where those engines are used you might also sell them to countries that use the T-80 or T-72 tanks (or tanks using similar designs).

I'm betting the engines went to a country that uses similar tanks, for a large amount of money, either straight or through intermediaries, just like the rest of the missing Russian Equipment.

[Lord Revan]

My guess is sell them to 7 different people. Though that still leaves the question of what a single one of them would be useful for.

Tractor or another large vehicle? Also it might not be case the engines themselves are useful but their parts of them are so they're essentially selling the engines as spare parts.

Also depending where those engines are used you might also sell them to countries that use the T-80 or T-72 tanks (or tanks using similar designs).

I'm betting the engines went to a country that uses similar tanks, for a large amount of money, either straight or through intermediaries, just like the rest of the missing Russian Equipment.

While it's probably not true it would be truly ironic is the "country that uses similar tanks" was Ukraine (and yes they at least used Soviet designed tanks).

[Zaune]

I looked up the model number, and it seems the V-2 series of diesel engines is really common in Eastern Europe and Eurasia. (Source.) Just about every large AFV the Soviets have made since the T-34 has used a variant of it, and you can probably find the same model powering everything from railway locomotives to industrial backup generators to fairground rides. Finding a buyer for a few slightly used units that fell off the back of a truck would not be hard.

[Solauren]

Also, I'm assuming he had buyers lined up before he actually stole them.

Probably 'stored them in the wrong location' first, (allowing for plausible deniability) but still.

[Gandalf]

Other units could be buying them to alleviate their own parts issues.

[Lord Revan]

Other units could be buying them to alleviate their own parts issues.

Which would if true only highlight the problems Russian military is having, in a properly functioning military units they don't have to buy their spare parts from the black market, but rather they're supplied by the state for "free" (as in the tax payers are ones dealing with costs not the units themselves).

[LadyTevar]

A couple quick updates:

More than 20k Russian Dead, says White House

The White House believes that more than 20,000 Russian combatants have died in the battle for the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut in the last five months.
A further 80,000 have been wounded, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said, citing newly declassified intelligence.
Half of the dead are from the Wagner mercenary group, the US says.
If accurate, the number of Russian casualties outweighs the city's pre-war population of 70,000.

Explosion in Bryansk Derails Train

An explosion in the Russian border region of Bryansk derailed a freight train on Monday, authorities said.

Local governor Alexander Bogomaz said an explosive device went off along the Bryansk-Unecha line, 60km from Ukraine.

The incident, which occurred at 10:17 Moscow time (07:17 GMT), saw the locomotive catch fire and seven freight wagons derailed, Russian Railways said.
The region - which borders Ukraine and Belarus - has seen acts of sabotage since Russia invaded Ukraine.

The train was reportedly carrying oil products and timber. No injuries were reported.

"An unidentified explosive device went off at the 136-kilometre mark on the Bryansk-Unecha railway line, derailing a freight train," Mr Bogomaz said in a post on Telegram.

[EnterpriseSovereign]

Zelenskyy denies Ukrainian involvement in 'drone assassination attempt' on Vladimir Putin

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has denied Ukraine's involvement in an alleged plot to use drones to assassinate Vladimir Putin.

Zelenskyy, on an unannounced visit to Helsinki for talks with the leaders of five Nordic countries, denied any role in the attack.

“We don’t attack Putin or Moscow. We fight on our territory. We’re defending our villages and cities,” he said at a news conference.

Russian authorities accused Ukraine of attempting to attack the Kremlin and assassinate President Vladimir Putin using two drones.

The Kremlin branded it an alleged assassination attempt and a "terrorist act" and said Russian military and security forces disabled the drones before they could strike on Tuesday.

No evidence was presented by Russia to back up the claims, saying it had "absolutely" no involvement.

Ukraine presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak also denied any involvement.

“Ukraine has nothing to do with drone attacks on the Kremlin,” he said.

He said the claims would provide a pretext for Russia “to justify massive strikes on Ukrainian cities, on the civilian population, on infrastructure facilities” in the coming days.

A Kremlin statement, which included few details and was carried by Russian state-run news agencies, said there were no casualties.

Debris from the drones fell on the grounds of the Kremlin, in Russia's capital Moscow, but did not cause any damage, according to the statement.

"We consider these actions as a planned terrorist act and an attempt on the life of the president of Russia, carried out on the eve of the Victory Day, the parade on May 9, where foreign dignitaries are expected," the statement said.

Russia retains the right to respond "when and where it sees fit" it added.

The alleged attack immediately prompted calls in Russia from pro-Kremlin personalities to carry out assassinations on senior leadership in Ukraine.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russia's state news agency, RIA Novosti, that Putin was not in the Kremlin at the time and was working from the Novo-Ogaryovo residence.

The Kremlin added that the Russian president was safe and continued to work with his schedule unchanged.

Shortly before the news about the alleged attack broke, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin issued a ban on using drones in the Russian capital, with an exception for drones launched by authorities.

He did not cite a reason for the ban, saying only that it would prevent "illegal use of drones that can hinder the work of law enforcement".

[Rogue 9]

Every accusation is a confession. Russia will now use this to justify brutal "reprisal" strikes in Ukraine, as they say they're going to do.

[Lord Revan]

Every accusation is a confession. Russia will now use this to justify brutal "reprisal" strikes in Ukraine, as they say they're going to do.

Like they shelled one of their own villages back in 1939 to justify the Winter War (yes I know it was technically the Soviet Union), I suspect the only difference here is that no-one actually had to be in danger since you can control drones better then artillery shells

[Ralin]

I still find it weird that assassinating an enemy country's president or other high-level politicians during an actual war is somehow considered an outrage or crossing a line.

[bilateralrope]

I still find it weird that assassinating an enemy country's president or other high-level politicians during an actual war is somehow considered an outrage or crossing a line.

Especially when he's the one who ordered it.

Still, it probably benefits Ukraine to deny targeting him.

[Lord Revan]

I still find it weird that assassinating an enemy country's president or other high-level politicians during an actual war is somehow considered an outrage or crossing a line.

I think the idea is that you're not suppose to target civilians in a war (which most if not all politicians are), granted in case of Putin it's just fake outrage he needs to push to justify breaking pretty much every law and custom of war ever invented by men.

[Ralin]

I think the idea is that you're not suppose to target civilians in a war (which most if not all politicians are),

The civilian who the military answers to. And is literally called the Commander-in-Chief in the case of the US, for example.

Granted I muddied the waters by tacking on "and high-level politicians," but still.

[Solauren]

And how do we know that someone in the Russian military didn't decide to try to off Putin, knowing it would be blamed on the Ukraine?

[bilateralrope]

And how do we know that someone in the Russian military didn't decide to try to off Putin, knowing it would be blamed on the Ukraine?

We don't. Nor can we be sure if those people from the Russian military were acting alone or working with Ukraine in some fashion.

It's an alleged wartime assassination plot. The truth is not going to emerge easily.

[LadyTevar]

And how do we know that someone in the Russian military didn't decide to try to off Putin, knowing it would be blamed on the Ukraine?

We don't. Nor can we be sure if those people from the Russian military were acting alone or working with Ukraine in some fashion.

It's an alleged wartime assassination plot. The truth is not going to emerge easily.

If it ever comes out.

We know about the assassination attempt on Hitler because Hitler caught those responsible and spread the details.
I really doubt we'll ever hear any details about any attempts on Putin. Those involved will simply vanish -- or decide to jump out of a window.

However, I will state that I think there were Russian hands controlling that drone, and Ukraine is just the Fall Guy for it.

[Lord Revan]

And how do we know that someone in the Russian military didn't decide to try to off Putin, knowing it would be blamed on the Ukraine?

We don't. Nor can we be sure if those people from the Russian military were acting alone or working with Ukraine in some fashion.

It's an alleged wartime assassination plot. The truth is not going to emerge easily.

If it ever comes out.

We know about the assassination attempt on Hitler because Hitler caught those responsible and spread the details.
I really doubt we'll ever hear any details about any attempts on Putin. Those involved will simply vanish -- or decide to jump out of a window.

However, I will state that I think there were Russian hands controlling that drone, and Ukraine is just the Fall Guy for it.

Oh it seems far too convenient for Russia, especially since Russia seems to have taken this action as justification to raze the Ukrainian settlements, raid the countryside and sell any survivors they catch to slavery, sure they don't use those exact terms but it seems what they're doing.

[Broomstick]

I still find it weird that assassinating an enemy country's president or other high-level politicians during an actual war is somehow considered an outrage or crossing a line.

I think the idea is that you're not suppose to target civilians in a war (which most if not all politicians are), granted in case of Putin it's just fake outrage he needs to push to justify breaking pretty much every law and custom of war ever invented by men.

Um.... not quite sure if a nation's leaders get civilian "protection". Especially in the case where things are structured like in the US: our President may be a civilian, but he is also Commander in Chief of our armed forces. It does blur the line. Likewise, if civilian politicians are directing the military are they really purely civilians?

Putin/Kremlin/Current iteration of Russia are outraged because Ukraine is not submitting on their schedule, on their terms (apparently, "abject surrender"). They're acting as a bully - nothing they do is wrong, everything Ukraine (or [fill in the blank]) is wrong.

We also see Putin/Kremlin/Current iteration of Russia bullshit in that they are, today, maintaining this drone attacks was not, in fact Ukraine's responsibility but that of the United States because, of course, they are trying to promote the view that Ukraine is nothing but a puppet (repeating what they've said from the beginning that Ukraine is someone not a real country) and Biden is pulling the strings.

Personally, right now, I think it's either a Kremlin false-flag or the work of Russia protestors/dissidents/nutballs. I also think the drones were launched from within Moscow, quite near to the Kremlin itself, as that would avoid some of the air defenses around the city and Kremlin. Of course, if it was the Kremlin doing a false flag Kremlin defenses would not be an obstacle anyway.

[Ralin]

Personally, right now, I think it's either a Kremlin false-flag or the work of Russia protestors/dissidents/nutballs. I also think the drones were launched from within Moscow, quite near to the Kremlin itself, as that would avoid some of the air defenses around the city and Kremlin. Of course, if it was the Kremlin doing a false flag Kremlin defenses would not be an obstacle anyway.

I've seen people elsewhere saying that it's not a modified off the shelf drone and hence is probably outside what anti-war Russians are likely to have access to. Haven't seen a source for that though.

Probably best to wait and see if they beef up Moscow's anti-air defenses and specifically the ones around Putin in response. Which would necessarily mean taking equipment away from the front lines, so that would be a good sign that it wasn't a false flag.

[Ralin]

On that note, I've been reading speculation that it was a right-wing Russian nationalist attack (i.e., people who are angry Putin isn't invading Ukraine enough). Honestly it makes more sense than it being a false flag or a Ukrainian attack. Again speculation, but 1) doesn't make much sense to go with a false flag attack that makes Putin look weak and doesn't even really make most Russians angry when they could just blow up an apartment building or something and 2) the Ukrainians probably have better things to do with their limited resources.

[LaCroix]

I find it funny that the guy dropping paratroopers in Kiev to capture/eliminate the Ukrainian government is fuming at the idea that the government of a country may be targeted.

Putin is commander in chief - military target
Kremlin is the main control centre for the war effort - military target

You could even make an argument that all government positions, including the parliament, are a military target as they are involved in the war effort at some point and to some extent.

[LadyTevar]

Wagner Boss Threatens to Pull Troops Out of Bahkmut

The leader of Russia's Wagner Group has threatened to withdraw his troops from the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut by Wednesday, in a row over ammunition.

His statement came after he posted a gruesome video of him walking among dead fighters' bodies, asking defence officials for more supplies.

Russia has been trying to capture the city for months, despite its questionable strategic value.

Yevgeny Prigozhin pinned his decision squarely on the defence ministry.

"Shoigu! Gerasimov! Where is the... ammunition?... They came here as volunteers and die for you to fatten yourselves in your mahogany offices."

Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov have often been the focus for Prigozhin's anger.

Prigozhin is a publicity seeker, and his influence has seemingly waned in recent months. He has previously made threats he has not followed through with - subsequently dismissing them as jokes and military humour.

Only last week he told a Russian pro-war blogger that Wagner fighters in Bakhmut were down to their last days of supplies of bullets, and needed thousands of rounds of ammunition.

If shortages were not tackled then his mercenaries would be forced either to retreat or remain and die, he warned: "Then, no matter what our bureaucrats want, everything else will crumble."

(snip rest of article)

So the cracks are widening, but will it actually break the Russian Army?

[bilateralrope]

I wonder if Prigozhin will let himself be captured by Ukraine to avoid falling out a window.