Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

“The Ukrainian flag was reinstalled on Snake Island, replacing the Russian tricolor. In addition, the Ukrainian military found and evacuated a Ukrainian cat who spent several months under Russian occupation.”

Screen grab from Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry/UkrinformTV: https://youtu.be/cKgao6w9EoM (small black cat is in the video and may be in the photo, but difficult to tell since it’s small and black.)

War in Ukraine Map showing Snake Island (for illustration purposes – CC-0; not recently updated: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:War_in_Ukraine_(2022)_en.png )

“Ukrainian military check Snake Island, rescue cat
VIDEO https://www.ukrinform.net
20.07.2022 11:29
The Ukrainian military have carried out demining works, seized enemy ammunition and military equipment and rescued a Ukrainian cat on Snake [Zmiinyi] Island.

The relevant statement was made by the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry on Telegram, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. https://t.me/DIUkraine/930

“As part of the operation, the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry examined and conducted reconnaissance within the area and underground fortifications of Snake Island. Engineering demining works were carried out. The samples of enemy ammunition and equipment were revealed and seized, namely guidance and control systems, Orlan-10 unmanned aerial vehicles, man-portable air-defense systems, grenade launchers, flame guns, small arms, warfare records, personal records of Russian soldiers, electronic media,” the report states.

The Ukrainian flag was reinstalled on Snake Island, replacing the Russian tricolor. In addition, the Ukrainian military found and evacuated a Ukrainian cat who spent several months under Russian occupation.

A reminder that, in early July 2022, the Armed Forces of Ukraine completed a military operation to clear Snake Island of the equipment and ammunition of Russian invaders, who escaped to the temporarily occupied Crimea.
mk” https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/3533003-ukrainian-military-check-snake-island-rescue-cat.html

“Zelensky’s heroes unblock Danube waterway as Putin troops obliterated in Black Sea battle: A MAJOR waterway in Ukraine crucial to exporting grain shipments has been opened following the liberation of Snake Island by Volodymyr Zelensky’s men”. By Matthew Dooley, Jul 13, 2022 https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1639851/zelensky-major-waterway-danube-black-sea-canal-open-latest-update

Why do news organizations and governments continue to even dignify Russian statements with a reply? To call Russian statements BS is an insult to manure. https://miningawareness.wordpress.com/2022/07/02/bovine-manure-is-useful-for-energy-fertilizer-unlike-russias-bs/
“Russians Retreat From Snake Island, Says DOD Official
JULY 1, 2022, BY DAVID VERGUN, DOD NEWS
The Defense Department does not believe there is any credence to Russia saying its retreat from Snake Island (in the Black Sea area of Ukraine) was a gesture of goodwill, said a senior DOD official today, who took questions from the Pentagon press regarding Russia and Ukraine. 

“We view this development as that the Ukrainians were very successful at applying significant pressure on the Russians, including by using Harpoon missiles that they recently acquired to attack a resupply ship. When you realize how barren and deserted Snake Island is, you understand the importance of resupply. So, the Ukrainians made it very hard for the Russians to sustain their operations there [and] made them very vulnerable to Ukrainian strikes. So, that of course, is why Russia left the island,” the official said. 

The result of this is that it does make it a lot easier for Ukraine to defend Odesa and in the future to be able to open those sea lanes without Russia controlling Snake Island, the official added. 

Fighting continues in the Donbas, the official said, with high casualties on both sides and very little ground changing hands. 

Regarding the recent deliveries of High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems from the U.S. Ukrainian forces have had good success in employing these longer-range artillery systems, to include targeting Russian command posts, the official said. 

In other related news, this afternoon, DOD announced $820 million in additional security assistance for Ukraine. This includes an authorization of a presidential drawdown of security assistance valued at up to $50 million, as well as $770 million in Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, or USAI funds.  https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3081993/820-million-in-additional-security-assistance-for-ukraine/

The presidential drawdown authorization is the fourteenth drawdown of equipment from DOD inventories for Ukraine that the president has authorized since August 2021.

Capabilities in this package include additional ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems. 

Under USAI, the department will provide Ukraine with: 
* Two National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems; 
* Up to 150,000 rounds of 155 mm artillery ammunition; and 
* Four additional counter-artillery radars. 

Unlike presidential drawdowns, USAI is an authority under which the United States procures capabilities from industry rather than delivering equipment that is drawn down from DOD stocks. This announcement represents the beginning of a contracting process to provide additional capabilities to Ukraine’s armed forces.” https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/3082115/russians-retreat-from-snake-island-says-dod-official/source/russians-retreat-from-snake-island-says-dod-official/
Note that Russia is shooting an estimated 50,000 rounds per day, so this would be three days worth, if Ukraine used the same amount.

$40 Billion Bill Blocked by Sen. Rand Paul is Largely for US Defense Needed Due to Russian Aggression; Includes IG Oversight; Includes Admin Costs to Seize & Sell Russian Forfeited Property

Map CC-0, public domain via: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:War_in_Ukraine_(2022)_en.png

“Україна проводить дослідження та розмінування острова Зміїний”