Don's Weekly, 8 July 2024: Part 3

By Donald Hill

(….continued from Part 2…)

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Russia

Drones destroyed two electrical substations in the Belgorod region. The attack resulted in the complete de-energization of OEMK, Russia's only full-cycle metallurgical enterprise.

OEMK is renowned for its advanced technology, including direct reduction of iron and electric furnace melting, which produces high-quality, impurity-free metal. OEMK plays a vital role in Russia's military-industrial complex, producing high-quality steel for various industries, including automotive and mechanical engineering. Its products are used by key Russian enterprises such as Gaz, UAZ, Kamaz, EPK, SKF, and AVTONORMAL, which manufacture automotive sheet steel, armor sheets, and components for military equipment.

The de-energization caused all electric arc furnaces to stop, and the molten metal hardened inside. Restarting the plant will require extensive cleaning and replacement of arc elements, potentially taking several months. Some workers believe new furnaces might be needed, and since the plant was built using German technology, German expertise may be required to resume operations…https://www.kyivpost.com/post/35267

The powder factory at Tambov was hit in June, 2023, November, 2023, last January and again last week.

There was a fire at an airbase in Kursk…https://censor.net/en/video_news/3497693/u_kursku_goryt_aviabaza

The track of the trans-Siberian railroad was sabotaged but it will be quickly repaired…https://x.com/FreudGreyskull/status/1809277919157723175

There was an attack on Novorossiysk. Russia claims it destroyed two sea drones…https://www.newsweek.com/ukraine-drones-attack-black-sea-fleet-novorossiysk-1920516

A map of the ten furthest Ukrainian strikes in Russia…https://x.com/Maks_NAFO_FELLA/status/1809264784413753663

It is common for pro-Russian channels to recycle old videos and claim new achievements.

Russian fire departments will not visit the border region of Belgorod anymore. They did issue 51 carts so residents can fight fires on their own…https://x.com/igorsushko/status/1808915981399699683

Much like the Ukrainian prop plane that shoots down Russian drones, Russian helicopters have been patrolling and shooting down Ukrainian drones for many months now. Last week, there was a report of a Ukrainian drone colliding with a Russian helicopter but second-hand reports from Ukrainian officials say that the collision did not happen. The helicopter did make an emergency landing, though, and after landing, the heat from the helicopter's exhaust started a grass fire. The crew was able to evacuate and the heavily damaged helicopter is awaiting transport.

Ukraine offers some details on the Russian ship that caught fire in the Baltic Sea…https://x.com/United24media/status/1809008287695639004

Tatjana Schevzova was Deputy Russian Defense Minister handling finances until she was fired a few weeks ago as part of the shake up and arrests in that ministry. She has several properties, including one valued at $23 million. According to Tsargrad, she defected to France last week…https://www.globaldefensecorp.com/2024/06/30/former-russian-deputy-defense-minister-tatyana-shevtsova-defected-to-france/

John "Jack" Hanick co-founded Fox News and was its news director from 1996 to 2011. In 2013, he moved to Moscow to launch Tsargrad TV and was with the network until 2018. The channel is pro-Putin and mixes Russian Orthodoxy with Russian nationalism. The owner of the network says it is the Russian version of Fox news.

(….to be continued…)