Don's Weekly, 24 June 2024: Part 4

by Donald Hill

(….continued from Part 3…)

***

Ukraine

The status of Ukraine’s power plants - an issue that’s going to keep us busy for months and years longer…https://x.com/Wolltigerhueter/status/1803903897859215468

The commander of the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Assault Brigade, speaks frankly on a wide variety of topics…https://www.pravda.com.ua/articles/2024/06/19/7461464/

Few days ago, the administration of the US President Joe Biden has permitted Ukraine to use US weapons to attack Russian targets within 100km of the border. This places several air bases within range of US weaponry known to have been delivered to Ukraine. With no sense of irony, Biden’s National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan says, “It’s about common sense”….

Striking the S-300 and S-400 launching points reduced missile attacks on Kharkiv city from 25 in May to zero so far this month, said Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov…https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/06/21/ukraine-firing-range-us-weapons-russia/

…the day after printing that graphic, a Russian bomb (not a missile) kills three and injuries 56 in Kharkiv…https://x.com/NOELreports/status/1804587724646547693

***

Diplomacy

Defense spending by NATO members has increased. Most are above the 2% threshold…https://x.com/ColbyBadhwar/status/1802825087709557045

26 Ukrainian pilots will be trained by France before the end of the year. Ten pilots between 20 and 22 years of age, began their training by learning English and the basics of flight in the UK. They are now at an unnamed base in France training on the Alpha jet, which has an instructor in the rear. The Alpha was chosen because it is a good transition platform between prop planes and the F16. They will have 50 hours on simulators and 80 hours in the air. They will also learn the western standard of autonomous flight using information provided by ground and airborne platforms, as opposed to the Russian method in which pilot actions are directed by ground control centers. The final phase of training will be on the F16 or Mirage 2000-5 and will most likely be conducted in the new Romanian training center.

South Korea’s policy prohibits direct aid to warring countries but it has provided 155 mm ammo for the US to use and the US was then able to send more of its own stocks to Ukraine. For its part, North Korea sent millions of rounds of ammo and workers for Russian military factories. South Korea views North Korean support for a Russian invasion of Ukraine as a threat to its own security and will now consider sending aid directly. South Korea is a top 10 arms exporter and, unlike North Korea, 30-50% of their shells and missiles will not be duds…https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/south-korea-will-consider-supplying-arms-to-ukraine-after-north-korea-and-russia-sign-pact

Multinational KNDS, headquartered in Amsterdam, teamed up with Israel’s Elbit to produce the PULS rocket artillery system. Germany is interested in buying five systems to replace the weapons it donated to Ukraine. They say the nation's supplies of GMLRS rockets could be fired from their system. Rheinmetall and Lockheed Martin teamed up to market their own rocket system. Both the GMLRS and the follow-on Precision Strike missile are made by Lockheed who says they cannot be used on the PULS system. The competition is ongoing and KNDS-Elbit is believed to have the advantage…https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2024/06/18/citing-missile-mismatch-lockheed-snarls-at-himars-challenge-in-europe/

The Soviet Union and Russia have long been a source of Indian military equipment. It is still providing equipment but India is diversifying its sources. The performance of Russian weapons in Ukraine and Russia’s ability to deliver weapons is a factor. In addition to developing their own military production, India has been buying US equipment since 2007. The most recent talks are centered on replacing the BMP2 with Strykers. High altitude tests and other details still need to be worked out.

Serbia sold €800 million worth or shells to Ukraine or its allies since the beginning of the war…https://x.com/NOELreports/status/1804592012848501145

The EU will still be importing Russian gas until at least 2027, but ‘Brüssels’ is meanwhile considering eliminating the trans-shipment of Russian gas for export to other countries, which would reduce Russian gas revenues by 11%…https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/russias-lng-industry-possible-eu-ban-re-exports-2024-06-14/

Armenia will receive 36 Caesar 155 mm guns in the next 15 months. France produces 72 a year but will increase that to 144 guns per year within 10 months. Armenia is concerned about Azerbaijan creating a corridor through Armenian territory to connect with Naxcivan. Officially, Armenia hasn’t left a security alliance with Russia but it denounced Russia’s lack of support when it lost Nagorno-Karabakh.

The current Dutch Prime Minister will be NATO’s Secretary General on October 1st…https://x.com/albafella1/status/1803906222279528633

Polish football fans in Berlin stop by the Russian embassy…https://x.com/PawlowskiMario/status/1804163255188832743

(….to be continued…)