Good morning everybody! Sorry for all the chaos regarding this update: was disturbed and clicked on ‘upload’ before it was ready. Still cleaning different issues, and adding details as I go. *** The (non-elected, rather ‘selected by oligarchy’) President of the EU Commission, and then the (elected… though no idea by whom) Prime Ministers of Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, and Italy, have all visited Kyiv, the last few days. Thanks whomever, they were then joined by the ex-British prime minister, too…
Somewhere I saw that Bulgaria will supply 100,000 122mm shells until the Czech president & Co finalize the purchase of 800,000 shells for Ukraine. But would the 122mm shells be of real help to Ukraine? Isn’t the bulk of its artillery already 155mm? Would ZSU take out the old D-30 howitzers to use them …
Thanks for the information. First of all, how is it possible to deploy c 200 close to the front if it is much more immobile than the Patriot or C 300?
Secondly, is it any way to destroy bm 30?
Thirdly, what is overall situation in drone war in Ukraine because as I see ZSU started to deploy more FPV than before even if it is not from good life
Well, visiting Kyiv is better than not visiting Kyiv. But the incompetence of the European governments is fully demonstrated in Poland where Sikorsky appeals to USA for help while the farmers do every possible harm to Ukraine.
Tom, you have to understand. Macron had a rough week-end. His visit to the yearly French agriciulture-event went badly. Instead of nice pictures, he was forced to hid next to the WC then spent the remaining day blabbering to death two of his deputies pretending to be farmers.
So he was very frustrated and had to blow some steam steam by throwing one of his pseudo polemical hot takes. He likes how everyone reacts with shock when he does so. Yes, he is such a child.
Meanwhile, the dubious contract with French company Verney-Carron to produce 10 000 ARs copy, 2 000 DMRs and 400 MGL has run into trouble. Namely the company has not received any of the French funding. Maybe a coincidence : an Ukrainian delegation had just visited the manufacture.
Also, the scheme to produce 50 000 / 60 000 shell casing at Forges de Tarbes is failing as well. The workers are on a strike to protest over the lack of investment, degrading work conditions and salaries. First among the two dozens workers' grievance is company failing to do the investment it promised when it bought the site on the cheap.
No surprise in both affairs. Verney-Carron has never produced small arms weapons in quantity. As for Forge de Tarbes, the whole thing had the smell of the usual kleptocracy. A bankrupted site is brought on the cheap through judicial liquidation by a dubious investor seeking to make easy money on state contracts.
Good morning Tom, it seems that the delivery of Gripen to Ukraine would have more support, that would be good news for the PAU, Greetings and thank you for the update
I understand myself not as an 'activist', but as an 'analyst'. And analysts are supposed to remain cool, distanced, even calculated and whatever... But, there are times when one shouldn't hold back (especially when most of us are as saddled by incompetent governments as we are, right now).
Back on 6 February, and via my Facebook-account, we've launched a collection aimed to enable the 3rd Special Purpose Regiment of the SSR - one of crack Ukrainian special forces units - to get a Shark reconnaissance UAV.
As mentioned back then: this is a very advanced- and very complex piece of equipment, with an encrypted communication system, and an excellent range. Indeed, it's so complex that a single system comes together with guidance equipment installed on a purposely-made vehicle.
Price tag of each Shark UAV system is at €47,000 - 51,000.
People at the 3rd Regiment SSO are quite certain they can collect about a fifth of this from their own pockets (which is how Ukrainian troops are financing about 50% of their UAVs), but need help with the rest. Thus, they've asked if there is a way to help them...
Please mind: sure, they're fighting for Ukraine, first and foremost. But, they're also fighting for you and for me: indeed, so we can all remain free, instead of getting silenced by Pudding and his henchmen.
We've meanwhile collected over €10,000 and I would like to thank everybody for their donations!
There are still about 25,000 to go.
Thus, and after consulting a few people who know (to make sure it's safe to post this kind of details 'in open'), here all the options:
***
For US$:
Company Name: CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION CHARITY FUND OF REGIMENT SVIATOSLAVA KHOROBROGO
Bank: JSC CB "PRIVATBANK",
1D HRUSHEVSKOHO STR.,
KYIV, 01001,
UKRAINE
SWIFT: PBANUA2X
IBAN Code: UA503052990000026005045103261
Company address: 3D SVIATOSLAVA KHOROBROGO STR., KROPYVNYTSKYI, 25009, UKRAINE
Beneficiary: CHARITABLE DONATION FOR A SHARK
***
For €:
Company Name: CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION CHARITY FUND OF REGIMENT SVIATOSLAVA KHOROBROGO
Bank: JSC CB "PRIVATBANK",
1D HRUSHEVSKOHO STR.,
KYIV, 01001,
UKRAINE
SWIFT: PBANUA2X
IBAN Code: UA373052990000026005025106266
Company address: 3D SVIATOSLAVA KHOROBROGO STR., KROPYVNYTSKYI, 25009, UKRAINE
Beneficiary: CHARITABLE DONATION FOR A SHARK
***
For PLN:
Company Name: CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION CHARITY FUND OF REGIMENT SVIATOSLAVA KHOROBROGO
Bank: JSC CB "PRIVATBANK",
1D HRUSHEVSKOHO STR.,
KYIV, 01001,
UKRAINE
SWIFT: PBANUA2X
IBAN: UA483052990000026003025104099
Company address: 3D SVIATOSLAVA KHOROBROGO STR., KROPYVNYTSKYI, 25009, UKRAINE
Beneficiary: CHARITABLE DONATION FOR A SHARK
***
For UAH
Company Name: CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION CHARITY FUND OF REGIMENT SVIATOSLAVA KHOROBROGO
Bank: JSC CB "PRIVATBANK",
1D HRUSHEVSKOHO STR.,
KYIV, 01001,
UKRAINE
ЄДРПОУ: 44698121
IBAN: 𝗨𝗔𝟳𝟭𝟯𝟬𝟱𝟮𝟵𝟵𝟬𝟬𝟬𝟬𝟬𝟮𝟲𝟬𝟬𝟲𝟬𝟬𝟱𝟭𝟬𝟱𝟬𝟵𝟯
Company address: 3D SVIATOSLAVA KHOROBROGO STR., KROPYVNYTSKYI, 25009, UKRAINE
I think there was typo,, you surely mean"...with fields east of either village rapidly filling with charred remains of armoured vehicles and hundreds of corpses of CUDDLED ORCS"
As a Belgian citizen I can state that our Prime Minister De Croo is indeed a specialist in selling a lot of blablabla and hardly ever acting on it. He stated that Europe should and can do more…but nobody asked him : “what is keeping you from doing more”. As said he is full of bla bla, but not of boem boem.
Actually while no polititian would refuse positive press this seems to be Zelenski's initiative. He seems to be keen on signing symbolic bilateral security agreements. Which I guess are slighly less useful than a roll of toilet paper but slightly more useful than a western leader verbally announcing to "support Ukraine no matter what". So I guess he's figured it's better than having nothing, and the positive press from these is valid on his side too.
You might be unfair to the President of the EU Commission. Sure, it's not a direct democracy, but still better than most of the world (even the UK). The Commission President is elected by the European Parliament, following the European elections and we do elect the parliament.
EMacron never said Nato was surplus. He said it was brain dead and clarified " NATO only works if the guarantor of last resort functions as such. I’d argue that we should reassess the reality of what NATO is in the light of the commitment of the United States.”
Quite frankly, with Trump 1 and even more with the risk of Trump 2 and the current attitude of the GOP in Congress, it's time for Europe to try to move beyond an economic alliance and toward a strategic alliance.
It will be difficult, of the 100 billions euros spent by Europe from feb22 to mid 23, 63% has been spent on US made equipment.
Thanks Tom, lots of action going on, I sure hope the west can get it but in gear and get artillary ammo to the UAF shortly, hoping the UAF got another SU aircraft
"92nd Airborne (former 92nd Mech)" - Assault, not Airborne
Thanks Tom!
Somewhere I saw that Bulgaria will supply 100,000 122mm shells until the Czech president & Co finalize the purchase of 800,000 shells for Ukraine. But would the 122mm shells be of real help to Ukraine? Isn’t the bulk of its artillery already 155mm? Would ZSU take out the old D-30 howitzers to use them …
Thanks for the information. First of all, how is it possible to deploy c 200 close to the front if it is much more immobile than the Patriot or C 300?
Secondly, is it any way to destroy bm 30?
Thirdly, what is overall situation in drone war in Ukraine because as I see ZSU started to deploy more FPV than before even if it is not from good life
Well, visiting Kyiv is better than not visiting Kyiv. But the incompetence of the European governments is fully demonstrated in Poland where Sikorsky appeals to USA for help while the farmers do every possible harm to Ukraine.
Thanks for the update, very tough situation for Ukraine.
Tom, you have to understand. Macron had a rough week-end. His visit to the yearly French agriciulture-event went badly. Instead of nice pictures, he was forced to hid next to the WC then spent the remaining day blabbering to death two of his deputies pretending to be farmers.
So he was very frustrated and had to blow some steam steam by throwing one of his pseudo polemical hot takes. He likes how everyone reacts with shock when he does so. Yes, he is such a child.
Meanwhile, the dubious contract with French company Verney-Carron to produce 10 000 ARs copy, 2 000 DMRs and 400 MGL has run into trouble. Namely the company has not received any of the French funding. Maybe a coincidence : an Ukrainian delegation had just visited the manufacture.
https://region-aura.latribune.fr/strategie/industrie/2024-02-20/militaire-verney-carron-ne-peut-toujours-pas-lancer-la-production-des-12-000-fusils-destines-a-l-ukraine-990960.html
Also, the scheme to produce 50 000 / 60 000 shell casing at Forges de Tarbes is failing as well. The workers are on a strike to protest over the lack of investment, degrading work conditions and salaries. First among the two dozens workers' grievance is company failing to do the investment it promised when it bought the site on the cheap.
https://www.francebleu.fr/infos/economie-social/mouvement-de-greve-aux-forges-de-tarbes-un-debrayage-pour-denoncer-une-degradation-des-conditions-de-travail-1233741
No surprise in both affairs. Verney-Carron has never produced small arms weapons in quantity. As for Forge de Tarbes, the whole thing had the smell of the usual kleptocracy. A bankrupted site is brought on the cheap through judicial liquidation by a dubious investor seeking to make easy money on state contracts.
Good morning Tom, it seems that the delivery of Gripen to Ukraine would have more support, that would be good news for the PAU, Greetings and thank you for the update
An 'usual add-on', if you like...
I understand myself not as an 'activist', but as an 'analyst'. And analysts are supposed to remain cool, distanced, even calculated and whatever... But, there are times when one shouldn't hold back (especially when most of us are as saddled by incompetent governments as we are, right now).
Back on 6 February, and via my Facebook-account, we've launched a collection aimed to enable the 3rd Special Purpose Regiment of the SSR - one of crack Ukrainian special forces units - to get a Shark reconnaissance UAV.
As mentioned back then: this is a very advanced- and very complex piece of equipment, with an encrypted communication system, and an excellent range. Indeed, it's so complex that a single system comes together with guidance equipment installed on a purposely-made vehicle.
Price tag of each Shark UAV system is at €47,000 - 51,000.
People at the 3rd Regiment SSO are quite certain they can collect about a fifth of this from their own pockets (which is how Ukrainian troops are financing about 50% of their UAVs), but need help with the rest. Thus, they've asked if there is a way to help them...
Please mind: sure, they're fighting for Ukraine, first and foremost. But, they're also fighting for you and for me: indeed, so we can all remain free, instead of getting silenced by Pudding and his henchmen.
We've meanwhile collected over €10,000 and I would like to thank everybody for their donations!
There are still about 25,000 to go.
Thus, and after consulting a few people who know (to make sure it's safe to post this kind of details 'in open'), here all the options:
***
For US$:
Company Name: CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION CHARITY FUND OF REGIMENT SVIATOSLAVA KHOROBROGO
Bank: JSC CB "PRIVATBANK",
1D HRUSHEVSKOHO STR.,
KYIV, 01001,
UKRAINE
SWIFT: PBANUA2X
IBAN Code: UA503052990000026005045103261
Company address: 3D SVIATOSLAVA KHOROBROGO STR., KROPYVNYTSKYI, 25009, UKRAINE
Beneficiary: CHARITABLE DONATION FOR A SHARK
***
For €:
Company Name: CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION CHARITY FUND OF REGIMENT SVIATOSLAVA KHOROBROGO
Bank: JSC CB "PRIVATBANK",
1D HRUSHEVSKOHO STR.,
KYIV, 01001,
UKRAINE
SWIFT: PBANUA2X
IBAN Code: UA373052990000026005025106266
Company address: 3D SVIATOSLAVA KHOROBROGO STR., KROPYVNYTSKYI, 25009, UKRAINE
Beneficiary: CHARITABLE DONATION FOR A SHARK
***
For PLN:
Company Name: CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION CHARITY FUND OF REGIMENT SVIATOSLAVA KHOROBROGO
Bank: JSC CB "PRIVATBANK",
1D HRUSHEVSKOHO STR.,
KYIV, 01001,
UKRAINE
SWIFT: PBANUA2X
IBAN: UA483052990000026003025104099
Company address: 3D SVIATOSLAVA KHOROBROGO STR., KROPYVNYTSKYI, 25009, UKRAINE
Beneficiary: CHARITABLE DONATION FOR A SHARK
***
For UAH
Company Name: CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION CHARITY FUND OF REGIMENT SVIATOSLAVA KHOROBROGO
Bank: JSC CB "PRIVATBANK",
1D HRUSHEVSKOHO STR.,
KYIV, 01001,
UKRAINE
ЄДРПОУ: 44698121
IBAN: 𝗨𝗔𝟳𝟭𝟯𝟬𝟱𝟮𝟵𝟵𝟬𝟬𝟬𝟬𝟬𝟮𝟲𝟬𝟬𝟲𝟬𝟬𝟱𝟭𝟬𝟱𝟬𝟵𝟯
Company address: 3D SVIATOSLAVA KHOROBROGO STR., KROPYVNYTSKYI, 25009, UKRAINE
Beneficiary: CHARITABLE DONATION FOR A SHARK
***
PayPal: fund.450@gmail.com
Purpose: ‘For Shark’
***
Every cent counts: thus, even if you can offer just a minimal donation - it's most welcome. Lets get this Shark!
I think there was typo,, you surely mean"...with fields east of either village rapidly filling with charred remains of armoured vehicles and hundreds of corpses of CUDDLED ORCS"
As a Belgian citizen I can state that our Prime Minister De Croo is indeed a specialist in selling a lot of blablabla and hardly ever acting on it. He stated that Europe should and can do more…but nobody asked him : “what is keeping you from doing more”. As said he is full of bla bla, but not of boem boem.
Actually while no polititian would refuse positive press this seems to be Zelenski's initiative. He seems to be keen on signing symbolic bilateral security agreements. Which I guess are slighly less useful than a roll of toilet paper but slightly more useful than a western leader verbally announcing to "support Ukraine no matter what". So I guess he's figured it's better than having nothing, and the positive press from these is valid on his side too.
You might be unfair to the President of the EU Commission. Sure, it's not a direct democracy, but still better than most of the world (even the UK). The Commission President is elected by the European Parliament, following the European elections and we do elect the parliament.
NATO troops at the UA-BY border is an excellent idea, IMHO.
EMacron never said Nato was surplus. He said it was brain dead and clarified " NATO only works if the guarantor of last resort functions as such. I’d argue that we should reassess the reality of what NATO is in the light of the commitment of the United States.”
Quite frankly, with Trump 1 and even more with the risk of Trump 2 and the current attitude of the GOP in Congress, it's time for Europe to try to move beyond an economic alliance and toward a strategic alliance.
It will be difficult, of the 100 billions euros spent by Europe from feb22 to mid 23, 63% has been spent on US made equipment.
It`s good that you are back on regular reporting. I missed your articles.
Thanks Tom, lots of action going on, I sure hope the west can get it but in gear and get artillary ammo to the UAF shortly, hoping the UAF got another SU aircraft