#Russian military boats

[jenniferlinda76]

The Black Sea Drone War: A David and Goliath Struggle with Global Implications

The Black Sea, once a shared resource and vital trade route, has become a contested battleground in the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia. A new weapon has emerged that's tipping the scales in Ukraine's favor: domestically-produced naval drones. These unmanned vehicles (UAVs) are proving surprisingly effective against the larger, more traditional vessels of the Russian Black Sea Fleet.

Ukraine's Drone Arsenal Takes Flight

News of Ukrainian-made naval drones targeting Russian military boats first surfaced in September 2022. Since then, these UAVs have become a constant threat, forcing Russia to adapt its strategies. The exact specifications of these drones remain undisclosed for security reasons, but reports suggest they are:

Relatively small and fast: This makes them difficult targets for traditional radar and anti-aircraft defenses.

GPS-independent: Ukrainian special forces claim to have developed technology allowing the drones to operate without GPS, making them immune to Russian jamming efforts.

Capable of carrying explosives: These drones function as kamikaze weapons, inflicting significant damage on their targets.

The most well-known Ukrainian drone seems to be the MAGURA V5, credited with destroying several Russian vessels. However, there are likely other models in Ukraine's arsenal, each with its own strengths and functionalities.

Striking a Blow: Attacks on Russian Vessels

The first major reported success of Ukrainian naval drones came in November 2022, when they allegedly sank two Ukrainian-made naval drones to target Russian vessels landing ships docked in occupied Crimea. This attack signaled a new phase in the war, highlighting the vulnerability of the Russian Black Sea Fleet.

Since then, there have been numerous reports of drone attacks on Russian vessels. In February 2024, Ukraine claimed responsibility for destroying the warship Ivanovets and damaging the landing ship Caesar Kunikov using jet ski-powered drones. Later that month, another drone attack reportedly sank the frigate Sergei Kotov.

Most recently, on May 30th, 2024, Ukrainian forces used naval drones to target two Russian patrol boats near Crimea. Footage released by Ukraine shows a drone dodging heavy gunfire before striking its target. This attack highlights the evolving tactics of Ukrainian drone warfare, showcasing their ability to operate under fire.

Impact on Ukrainian Ports and the Black Sea Economy

The war has devastated Ukraine's Black Sea ports, with Odessa and Mariupol facing heavy bombardment and blockades by the Russian Navy. This has crippled Ukrainian exports and disrupted global food supplies, particularly wheat and corn.

However, the successful deployment of naval drones offers a glimmer of hope for Ukraine. By contesting Russian control of the Black Sea, Ukraine can potentially reopen vital trade routes and alleviate the economic strain of the war. Furthermore, the success of these drones could encourage other countries facing naval challenges to explore similar technologies.

Challenges and the Road Ahead

Despite their effectiveness, Ukrainian drone warfare faces challenges. Russia is likely to adapt its defenses, implementing stronger electronic countermeasures and deploying drone-hunting technologies. Additionally, the production capacity of Ukrainian drones remains unknown. Can they maintain a steady stream of these UAVs to counter a potential Russian escalation?

The future of the Black Sea hinges on the ongoing battle between Ukrainian drones and the Russian Navy. If Ukraine can maintain its technological edge and continue disrupting Russian control, it could significantly alter the course of the war. However, the conflict is far from over, and both sides are likely to refine their strategies in the coming months.

Looking Forward: A New Era of Naval Warfare?

The Black Sea conflict offers a glimpse into the future of naval warfare. Drone technology is rapidly evolving, and its success in Ukraine suggests a potential shift away from traditional battleships towards smaller, more agile unmanned vessels. This raises questions about the future role of large navies and the need for international regulations governing the development and use of armed drones at sea.

The war in Ukraine has undoubtedly been a tragedy, but it has also accelerated advancements in military technology. The story of the Black Sea drones serves as a reminder of the potential for innovation to reshape the way wars are fought, with significant implications for global security.

[fvaleraye]

limbus company is a wild game. you play as a nonbinary amnesiac who got their head cut off and responded by replacing it with a flaming wall clock, whose second job is to (ineffectually, at first) be the manager of a group of people on a bus and whose first job is to revive and heal them anytime anything happens, which is all the time. your party is comprised of a dour scientist who has a habit of speaking in poetry, a mysterious white haired genius implied to be in a constant mental discord call with different versions of herself across multiple universes, an autistic woman who named her shoes after a fictional horse and turns into an ancient and powerful vampire if they're ever taken off, a swordswoman who speaks a third of her mind in acronyms and loves to murder people "artistically", an autistic frenchman built like a fridge who refuses to be a person unless ordered to, a long haired rich pretty boy who accidentally pisses people off with his sheltered behavior half the time and pretends to be dumber than he is to purposefully annoy people the other half, a british thug whose entire plot could have been solved by just spitting it out and also turned into a wolf monster for a bit, a ginger who got bored of her office job and decided to get on a boat and hunt whales about it, a russian gambler whose mental health and self image are rapidly deteriorating while she is also getting progressively worse at hiding it, a young man who is really in over his head while also being very good at killing people who also is weirdly good at translating the earlier mentioned swordswoman's acronyms, a kiss-ass former military woman who would probably kill everyone else in the party if she thought she could get away with it, and a german former-soldier who got a mutant bug arm and intense ptsd and depression. there's also the all powerful guide who tells you where to go who is legally not allowed to be too helpful and is also perpetually sick of your shit, and the strange girl who drives the bus you all ride in without a license or a lick of training. also the bus looks like a train. add onto the fact that most of the characters and their backstories are references to classic literature, and you have what is possibly the world's MOST dysfunctional dnd party.

we love this fucking game.

[dontforgetukraine]

"My grandfather had sheep, oxen, and a cow. People in masks came, knocked down the wall, and took everything: furniture, clothes, oil, flour, cattle. When they wanted to take the cow, the grandmother refused, and they struck her. The grandfather grabbed a pitchfork and did not allow them to take it. But he was threatened that they would take it anyway. The cow lived with us in the house. One day, while we were sleeping, I heard a cow being taken out so I called my father. When we went into the yard, we saw a butchered cow with hooves wrapped so that it wouldn't make noise while being taken out. My father gave the meat to hungry people. In 1932, we planted a lot of potatoes, and they grew well. We put the harvested potatoes in a hole and covered them with a layer of straw. In the morning, we got up, but there was no straw or potatoes, and just the ones that were in the house remained. When the potatoes were boiled, our neighbour came and asked to give her potato shells for her children. My grandfather was a fisherman. He would catch fish and give it to people. Once, they wanted to take the fish from him, but the people stood up to protect him, saying the words: "Come to the boat, we will strangle you with our bare hands." I remember my mother and I going to visit my godmother. We arrived there, came into the house, and saw her sitting at the table, swollen and dead."

These memories from the National Book of Memory of the Kherson region belong to Mariia Pidvorok (née Kudas), born in 1921. She survived the Holodomor in the village of Kozachi Laheri of the Oleshky community. Today, the village located near the long-suffering Krynky is under occupation. It suffered significant destruction: a three-story school designed for a thousand students, a kindergarten, a dispensary, a pharmacy, a church, residential and social infrastructure were damaged. In June 2023, as a result of Russians undermining the Kakhovka HPP, Kozachi Laheri was partially flooded. "Another prosperous village in the Kherson region is disappearing. Before the war, it had a population of about 3,722 people. Today, it is a wasteland where the Russian military wanders and robs the property of local residents," states the Telegram channel "Ukrainian South".

Source: Holodomor Museum Photo: The first threshing with a grain of the state farm "Kahovka" of the Kherson district, 1930, TsDAEA

[volatile95]

Fulfilled promises

You can use @marshalllir idea if you specify her authorship. Thank you.

Caz, who wasn't loved by the boss, never went down to the sea, worked as a electrician, was also in love with an old family friend and godfather of his daughters, Roy.

Dismissal is like a storm for Caz without warning. And he never had time to admit his sympathy for Roy. Somehow, there was no suitable occasion— The police, letters from his wife, ex-wife, or problems with custody of children constantly interfered.

But everything goes awry even more, as if one twist of fate wasn't enough.

Caz survives thanks to their miracle swimmers, Brodie and Douglas.

All around, human screams, the roar of the station, the noise of wind and waves - everything forms a painful mess of sounds. Caz is scared like it has never been before.

Having reached Roy, Caz finally feels calm and safe in the barricaded kitchen combined with a pantry.

During a trip to the boats, Caz finds insulin in a medical kit. Therefore, he returns soaked to the skin, with new abrasions and with new gray hair on his temples after meeting with former colleagues, but happy as a thousand devils.

Caz is almost falling off his feet from fatigue at the tiny stove, gobbling up the stocks of ready-made food of his favorite cook for both cheeks, starving on nerves. Roy laughs at him warmly, like in the good old days, before all the shit, hugs him from behind, at least trying to keep the warmth between them.

That should be enough for a while.

So Caz promises to return for Roy and climbs out of a safe place to clear the way since "the shape" is afraid of fire.

When Caz returns, he takes Roy to the roof, where it is safest, leaves him a bunch of insulin, and gathers for a final push.

Roy asks Caz to promise to come back for him, to survive, because Suze is waiting for them. Caz cuts off this argument. No one has been waiting for him at home for a long time. At the moment, Caz confesses his feelings and asks Roy to promise to survive.

There are four of them left, Caz almost dies again, but he seems to be kept alive by a promise made to Roy.

Caz takes Roy off the roof, thinking for a moment in the uneven light that he is dead, but he only fell asleep, floating in hallucinations. Roy is as fine as possible.

At the same time, Finlay is going crazy with grief, and Brodie is dying right over the phone line. Finlay is pinned down by the wreckage of the bridge, and Caz takes the lighter from her cold hands.

The only one Caz has left is Roy. Caz has a kaleidoscope of questions in his head about what they should do next, to which there are no answers. This state of loneliness among the decisions made, guilt, and responsibility is interrupted by Roy's desperate, bitter kiss.

We ask for maximum hurt/comfort for the two of them, in contrast to the canonical cruelty.

In Russian, the idea can be found on the ficbook

We approve of any ending. You can make a tragic ending where Roy and Caz sacrifice themselves by burning this place to the ground. You can leave the ending open by stopping the narrative at any point. You can make a happy ending, where either the military and help arrive for them, or make a timeskip when everything is already fine with them, only ptsd and nightmares haunt them, but they cope with this together, supporting each other.

[petermorwood]

Wrong Submarine!

Divers have just recovered the propeller of a U-boat which sank in 1917 after scoring an own-goal when one of the mines it was laying blew up prematurely.

As anyone who's read this blog for a while will know, I'm interested in Military Stuff. So I went looking for more info, found in various places including a Wikipedia page.

However, while looking, I encountered something which made me roll my eyes a bit. It's a website called Veteran Life, and this page is about US submarines.

There's just one itsy-bitsy teeny-weeny tiny little problem.

The sub in that picture is an Akula-class nuclear attack sub.

Which is Russian.

Oops.

:-P

[merrymorningofmay]

bohdan logvynenko (ukrainian journalist and writer who's been running crowdfunding campaigns and organizing volunteer expeditions to kherson oblast to deliver aid/help refugees leave the affected region) interviewed several ukrainians who managed to leave the occupied towns Oleshky and Hola Prystan after the dam explosion and wrote a twitter thread summarizing their experiences (the full interview will be released later) (translation by me):

20-day lockdown, no one is allowed to leave or enter the towns. the volunteers who procured aid around the oblast have been trying to get into Oleshky and Hola Prystan to no avail.

checkpoints wherever there is dry land (10-20% of the town). the soldiers search and simply rob people, tearing their ukrainian documents apart, breaking into the houses that have not been robbed yet, telling the locals that they (the military) will be rescued, but "you're all gonna die here."

leaving the town is not allowed without a russian passport. most people don't have one.

people are trying to help one another, rescue the animals, stock up whatever food and medicine is left in the town. after the dam explosion, russian troops had been combing through Oleshky and seizing metal and plastic motor boats from people.

on the first day, many people were rescued in their underwear and had no clothes whatsoever.

the russians had been misinforming the locals, saying that the water would stop rising in a few hours and there was no need to evacuate; this resulted in many people drowning.

Hola Prystan was flooded on the second day (not the first one), when people were already sure that the water had stopped rising.

there have been instances of people being shot dead while trying to evacuate. russian troops patrol the town on boats, ignoring the people and animals who are drowning or sitting on the rooftops.

corpses of locals and russian soldiers, animal carcasses, bits of machinery are floating around the houses. the russians have set up ambushes, promising that a thousand more soldiers are about to arrive in the town to help with filtration

the russians did not inform the locals about the dam explosion in any way. the people got the news via ukrainian tv.

[starlightshadowsworld]

I don’t buy into the Fyodor is Atsushi’s father but it would make this one random line from the manga make sense.

In chapter 13 Atsushi brings Kyouka to the Agency after the cargo boat fight. When Detective Minoura comes to visit and notices Kyouka looks similar to the assassin they’re looking for.

He starts questioning her and Atsushi panics and says “it’s all a long story. It all began when I was doing a government mission and doing a Cossack dance in a wheat field to search for the elusive Tsuchinoko snake.”

Which first of all, someone needs to teach Atsushi how to lie better. He can act like a star but man he can’t lie for shit.

This line is played as a joke and Fukuzawa steps in to claim Kyouka as his granddaughter. Which no one questions because of how similar they act and because Fukuzawa is scary as hell without trying.

But this line has always stood out to me as too weirdly specific to just be a throw away bit. Looking it up the Cossack dance also known as the Hopak dance is a Russian and Ukrainian folk dance.

And that’s just a very random thing for Atsushi to know about. Sure he could’ve read about it but it’s not something I’d expect a teenager who grew up mostly in solitary in a poor orphanage in the middle of nowhere in Japan.

Not saying it’s impossible but it’s a weirdly specific detail to add in.

Especially because the snake he mentions, the Tsuchinoko snake is from Japan. Well it’s from Japanese folklore and I could give Atsushi a hard time for not picking an actual snake.

But a really specific dance.

But he’s a weretiger so who fucking knows if this snake exists in this world. Also its name translates literally to “child of hammer.” Which is pretty fucking dark considering what the Headmaster did to him with a hammer when he was 11 years old.

But if Atsushi was related to Fyodor, a Russian man who honestly was probably around when the dance was created (sometime in the 1660’s among military communities.)

It could be used as an explanation as to why he knows this. That or Atsushi was just a very cultured child (or my headcanon that many of the staff are originally from other countries who fought in the Great War and then settled here after it ended.)

Or it’s just a silly throwaway line that means nothing that’s also an option but where’s the fun in that?

Also love Junichiro and Kunikida silently judging Atsushi the whole time for his weird ass lie.

[blueiscoool]

Ukraine Destroys Russia’s Brand-New $65 Million Warship Sergei Kotov

Ukraine has destroyed the newest patrol ship of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, the $65 million Sergei Kotov, and left pro-Kremlin war reporters sulking.

“As a result of a strike by Magura V5 maritime drones, the Russian Project 22160 ship Sergei Kotov received damage to the stern, starboard and left sides,” Ukrainian military intelligence said in a statement.

“The fewer such ships, the fewer anti-aircraft missile systems will be deployed on them, meaning more opportunities for Ukrainian security and defense forces,” spokesman Andriy Yusov told local media, adding that more than 10 ambulances were spotted rushing to help the evacuated crew members. At least seven crew members were killed, Ukrainian authorities said.

Audio of what Ukraine described as an intercepted radio communication also appeared to capture a Russian commander reporting on the “tragic event” and destruction of the ship, lamenting that a helicopter had also been obliterated in the nighttime attack near the Kerch Strait.

The 308-foot, 1,700-ton ship entered the Black Sea Fleet in July 2022.

Russia’s Defense Ministry has yet to comment on the incident, though pro-Kremlin military bloggers begrudgingly admitted that Ukraine had pulled off the attack.

“If it continues like this, the Black Sea Fleet will have only catamarans and rubber banana boats for vacationers. It’s fucked,” wrote one popular pro-war Telegram channel.

The Sergei Kotov had been targeted in three previous attacks by Ukrainian forces before finally being taken out this time around. Noting that Russia had plenty of defenses in place to protect the ship, pro-war propagandist Alexander Kots said that “unfortunately, the enemy is also evolving.”

“The crew fought heroically until the end. … But this time it is a story without a happy ending,” he wrote on social media.

“The ship ‘Sergei Kotov’ sunk,” wrote former Vladimir Putin adviser Sergei Markov, calling it part of a “new type of war” in which “what matters most are the multitude of drones, space reconnaissance, and electronic warfare.”

“This is where we need to overtake the West,” he said.

By Allison Quinn.

[mi-i-zori]

Writing Resources - Masterlist

This masterlist will host the links to the posts and threads I've saved as writing resources. None of them are mine - all the credits go to the amazing people who made them.

Characters

Author, Narrator, Protagonist, Hero... Who is What ?

Creating Black Characters With Intent

Describe Your Main Character Sheet

Emotionally Reserved Characters

Flaws to Give to Your Characters

How to Introduce Your Character In 3 Steps

How to Show Emotions (They have a whole series for this, please go check it out !)

How to Write a Character Who's in Pain

How to Write Trauma With Humanity

Open Letter from a Poc for People Who Are Writing Characters of Colour

Questions for Crafting Problematic Characters

Tips : Nail Your Character's Mannerisms and Speech Pattern Down

Top-Tier Villain Motivations

What Will Your Character Do If...

Fantasy

Fantasy Guide to Education

Make and Interesting Wedding Dress in Your Fantasy Setting

Reasons Why Can't Your Characters Use Magic To Fix Everything

Some Locations and Structures to Include in Your Forest

What No One Tells You About Writing Fantasy

Good to Know

A quick Guide to Animal Symbolism

An Introduction to Small World Theory

Differences Between UK and USA Military Dog Tags

How Boat Pronouns Work

Medical Facts that are Commonly Overlooked

Medieval Dyes

Playing Music With a Bow! (The Archery Kind)

Realistic Travel Time

Roles on a Pirate Ship

Slater's Impromptu List of Military Reference Material

Sick/Poisoning Fics

Stop Doing This in Injury Fics !

Symbolism in Writing

The Anatomy of Passing Out : When, Why and How to Write It

The Anatomy of Punching a Character in the Face

The Symbolism of Flowers

Ultimate List of Weapons and Arsenal for Fantasy Setting: Purpose and Who Uses Them

What's the Deal With Archers and Animal Companions ?

Horror

Creepy Things to Add to Settings

Horror and Comedy : 90/10 rule

How to Write Creepy Stories

How To Scare Your Readers

Most Common Character Flaws in Horror Fiction

"Never Were" and "Used to Be" Monsters

People Get Eldritch Madness Wrong

Romance

When the Romantic Tension is High

Tips

If You're Starving in a Post-Apocalyptic Fic

How to Make Your Writing Less Stiff

Pep-Talk - You Are Allowed to Be Proud of What You Write + List of YT Channels and Amazon Links for Writing

Resources About Survival in the Wild

Skip Google for Research

Some Writing Advice

The Neurodivergent Writer’s Guide to Fun and Productivity

Write Smarter, Not Harder

Writing Tip : Research

Vocabulary

Aesthetic Words to Fill Up Your Vocabulary

Bilingual Characters - German Edition

CoD - Spanish for Ale and Rudy Fics

Colours in Descriptions

IRL Operator Phrases/Terms - USA Edition

Gemstone Colors

German Pet Names

List of Wikipedia Articles - British and American Words and Differences

Scottish Phrases and Words for Soap MacTavish (or Scottish Characters in general)

Soft-Feeling Latin Words and Phrases

On Using Words that Indicate Sounds and Tones for Dialogues

Words to Use Instead of "Running"

Words to Use Instead of "Sighed" and "Frowned"

Writing Russian-Speaking Characters

Voices

A Guide to Write a Mancunian Accent

Growled, Roared, Snarled, Etc... A Brief Description

Writing Character Accents in Fiction

Worldbuilding

A Website That Walks You Through Creating a Believable Society

List of unique and imaginative types of government that can add depth to your fantasy world

Random Linguistic Worldbuilding

Other

Backup Your Tumblr Blog

Disable Recall for Microsoft's Copilot+ PCs

How to Find a Post on Tumblr

Protect Your Stories on AO3

Show Me a 10ft Paywall, I'll Show You a 12ft Ladder

Mii's Blog Recommendations

@deception-united - I love the resources this person shares ! They have a masterpost that lists their useful posts, but they also complete some of these posts as answers to asks and reblog a lot of other resources.

@leisureflame - This blog has a lot of resources, advice and prompts ! The author also offers to help with other people's struggles too, which is immensely wholesome in itself.

@writers-potion - This blog has tons of amazing posts to help writers with their research. I keep coming back to it, and highly recommend checking it out ! Here are this person's extremely useful Masterpost (1) and Masterpost (2).

[mariacallous]

Ukraine’s daring attack on a major Russian warship in occupied Crimea in the small hours of Dec. 26 was one more episode in Kyiv’s strategy to deny Russia control over the Black Sea. With most of its ships driven out of its home port in Sevastopol, the Russian Black Sea Fleet can no longer find safe haven anywhere along the Crimean Peninsula. All ports there are now vulnerable to attack.

The Institute for the Study of War tells the story with data, showing that Sevastopol saw a steady decline in the number of Russian naval vessels in port between June and December 2023; by contrast, Novorossiysk on the Russian mainland farther east showed a steady gain. While Russia has been going all-out to attack Ukraine’s infrastructure, its risky move to deploy ships and submarines armed with Kalibr missiles in the Black Sea is exposing them to potential Ukrainian attack. It is a tacit acknowledgment that Russia can no longer depend on Crimean ports and launch sites.

Ukraine’s success has been due to domestically produced missiles and drones, sometimes launched using Zodiac boats or jet skis. But its most potent attacks have come from the air, where Ukraine has used its Soviet-era fighter aircraft to launch both domestically produced and NATO-supplied missiles. These attacks have taken place with the protection of Ukraine’s advanced air defenses—including newly supplied foreign ones—which are regularly shooting down the majority of Russian missiles and drones destined for Ukrainian targets.

Ukraine thus has made significant strides denying Russia control of both the sea and airspace over and around its territory, thereby preventing the Russian Navy and Air Force from operating with impunity. But is that enough for Kyiv to win? To many Western observers, victory doesn’t seem possible in the face of wave after wave of Russian troops grinding down Ukrainian defenders. Ukraine’s strategy to deny Russia free use of its sea and airspace may be working, but as things stand, it cannot defeat the Russian army on the ground, nor can it defend against every missile striking civilian targets.

Indeed, the current conventional wisdom in large parts of the West is that Ukraine is losing the ground war, leaving no pathway to victory for the country as Russia pounds Ukrainian civilians into submission. Kyiv might as well call for a cease-fire and sue for peace.

The trouble with this scenario is that it spells defeat not only for Ukraine, but also for the United States and its allies in Europe and Asia. It would embolden both Russia and China to pursue their political, economic, and security objectives undeterred—including the seizure of new territory in Eastern Europe and Taiwan.

But is the conventional wisdom right—or does Ukraine’s clever success at sea and in the air suggest that a different outcome is possible? Perhaps the Russian army can be defeated by making use of Ukraine’s willingness to fight in new ways. If you asked a U.S. military professional, the key to dislodging the Russians is to subject them to relentless and accurate air attacks that are well synchronized with the maneuver of combined arms forces on the ground. While the Ukrainians are admirably using the weapons at hand to strike Russian forces both strategically, as in Crimea, and operationally, as in hitting command and logistics targets, success at the tactical level has remained elusive. To achieve a tactical breakthrough on the ground front that leads to operational and strategic success, they will need to be more effective from the air.

For power from the air to be decisive in 2024, the Ukrainian Armed Forces must create temporary windows of localized air superiority in which to mass firepower and maneuver forces. Given the Ukrainians’ success in denying their airspace to Russia at points of their choosing, such windows are possible using the assets they already have at hand. More and better weapons tailored to this scenario would make them more successful across the entire front with Russia.

Gen. Valery Zaluzhny, the commander of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, acknowledges that to break out of the current positional stalemate—which favors Russia—and return to maneuver warfare, where Ukraine has an advantage, Ukrainian forces need air superiority, the ability to breach mine obstacles, better counter-battery capability, and more assets for electronic warfare. Specifically, he argues for three key components. First, armed UAVs that use real-time reconnaissance to coordinate attacks with artillery (which could include properly armed Turkish-built TB2s, MQ-1C Gray Eagles, MQ-9 Reapers, or bespoke cheap and light UAVs capable of employing the necessary weapons). Second, armed UAVs to suppress enemy air defenses, as well as medium-range surface-to-air missile simulators to deter Russian pilots. And third, unmanned vehicles to breach and clear mines.

Although the technologies are new, this combination of capabilities recalls the method U.S. and allied NATO forces practiced during the Cold War in West Germany to confront numerically superior Warsaw Pact ground forces protected by layered air defenses. The Joint Air Attack Team (JAAT) was developed to synchronize attack helicopters, artillery, and close air support by fighter planes to ensure a constant barrage of the enemy in case of a ground force attack. Pooling NATO assets in this way was designed to give the alliance’s forces the mass, maneuverability, and flexibility needed to overcome superior numbers, avoid a war of attrition, and escape the type of bloody slugfest that characterizes the current stalemate in Ukraine.

In Ukraine’s case, a modernized JAAT would encompass, among many things, armed UAVs carrying Maverick and Hellfire missiles, loitering munitions, precision-guided artillery shells, and extended-range standoff missiles fired by aircraft. These systems would be coordinated in an electromagnetic environment shaped by Ukrainian operators to dominate the local airspace, saturate the battlefield with munitions, and clear mines to open the way for a ground assault. This updated JAAT—let’s call it electronic, or eJAAT—would create a bubble of localized air superiority that would advance as the combined arms force advances under the bubble’s protection.

Given Russia’s willingness to endure significant casualty rates, the eJAAT could be even more effective on defense: Massing firepower against advancing troops through an eJAAT might result in a stunning rout of the attackers, opening opportunities for Ukraine to strategically exploit the sudden change of fortunes.

Zaluzhny has made it publicly clear that “the decisive factor will be not a single new invention, but will come from combining all the technical solutions that already exist.” Like all good commanders, Zaluzhny is painfully aware that the 2023 campaign didn’t work as well as he had intended. Even so, and to their advantage, the Ukrainians have clearly demonstrated their innovative talents, willingness to exploit Western methods, and total commitment to victory. U.S. and European assistance to work with them on how to better manage operational complexity and combine technology, information, and tactics in more dynamic ways, coupled with security assistance tailored to the eJAAT approach, would return movement to the now-static battlefield and give Ukraine a fighting chance.

If Ukraine can achieve the momentum in the ground war that evaded it during its failed summer offensive, Kyiv will have a real pathway to victory. That pathway will run through Ukraine’s demonstrated prowess at sea and in the air, joined to an embrace of a sophisticated combination of techniques on the ground. It will be a pathway to victory not only for Ukraine, but also for the United States and its allies.

[emage-search]

i have soooo many questions about this panel. primarily, do we think fujimoto just looked up the nyc skyline from the lookout point on liberty island without specifically searching a pre-9/11 photo or did he intentionally include the one world trade center rather than the twin towers?

[ID: a panel from chainsaw man tightly cropped to avoid more spoilers that shows the base of the statue of liberty in front of an NYC skyline that includes the one world trade center. the hand holding the torch is visible falling from the top left corner. /end ID]

here’s the way southern manhattan looked in the mid ‘90s, just before chainsaw man is set:

[ID: a photo of the NYC skyline from 1994 with the twin towers prominently visible at the left third of the image. /end ID]

and here’s a photo from the liberty island lookout point from a year ago according to google maps:

[ID: a more current photo of the NYC skyline with the one world trade center just off-center to the left. many of the same buildings from the previous image are recognizable, plus a few more skyscrapers that have been built in the last 30 years. /end ID]

the owtc wasn’t completed until like 15 years after the story is set. as a USian i don’t always correctly gauge which of our common reference points enter the international consciousness, so i try to think twice before i expect someone outside the US to think of that when looking up a drawing reference. however, the way 9/11 affected not just the national consciousness but also how the US operates internationally, seems like something fujimoto would have in mind, especially considering US cultural and military hegemony is highly relevant to this part of the storyline.

so, assuming it was intentional, what does that imply about csm’s version of history? were the twin towers destroyed in a devil attack, or did a similar group of human extremists just carry it out earlier because of other differences in the timeline? or was a devil working with/contracted to human extremists? or is it that the 1993 attack (that failed in real life) succeeded in this timeline? and whatever it was, did it have the same kind of effect on US militarism and nationalism? do people even remember it accurately, or was the memory erased like with AIDS and the world wars and such? are there similar clues about events in japanese or russian history i haven’t picked up on because my knowledge is so US-centric?

a couple other details:

i imagine this one is more of a stylistic choice, but there is a much denser concentration of skyscrapers that come closer to the height of the owtc. in the photo from the 90s, you can see the tallest of other tall buildings only come to half the height of the towers. even in the 2023 pic, none of the buildings come close to reaching the antenna of the owtc, and they’re spread much further. if it’s more than a stylistic choice, which, idrk, it could imply that constant devil attacks causing citywide destruction means a more constant need for reconstruction, replacing 5-story walk-ups with taller buildings sooner, and more of them.

the statue of liberty is facing the wrong direction. she should be facing out towards the bay, as she symbolically welcomed the late 19th/early 20th century waves of immigrants arriving by boat. instead, she faces the mainland. now this could be another insignificant detail that would only occur to someone more familiar with the landscape, or maybe the she had to turn around in order to aim her weapon toward japan, but i do think looking at it like an intentional choice makes for a deeper symbolism

[jenniferlinda76]

The Black Sea Becomes a Drone Battleground: Ukraine's Naval Innovation Against Russia

The Black Sea, a vital waterway for trade and military power projection, has become a new frontier in the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia. While traditional naval forces still clash, a surprising innovation has emerged: Ukrainian-made unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), specifically designed for maritime operations, are taking aim at Russian vessels and infrastructure.expand_more This technological twist has reshaped the conflict, impacting everything from military strategy to the critical grain exports from Ukrainian ports.exclamation

The Rise of the Ukrainian Naval Drone

Prior to the war, Ukrainian-made naval drones to target Russian vessels possessed a limited naval capability compared to Russia's Black Sea Fleet.expand_more However, necessity has spurred innovation. Ukrainian engineers swiftly adapted commercially available drones for maritime use, creating what are now known as Uncrewed Surface Vehicles (USVs) or simply naval drones.expand_more These are typically smaller, faster, and more maneuverable than traditional warships, making them difficult targets. Their compact size also allows them to operate closer to shore, exploiting blind spots in Russian radar.

The exact capabilities of these drones remain somewhat shrouded in secrecy for operational reasons. However, reports suggest they come in various configurations, some carrying surveillance equipment for reconnaissance missions, while others are equipped with explosive payloads for offensive actions. One reported design, the "Sea Strike" drone, utilizes a modified jet ski hull for propulsion and can carry a substantial warhead. Another, the "UJ-23 Topaz," is a larger drone capable of longer-range missions and potentially carrying heavier weapons.

Shifting Tides: Drone Attacks on Russian Forces

The first major reported use of Ukrainian naval drones came in October 2022, targeting Russian ships near the Crimean Peninsula.expand_more Since then, these UAVs have become a constant threat to Russian military boats naval operations.expand_more Ukrainian officials have claimed success in sinking or damaging several Russian vessels, including landing ships, patrol boats, and even a minesweeper. While some of these claims remain unverified, video footage has emerged showing Ukrainian drones striking Russian targets, showcasing their effectiveness.exclamation

The impact of these drone attacks extends beyond the physical destruction of ships. Russia's Black Sea Fleet has been forced to adapt its tactics, increasing patrols and deploying electronic countermeasures to disrupt drone control signals.expand_more This heightened state of alert restricts their ability to freely operate in the Black Sea, hindering vital logistical and military operations.exclamation Furthermore, the psychological impact on Russian sailors cannot be understated. The constant threat of unseen aerial attack adds a new layer of danger to their operations.

Drone Warfare and the Future of the Black Sea

The development and deployment of Ukrainian naval drones represent a significant shift in the Black Sea conflict.expand_more It highlights Ukraine's ability to adapt and innovate in the face of a superior foe. Moreover, it showcases the potential of relatively low-cost, readily available drone technology to disrupt traditional naval power structures. This could have implications for future conflicts around the globe, as other nations consider the potential of similar drone programs.

However, the drone war in the Black Sea is far from over. Russia will undoubtedly continue its efforts to counter these UAVs, potentially developing drone defenses or even deploying its own offensive drones. The effectiveness of Ukrainian drones will also depend on their ability to maintain technological advantage and secure a steady supply of replacement units.

The Grain Lifeline and the Impact on Ukrainian Ports

The war in the Black Sea has had a devastating impact on Ukrainian ports, initially grinding grain exports to a halt.expand_more These exports are crucial for global food security, with Ukraine being a major supplier of wheat and corn.expand_more The disruption to these exports has contributed to rising food prices worldwide. While the recent resumption of grain exports through a UN-brokered deal offers a glimmer of hope, the situation remains precarious.exclamation

Ukrainian ports haven't been directly targeted by Ukrainian drones.exclamation However, the overall insecurity in the Black Sea due to the ongoing conflict continues to disrupt shipping operations. Minesweeping efforts are ongoing, and the threat of further drone attacks looms large. A full return to pre-war export levels is unlikely until a lasting peace agreement is reached.

Conclusion: A Technological Frontier in a Complex Conflict

The use of Ukrainian-made naval drones in the Black Sea marks a turning point in the ongoing war. These innovative UAVs have challenged Russia's dominance in the region and forced them to adapt their tactics. The conflict highlights the growing importance of drone technology in modern warfare, with potential implications for future conflicts.expand_more However, the situation remains fluid, with the future of the Black Sea and its vital shipping lanes hanging in the balance. The resolution of the war and the fate of Ukrainian grain exports will depend on the continued effectiveness of Ukrainian drone technology, Russia's response, and the ability to find a lasting peace.

[garland-on-thy-brow]

Remember Oleg, a member of LGBT Military Ukraine, who has been saving animals near Bakhmut? He recorded a video, asking to donate to the volunteer organisation Zgraia, which is aiding people and animals affected by the flood in the Kherson region.

Below is the information from LGBT Military Ukraine:

"Dear friends and partners, the NGO "LGBTIQ+ Military" calls on you to support the volunteers of the organization Zgraia, who are now actively helping people and animals in the Kherson region who suffered as a result of the russian army's explosion of the Kakhovka dam.

Each donation will be used to provide direct assistance with clothes, food, inflatable boats and all other necessary assistance. Despite the shelling, volunteers are working and delivering humanitarian aid to the Kherson region.

Only together we can overcome all the dark times for Ukraine.

All donation info is at the link: linktr.ee/zgraya.ua"

Zgraia has Facebook and Instagram, you can find more information about their work there.

[avrmee]

Hiiii guys here is some more info about my blog and me. Mostly the blog

MEEEEEE

I am 20

I study actuarial Science

I grew up in South Africa

My mom is German/Austrian and my dad is South African/Russian (I'm whiter than white. That's what my friends say because I'm pale and I am mostly European)

My favourite colours are green, brown and Black (don't even start with the black is a shade... NO)

I am bisexual

I have 2 cats named Fiona and Shrek because Shrek is my favourite movie and why not

I have a total of 15 tattoos but like 10 of them are small and 5 of them are pretty big so yeah

I only have 3 piercings (ears and nose)

My dad used to be in the military but sadly passed away during a mission or whatever you call it 3 months ago.

I was a MASSIVE daddy's girl

My birthday is 19 February

I have a motorcycle and she's my baby

If you want to know more about me then you can ask I don't mind ♡

BLOGGGGG

What I'll write...

Pretty much anything except very graphic rape scenes, murder ect.

I do write smut but I'm not THE BEST but I am working on it

I will write any form of self harm, sexual assault, drug abuse ect but like I said not too graphic and there will be a trigger warning

FLUFFFF

angst. But I will need my trusted sad ass playlist so yeah

I will do daddy and mommy kink but you know I don't really float in that boat but yeah I called my dad daddy & dadda as a kid until now

You HAVE to give me scenarios to write from. It could be videos or photo or prompts but please don't give me just "can you write something for ______ x reader" please no I'm not that creative

Who I'll write for...

Keep in mind that I will add to this and if you want me to write for someone that isn't on this list then you can still request something about them💗

Youtubers/streamers;;;

Blarg

Smii7y

Grizzy

Pezzy

Puffer

Soup

Thedooo

Mcnasty

Swaggersouls

Actors;;;

Norman Reedus (MY MANNNNN 🧎‍♀️😫)

Christian Serratos

Arists;;;

BILLIE EILISH (my wife, the women that made me realize I like womannnn)

James Hetfield (my new hyperfixation!!!)

Game characters;;;

Simon "ghost" riley

Soap McTavish

John price

I WILL ADD TO THE LIST LATER ONN BUT FOR NOW THIS IS ITT

If the character or person you want is not on here still feel free to request something about them 💗

I won't do the request in one day so please be patient because what I study is genuinely a pain in my ass but I will try and post as soon as possible lovies 💗💗

[thebibliophilevigilante]

Under the Red Hood

Name: Jason Todd

Alias: Robin, Red Hood, Batman, Arkham Knight

Hair Color: Onyx with a tuft of white streaked through his bangs

Eye Color: Teal

Powers and abilities :

Peak Physical Condition: By matching his former mentor in combat he has proven that he is physically superior to most Olympic athletes, just as Batman is. His strength, reflexes, stamina, and endurance are roughly comparable to that of Dick Grayson, though his litheness is not.

Master Martial Artist: Jason is a highly skilled combatant trained by Batman. Although he was always more of a brawler as Robin, following his resurrection, he gained more training and demonstrated himself to be far more skilled than before. This is shown when he fought his former mentor and Nightwing to a standstill, when Jason held his own against the Green Arrow in a sword fight, and when he overpowered Tim Drake at Titans Tower.

Skilled Acrobat: In his training as Robin, he had been taught acrobatics and gymnastics routines.

Skilled Swordsman: Jason has been shown to be skilled enough to hold his own against the Green Arrow in a sword fight until he ultimately lost.

Skilled detective: Jason has shown some skill as a detective most notably in Outsiders#44 and #45.

Multi-Lingual: Taught by Batman, Jason is fluent in several languages having spoken English, French, German, Italian and various others with Russian being his weakest.

Polymath: After be adopted by Bruce, Jason received excellent education and tutoring from both private tutors and Bruce thus, has deep knowledge in many subjects, including Science, Math, Medicine, Geography, Criminology, World History and English. If you ask him his favorite, it would definitely be English/Literature.

Intermediate Bomb assembly and Diffusal: Taught by a world renowned bomb expert in Russia, Jason is able to assemble and defuse a wide variety of conventical explosive devices, from improvised to military grade designs. It is yet to be determined whether or not he can diffuse Nuclear devices, in contrast to Batman and Damian’s demonstrated ability.

Vehicular Driver: Jason has driven a variety of vehicles from cars and boats, to being trained in the Middle East by an ace pilot to fly helicopters. His main vehicle of choice is a motorbike.

Strength Level: peak for a 6-foot, 225-pound young man with rigorous physical exercise.

Equipment: His Red Hood costume consists of charcoal-colored cargo pants, a charcoal-colored Kevlar chest plate, a cognac leather jacket, and of course, his iconic red helmet that modulates his voice. His weapon of choice would be his Beretta, but he has other tools in his arsenal as well. Batman was always known for being a walking armory, and Jason learned from the best.

Weaknesses: None…not like he’d disclose, anyway.

((Information gathered from Batman Wikia))

Main Background: Jason Peter Todd was born on August 16, 1986 to Catherine and Willis Todd. Willis was an alcoholic, abusive husband and father and eventually went to jail because of it along with the fact he used/dealt drugs and was a hired hand for Two-Face. Catherine was a drug user herself, and was eventually given an overdose (theory is by the Joker to get Jay out of his house or something along those lines). Jason thought her dead and lived on the streets of Gotham, until one dark night. He was stealing the tires off the infamous Batmobile when Batman caught him and took him under his wing. Jason eventually became known as the second Robin and remained such until he was 17. He found out Catherine was still alive somewhere in the Middle East, and he set out to find her. It turned out to be a cruel trap his mother was in on with Joker. Jason was beaten with a crowbar to within an inch of his life and then trapped with his mother, until the place exploded. He died of asphyxiation due to smoke inhalation that day, April 27, 2003.

Grief-stricken and heartbroken, Bruce had him buried at the cemetery on Wayne Manor. The only problem was, Jason wasn’t really dead. He had to claw his way out of his own grave, bleeding, wet and dirty. He ran away until he came across this bakery, breaking in to grab himself a loaf of bread due to the overwhelming starvation. That’s when Talia al Ghul, master assassin daughter of Ra’s al Ghul, found him and took him to the Lazarus Pit where her own father bathed to remain youthful. Jason was completely healed…physically. The Pit was a gift and a curse, giving him new life but warping his mind. He trained under the al Ghuls and the All Caste for several years, learning the ways of the master assassins before returning to Gotham and taking up the mantle of Red Hood.

[msweebyness]

Akuma and Theater Class Father’s Day Plans

Here’s what the akuma and theater kids did with their dads on this fine holiday! Enjoy! @artzychic27 @imsparky2002

Marinette sewed Tom a fancy new apron since he outgrew his old one, and made him his favorite macarons

Adrien got Gabriel a nice card and new tie, and then had to do a photo shoot

Alya, Nora and the twins made dinner for Otis and they spent the evening watching wildlife documentaries

Nino and Chris took Antoine to his favorite karaoke bar, they got dinner and the three did a few songs together

Chloe took Andre out for a fancy lunch and bought him an expensive new watch

Rose and Jasper had an all-day Disney movie marathon, eating more ice cream than should be humanly possible

Juleka and Luka had a jam session with Jagged and then they crashed at his place and watched old horror movies

Max spent the day helping Darius with programming and made him a special digital card with a slideshow of pictures of the two of them

Kim and his sisters took Lanh to a futbol game, and went to see a double feature at the movie theater with Etienne

Alix and Jalil took Alim to see an exhibition of some newly discovered Egyptian artifacts and took him to get Arabic for dinner at one of his favorite restaurants

Mylene spent the whole week with Fred, seeing his favorite plays and just spending time together (Jesse came with them a few times, since Fred is like a dad to him)

Ivan wrote a poem for Iosif in Russian and helped Sasha make him a card, and they took him out for dinner

Sabrina and Roger went for a father-daughter mini road trip to one of their favorite hiking spots

Missy and Axel went on a bike ride around Paris and got burgers with a crap ton of fries

Ayesha taught a parent-child yoga session with Kurt at his studio and created an animation of all the reasons her dad is awesome

Dot and Dolores took Orenthal out for dinner and bought him some new cuff links

Anais and Quentin spent the day walking around Paris just doing whatever, before playing a trivia game before bed

Petra painted a family mural of herself and their dads for the living room and took them all out for lunch

Roxie bought Richard a nice new guitar case and took him to one of his favorite hard rock bars

Anthony took Bradley to one of his favorite tea houses and they stocked up on his favorite brews, before having an intense father-son foosball tournament

Eri and Ryuji took Hiroshi to a comic book convention and binge watched one of his favorite anime with him all night

Candace and her stepbrothers took Laurent antiquing at a few thrift places and they found some good stuff

Soo-Yeon took Eun-Jeong to a basketball game and they played one-on-one in the backyard when they got home

Margo knitted Leif some new sweaters and the two spent the afternoon making all sorts of craft projects

Staci and Bai went out for tea and then took a boat ride for some people watching over the Seine

Parker and Levi took Chief, Sarge and Boone to a dog park for the day and then did some father-daughter military training courses

Aggie spent the day helping Rohan out at the shop, and then they had a movie marathon and pigged out on junk food

Mona and Dolores took Darnell out for a picnic while they were showing one of his favorite movies in a park theater

Evie wrote and performed a new song for Julio and took him out to dinner at his favorite traditional Mexican restaurant

Happy Father’s Day to all the awesome dads out there, which includes mine! Leave your thoughts in the comments and reblogs!