>> Poland wants to buy 1,400 GBU-39 bombs and 788 PAC-2 Patriot missiles. The US is considering the request and an expected delivery date wasn’t provided. The PAC-2 missile can intercept ballistic missiles and Ukraine has very few missiles that can intercept ballistic missiles.
-- Ukrainian Air Force Spokesperson Colonel Yurii Ihnat stated on May 24 that Ukrainian forces are struggling to use Patriot air defense systems to down modified Russian Iskander-M ballistic missiles due to recent Russian improvements, including enhancements that enable the missile to change trajectory and perform maneuvers rather than flying in a straight line.
"Two weeks ago, a Sukhoi Su-27 fighter jet of the Russian Air-Space force violated Estonian airspace while Estonia tried to detain a shadow fleet ship."
You forgot to add that it was trying to detain the ship in the neutral waters. Deep State's puppets that rule Baltic states deliberately provocing Russia.
"The PAC-2 missile can intercept ballistic missiles and Ukraine has very few missiles that can intercept ballistic missiles."
The conflicts shows that both US and Russian SAM system have VERY limited success in downing Iskanders and ATACAMs correspondingly.
You forgot that I posted that nations can stop unsafe ships that are operating illegally and can pose environmental hazards to their waters.
Naturally, in your imperialistic mind, Russia is always provoked and is always the victim which is why they are forced to invade other countries over the years to destroy their lands and kill civilians and soldiers they take prisoners. This is something you applaud even though you will receive no benefits from this mass death and destruction, and you persistently share your diseased mind with the world even though you convince no one with your view of an alternate reality.
"You forgot that I posted that nations can stop unsafe ships that are operating illegally and can pose environmental hazards to their waters. " Obvious nonsense. The ships are chased not because they bear any danger to enviroment but for transporting Russian oil. Same way, a couple of ships heading for Russia were captured in the neutral waters for the presumable damage to underwater cabels (the damaged was never confirmed and ships were set free). Baltic limitrophes are teasing and "biting" Russia, taking advantage of current mess in Ukraine. It's a dangerous game though.
I've posted the legal discussions and justifications about this before. If you don't want to read or believe it, that's up to you, but it's pretty stupid to say they don't pose an enviornmental hazard when ships have been sinking and spreading their oil in the water and coast.
But again, Russia, and by extension, you, are innocent. Victims, really. The rest of the world is wrong. Anyone defending themselves from hybrid warfare is wrong. Facts that show how wrong Russia is are wrong.
The world is dangerous because of people like you, who have no consideration of anyone else. What a tragedy it is to be your neighbor.
A deflection because your argument has no logic. Shadow fleet ships are sanctioned because Russia invaded Ukraine. Any ship, sanctioned or otherwise, are subject to inspection if they appear to pose a risk. There's still oil on the Russian coast.
Pharisee: a member of a Jewish sect of the intertestamental period noted for strict observance of rites and ceremonies of the written law and for insistence on the validity of their own oral traditions concerning the law.
Oh really? "No danger to the environment"? Remind me, who let two rusty Soviet-era oil barges sink in the Black Sea and spill thousands of tons of fuel oil? Over 15,000 birds dead, beaches poisoned, dolphins washing ashore. But yeah, let’s pretend it’s about “neutral waters” and not about dumping sludge into the sea like it’s 1985.
On December 15, 2024, two Russian oil tankers, Volgoneft-212 and Volgoneft-239, sank in the Black Sea's Kerch Strait after being caught in a storm. The accident resulted in an oil spill, estimated to be between 2,500 and 4,500 tons.
So they are a risk
According to the Estonian Defence Force, the 20-year-old oil tanker Jaguar, (IMO: 9293002) as it was quickly renamed, was “a vessel without a nationality” at the point the Estonian navy sought to verify the vessel’s documents and legal status on the evening of May 13.
Estonia was right to try to stop the vessel;
Unflagged vessels pose several risks including potential for illicit activity, safety and environmental hazards, and challenges in enforcing regulations, and are not insured.
As someone who lived in Narvik for some years any news of the railroad there is quite interesting. You wrote: «Back when the US supported NATO, US military equipment was transported on both rail and road from Narvik, Norway, through Sweden and into Finland for the “Northern Forest” exercise. They are now preparing to re-build their railroads to European regulations in 2032,» Yes, that rairoad is important and very much in use. Iron from Kiruna in Sweden has been transported and sent from Narvik for more than a century. And going on at ever higher level. But that railroad is single track, and while relatively short it is difficult (to put it mildly) to get double track. But yes, this project has a lot of civilian benefits simply due to the importance of the railroad for civilian purposes. So it will happen (probably cost more than expected but what else is new) and the harbour infrastructure is upgraded in the Narvik area. And it could be a vital link to Finland as described.
The iron ore route to Narvik is fully occupied by the ore traffic.
In case of war/military, they would have to stop the monster iron ore trains (the heaviest regular trains in Europe, AFAIK, at nearly 8.600 tonnes each).
On the rail discussion, I would be astonished if Finland manages to switch their rail network to 1435mm. Such a change would also mean replacement/conversion of the rolling stock (locomotives and wagons), changes to couplers (the Russian SA-3 is incompatible with UIC couplers), etc.
Also, you cannot have a dual track gauge route with three rails, because the difference is too small - you will need four rails (causing all kinds of problems with platforms etc). Ironically, the old wooden track sleepers were easier to convert to a different gauge - just make a different hole pair, and relocate one track. That's how the Wehrmacht converted the Soviet rails during the initial phase of Operation Barbarossa, at a rate of approximately 20-30 km/day. Concrete sleepers are not suitable for such a conversion.
The Rail Baltica project is moving painfully slow (and it's mostly new construction, no track gauge conversion). Even with the recent military considerations, I don't see this project picking up speed.
Ukraine is too large to convert to standard gauge (and they have signaling systems, electrification, couplers, loading gauge etc quite difference from Western Europe, not only track gauge). I cannot see how such a large network can be converted, I would expect a core concurrent standard gauge network like Rail Baltica.
Also, the use of variable gauge bogies like the Spanish Talgo is quite unpopular (these bogies cost almost half the cost of a standard freight wagon each, if I remember correctly). And that doesn't solve the coupler and air brakes incompatibility etc.
"Ten IRIS-T air defense systems were delivered to Ukraine at the beginning of the month."
And in the first paragraph of the linked article:
"The latest shipment builds on previous contributions, bringing the total number of IRIS-T systems delivered by Berlin to ten—a notable increase from the six systems previously confirmed."
So, probably they've delivered only 4 (four) IRIS-T systems recently?
>> Poland wants to buy 1,400 GBU-39 bombs and 788 PAC-2 Patriot missiles. The US is considering the request and an expected delivery date wasn’t provided. The PAC-2 missile can intercept ballistic missiles and Ukraine has very few missiles that can intercept ballistic missiles.
-- Ukrainian Air Force Spokesperson Colonel Yurii Ihnat stated on May 24 that Ukrainian forces are struggling to use Patriot air defense systems to down modified Russian Iskander-M ballistic missiles due to recent Russian improvements, including enhancements that enable the missile to change trajectory and perform maneuvers rather than flying in a straight line.
https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-may-24-2025
"Two weeks ago, a Sukhoi Su-27 fighter jet of the Russian Air-Space force violated Estonian airspace while Estonia tried to detain a shadow fleet ship."
You forgot to add that it was trying to detain the ship in the neutral waters. Deep State's puppets that rule Baltic states deliberately provocing Russia.
"The PAC-2 missile can intercept ballistic missiles and Ukraine has very few missiles that can intercept ballistic missiles."
The conflicts shows that both US and Russian SAM system have VERY limited success in downing Iskanders and ATACAMs correspondingly.
You forgot that I posted that nations can stop unsafe ships that are operating illegally and can pose environmental hazards to their waters.
Naturally, in your imperialistic mind, Russia is always provoked and is always the victim which is why they are forced to invade other countries over the years to destroy their lands and kill civilians and soldiers they take prisoners. This is something you applaud even though you will receive no benefits from this mass death and destruction, and you persistently share your diseased mind with the world even though you convince no one with your view of an alternate reality.
"You forgot that I posted that nations can stop unsafe ships that are operating illegally and can pose environmental hazards to their waters. " Obvious nonsense. The ships are chased not because they bear any danger to enviroment but for transporting Russian oil. Same way, a couple of ships heading for Russia were captured in the neutral waters for the presumable damage to underwater cabels (the damaged was never confirmed and ships were set free). Baltic limitrophes are teasing and "biting" Russia, taking advantage of current mess in Ukraine. It's a dangerous game though.
I've posted the legal discussions and justifications about this before. If you don't want to read or believe it, that's up to you, but it's pretty stupid to say they don't pose an enviornmental hazard when ships have been sinking and spreading their oil in the water and coast.
But again, Russia, and by extension, you, are innocent. Victims, really. The rest of the world is wrong. Anyone defending themselves from hybrid warfare is wrong. Facts that show how wrong Russia is are wrong.
The world is dangerous because of people like you, who have no consideration of anyone else. What a tragedy it is to be your neighbor.
Sure thing, only legal discussion. Today
MSC lost a ship off the coast of India with indeed some hazardous containers.
https://splash247.com/msc-ship-sinks-off-the-east-coast-of-india/
A ship was old and not safe. Just wonder, will any sanctions be implemented against Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC)?)))
I know that it's useless to dispute with pharisees. But at least I tried
A deflection because your argument has no logic. Shadow fleet ships are sanctioned because Russia invaded Ukraine. Any ship, sanctioned or otherwise, are subject to inspection if they appear to pose a risk. There's still oil on the Russian coast.
Pharisee: a member of a Jewish sect of the intertestamental period noted for strict observance of rites and ceremonies of the written law and for insistence on the validity of their own oral traditions concerning the law.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pharisee
This is not the first time you've you've used a Jewish term as a means of derision.
Oh really? "No danger to the environment"? Remind me, who let two rusty Soviet-era oil barges sink in the Black Sea and spill thousands of tons of fuel oil? Over 15,000 birds dead, beaches poisoned, dolphins washing ashore. But yeah, let’s pretend it’s about “neutral waters” and not about dumping sludge into the sea like it’s 1985.
Ah look, Tupy making fool of himself publicly again. Poor poor russia constantly someone is being mean to you snowflakes
Btw it's spelled provoking, not provocing. How can you be so tupy you fail even in using autocorrect 🤣
Cherry picking
On December 15, 2024, two Russian oil tankers, Volgoneft-212 and Volgoneft-239, sank in the Black Sea's Kerch Strait after being caught in a storm. The accident resulted in an oil spill, estimated to be between 2,500 and 4,500 tons.
So they are a risk
According to the Estonian Defence Force, the 20-year-old oil tanker Jaguar, (IMO: 9293002) as it was quickly renamed, was “a vessel without a nationality” at the point the Estonian navy sought to verify the vessel’s documents and legal status on the evening of May 13.
Estonia was right to try to stop the vessel;
Unflagged vessels pose several risks including potential for illicit activity, safety and environmental hazards, and challenges in enforcing regulations, and are not insured.
As someone who lived in Narvik for some years any news of the railroad there is quite interesting. You wrote: «Back when the US supported NATO, US military equipment was transported on both rail and road from Narvik, Norway, through Sweden and into Finland for the “Northern Forest” exercise. They are now preparing to re-build their railroads to European regulations in 2032,» Yes, that rairoad is important and very much in use. Iron from Kiruna in Sweden has been transported and sent from Narvik for more than a century. And going on at ever higher level. But that railroad is single track, and while relatively short it is difficult (to put it mildly) to get double track. But yes, this project has a lot of civilian benefits simply due to the importance of the railroad for civilian purposes. So it will happen (probably cost more than expected but what else is new) and the harbour infrastructure is upgraded in the Narvik area. And it could be a vital link to Finland as described.
The iron ore route to Narvik is fully occupied by the ore traffic.
In case of war/military, they would have to stop the monster iron ore trains (the heaviest regular trains in Europe, AFAIK, at nearly 8.600 tonnes each).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Ore_Line
Thank you for all these updates. Sobering but that’s how it is.
On the rail discussion, I would be astonished if Finland manages to switch their rail network to 1435mm. Such a change would also mean replacement/conversion of the rolling stock (locomotives and wagons), changes to couplers (the Russian SA-3 is incompatible with UIC couplers), etc.
Also, you cannot have a dual track gauge route with three rails, because the difference is too small - you will need four rails (causing all kinds of problems with platforms etc). Ironically, the old wooden track sleepers were easier to convert to a different gauge - just make a different hole pair, and relocate one track. That's how the Wehrmacht converted the Soviet rails during the initial phase of Operation Barbarossa, at a rate of approximately 20-30 km/day. Concrete sleepers are not suitable for such a conversion.
The Rail Baltica project is moving painfully slow (and it's mostly new construction, no track gauge conversion). Even with the recent military considerations, I don't see this project picking up speed.
Ukraine is too large to convert to standard gauge (and they have signaling systems, electrification, couplers, loading gauge etc quite difference from Western Europe, not only track gauge). I cannot see how such a large network can be converted, I would expect a core concurrent standard gauge network like Rail Baltica.
Also, the use of variable gauge bogies like the Spanish Talgo is quite unpopular (these bogies cost almost half the cost of a standard freight wagon each, if I remember correctly). And that doesn't solve the coupler and air brakes incompatibility etc.
It'll be a gigantic undertaking.
In 1892, 171 miles of broad-gauge track was converted to standard gauge in one weekend!
https://www.nrmfriends.org.uk/post/the-end-of-the-great-western-railway-s-broad-gauge
That's because then the procedure was much simpler:
- Drill holes in the correct distance on wooden sleepers
- Relocate one rail
- Done
(Of course, you also have to replace switches etc, but there weren't too many installed during this era)
Today, with the much tighter tolerances and concrete sleepers, it's like:
- Check loading gauge, especially with station platforms
- Remove tracks and old sleepers
- Clean up and renew ballast
- Install the correct gauge sleepers
- Reinstall tracks
- Tamper tracks, etc
Of course, you can automate a large amount of this today, if you prepare a huge amount of materials in advance, like in this video:
https://youtu.be/tMXfU8blPMM?si=rVwxr00wRLG8PZIl
"Ten IRIS-T air defense systems were delivered to Ukraine at the beginning of the month."
And in the first paragraph of the linked article:
"The latest shipment builds on previous contributions, bringing the total number of IRIS-T systems delivered by Berlin to ten—a notable increase from the six systems previously confirmed."
So, probably they've delivered only 4 (four) IRIS-T systems recently?