#pentagon low quality

[hongberries]

⋆✧ Yeo One ♡ Fantasystic (Special Clip) ✧⋆

[libertineangel]

Mortal, for @tes-summer-fest

To an outsider, the room would appear to be somewhere between gladiatorial arena and house of worship. It was pentagonal, with a large open space in the centre surrounded on four of the five sides by six tiers of great benches wrought from dull red metal, a throne at the foot of each one. Tall figures sat proudly upon these thrones, clad in gleaming black armour engraved with countless symbols of hard-fought battles and masterful commands, their heads adorned with matching spiked diadems. Those on the bench behind them were only marginally less decorated, and lacking the diadems; the quality and ornamentation of armour further up the benches steadily declined, from undecorated black metal to dull iron to much-scarred & beaten bronze, with a final tier stood behind the highest bench wearing simple cloth and tattered leathers.

The wall which they all faced was adorned with treasures, from great weapons with names spoken in hushed tones to trophies taken from creatures whose names were not to be spoken; in front of this wall was a tall pulpit overlooking an altar of polished black stone, with a figure at either end: on the right stood one in a suit of grey steel plate, a subtle smile and a gleam in their eyes as they looked at the assembled crowd, while the figure on the left bent their knee before them, their wrists bound by a chain to the altar but their back held straight, their armour heavily-dented bronze polished to a shine.

Another emerged at the pulpit, wearing black armour with deep red accents, and spoke, their clear, imperious voice filling the room.

“I am Markynaz Ilhovad, acting as Mafrekynaz. This Kynmoot has been convened to hear the accusations put forth by Kynreeve Aezekhul-” they raised their hand toward the steel-clad figure, then to the one in chains- “against Caitiff Dezeron.” They then turned again to Aezekhul, and commanded: “State your claims.”

“Their dereliction of duty is undeniable,” Aezekhul told the room, their voice a gloating rasp as they ran their tongue across their teeth, “and further, I observed them consorting with mortals!”

The audience erupted into jeers and hissing with the second accusation, and Aezekhul’s lips curled at the reaction while Dezeron appeared unmoved; after a moment Ilhovad struck their bracer against the railing of the parapet, which issued forth a deafening clang to fill the room and leave silence in its wake, before they gave their next command.

“Present your reasoning.”

“The Caitiff is of a unit under my purview, and has failed to report to any actions or duties for sixteen cycles-” another round of low hissing passed through the audience- “a fact for which I can procure records of muster as proof if the Mafrekynaz so wishes.

One twelfth-cycle ago, I was bound and summoned to the mortal plane by some petty conjuror to assist in a raid upon a caravan, whereupon I found the Caitiff acting as its guard-” the hissing was a little louder this time, along with quiet murmuring of scorn- “and furthermore, I saw them...engage in affection with one of the drivers before entering battle!” The room broke out into a clamour of disgust once more, and Aezekhul snarled as their hands tightened to fists, shooting a venomous glare at Dezeron opposite. Dezeron himself remained silent, breathing low and steady, meeting his accuser’s gaze with eyes hard as the stone between them.

Ilhovad struck the railing to bring order to the room once more, before raising their hand in Dezeron’s direction.

“Caitiff Dezeron, you may respond.”

Dezeron took a deep breath, looking to Ilhovad, then Aezekhul, then the rest of the room, before he began to speak.

“The Kynreeve’s words are true, all of them,” he declared, a defiant pride in his voice, unwavering before the instant furore his admission instigated. “Sixteen and one-eighth cycles ago I was summoned to the mortal plane, but the sorcerer responsible failed to bind me. I killed them, left their little hall of learning and made my way to the city gates, where I overpowered their watchmen and escaped to the wilderness.” The noise of the room abated somewhat, the opening of his story proving surprisingly respectable, though Dezeron took no notice as he continued.

“For a full mortal year I lived as a roving bandit, assaulting traders and travellers for food and materials, sheltering in caves, raiding isolated settlements when the guard was light, surviving alone against the weather and the creatures of the wilds. One day, I chose to attack a trade caravan.” Dezeron took a breath as his voice wavered just a little, just for a moment. “A two-horse wagon and a one-horse cart, three men between them. I ambushed them from the roadside, at sunset – the cart travelled behind so I leapt upon it, threw down the driver and drew my sword, but he recovered quickly and called for aid as he took up arms. The wagon’s guard joined him and I engaged them both, and they proved to be competent warriors, but nevertheless they were outmatched, and as that became apparent they called for the wagon’s driver to join them.” As Dezeron spoke of the guards’ prowess the corners of his mouth twitched upward, and again his voice softened slightly as he mentioned the wagon driver.

“He came quickly, and with a gesture and a flash of light I found my hand stayed against my will. He looked at me, and only for a second was it the look of a man facing an enemy. He acknowledged my skill in combat, and he could see that I deserved better than a life scraping by as a brigand, he told me that the caravan could use a third guard and that I could fill that role admirably, and I accepted his proposition.”

Any respect he had thus far accrued was swept away in an instant, which the audience made abundantly clear.

“You accepted the pity of a mortal!” Aezekhul spat, half to Dezeron and half to the room at large.

“I made the sensible tactical decision!” Dezeron shouted back, chains rattling as he slammed his fists on the altar. “I was alone, stranded in the mortal realm, a threat and a target to all that moved! I had no unit, no clan, no allies, in hostile lands from which I could neither retreat nor establish a foothold. I was offered a position in which I could do battle alongside reliable allies, that gave me safe travel along the roads, that allowed me to enter established settlements, make use of their forges and replenish my supplies, with greatly diminished risk of overwhelming conflict. Yes, I found acceptance distasteful, but I challenge any of you to deny that it was the tactically prudent option!”

“You seemed to find the taste just fine by the time I saw you,” Aezekhul retorted, setting off another round of jeers as Dezeron bared his teeth with a low growl, before Ilhovad intervened with another silencing clang.

“The Caitiff’s reasoning is sound. Continue.”

Dezeron took a slow, deep breath, and resumed his story.

“For the first few months, I spoke to the others very little beyond the necessities of duty, behaving as any Kyn would in such company, treating them simply as mortals in an alliance of convenience, until one night in which we faced a particularly fearsome ambush – a whole group of bandits, they caught us in a valley, passing through the ruins of an old gatehouse – we fought them off but it was a great challenge, and Sabir & Luzghul – our other two guards – were both wounded, needing some days to recover. After that, once their wounds no longer impaired their capability, I offered to train them in combat as we practice it-” this caused another outcry from the room, and even Ilhovad’s eyes flashed, making no motion to restore calm.

“I shared no secrets of Kyn, only the rudimentary forms and techniques, deeming it necessary to improve our safety and effectiveness as a fighting unit. They were grateful, and they learned well, and...the bonds of alliance were solidified. We talked of past battles, of travels, the things we’d seen, the skilled opponents and terrible creatures we’d faced, and Colwyn…” Dezeron took another breath, his voice now holding little trace of its previous hardness.

“Colwyn, the wagon driver, our leader, he listened so carefully, so intently, not to reports of combat or of training, but to stories of all that lies beyond his realm. He was endlessly curious, as we rode together he’d often ask me of the outer realms, the forgotten planes seldom travelled, the places and the beings that mortals have yet to dream of, and he’d ask me about my nature, to try and let him understand what he could of an existence he can never feel, and...as he did so he likewise spoke of himself, of mortal life and thought and feeling, and he...we grew close, over many months, and…” He struck the altar again, though less forcefully this time, and looked around the room, his eyes wide, and the audience filled this momentary pause with an outpouring of disgust and scorn.

“There are experiences, ways of living, that you could never understand! The feelings he has introduced me to, they cannot arise among Kyn, our society has no place for them, no room for them!”

At this point Dezeron’s voice was completely drowned out by the audience, with Ilhovad still making no attempt to stop them, even baring their teeth a little themselves, while Aezekhul stood cackling, a twisted smile on their face. Dezeron let out a grunt of frustration, yanking his wrists against the chains and straining to stand for a moment before closing his eyes, breathing heavily.

A few moments later there was a flash of light, engulfing him with a feeling of weightlessness.

He became aware of the smell of recently-fallen rain on grass, he felt crisp night air through his nostrils, and he heard a sobbing man fall to his knees next to him.

“Oh, Dez, thank the gods you’re alright! I was so scared when I saw you were gone, and I waited like you said I should, and I did the spell like you taught me-”

“Col, my love, you did well, just as I told you,” Dezeron spoke softly, holding Colwyn tight to him, before pulling back to look him carefully in the eye, “but please listen, because I will be commanded back and time is short.” He put a hand to Colwyn’s cheek, and Colwyn nodded as he tried to steady his breaths, before Dezeron leant forward to whisper something in his ear. “Speak it precisely, and command my presence, and I will return to you.”

Colwyn nodded again, and Dezeron took his hands in his own. A shadow tinged with red grew across him, and he disappeared.

Back kneeling before the altar, the furore of the crowd was louder than ever, but Ilhovad was no longer willing to waste time on spectacle. As soon as Dezeron had fully materialised, they struck the railing hard enough to bring immediate silence to the room, both hands gripping it as they spoke, almost shouting themselves.

“The veracity of the Kynreeve’s accusations is beyond doubt, and only compounded by the attempt to depart this Kynmoot without leave! Therefore, in my capacity as Mafrekynaz, I hereby command that the Caitiff Dezeron be immediately put to-”

Dezeron suddenly let out a pained cry, appeared to blur and flicker, and vanished.

Once again Colwyn immediately dropped to his knees and embraced Dezeron the moment he appeared, but Dezeron could spare no time for comfort.

“Speak it again! Speak it again, and tell me..tell me I am released from all bonds of Kyn and clan, severed from all ties of commands and duties, now and in perpetuity!”

Colwyn’s voice stuttered and trembled but he did as he was asked, and Dezeron fell to the ground with an agonized cry, blurring before Colwyn’s eyes for a moment; he let out a cry himself at the sight, sobbing again as he moved with him, and for a time they both lay in silence, breathing heavily.

“Is it...over? You won’t disappear again?” Colwyn asked weakly.

“It’s over, love, never to happen again,” Dezeron whispered.

For another few minutes they were silent, until Colwyn softly spoke again.

“What...what did I do?”

“You spoke my protonymic, the true name of my soul, and with it you severed me from my Kyn. No command of theirs can ever again hold sway over me, and the gods themselves could not reforge those bonds...I am now yours, and yours alone.”

They held each other close, lying quiet and still in the soft grass.

[usafphantom2]

China 'will soon be the largest air force in the world', says head of INDOPACOM

Fernando Valduga By Fernando Valduga 03/31/2024 - 18:56in Military

It has been known and publicly recognized for several years that China has surpassed the U.S. Navy in a large number of warships. But in a recent testimony at the Capitol, the head of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) suggested that China may also soon have the largest air force in the world, a surprising assessment of its rapid modernization efforts.

“The largest Navy in the world, which will soon be the largest Air Force in the world,” said Navy Admiral John C. Aquilino, referring to the People's Liberation Army (PLA), before the Senate Armed Services Committee on March 21. "The magnitude, scope and scale of this security challenge cannot be underestimated, everyone would be challenged."

A spokesman for INDOPACOM confirmed that Aquilino was referring to the number of warplanes that the armed forces of each country have.

In its 2023 report on Chinese military power, the Pentagon noted that the PLA Air Force and Navy combined have more than 3,150 aircraft in total, not counting training variants and unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). The U.S. Air Force, in comparison, is in its smallest size in years, but still has about 4,000 non-coaching and non-drone aircraft. This adds to several thousand others in the Navy, the Marine Corps and the Army.

Experts from air power and China have expressed doubts that China would imminently overtake the U.S. in military aircraft. However, they highlighted the significant increase in China's global production capacity in recent years, specifically for its state-of-the-art fighters.

"The J-20 is now being produced in about 100 fuselages per year," said Daniel Rice, an expert on China's military and political strategy at the Krulak Center for Innovation and Future Warfare. "This is purely for local consumption, to provide the PLA Air Force with copies of the J-20. If you look at the production capacity, the F-35, about 135 fuselages per year, but 60 to 70 of these fuselages go to allies and partners."

Rice noted, however, that the J-20 and F-35 should not be compared individually.

“They have different sets of missions and capabilities,” Rice added. "We like to say that the J-20 is approximately a 4.5 generation aircraft because there are different definitions of 'generations' between China and the US."

This evaluation of quality versus quantity also comes into play when comparing the naval fleets of the two countries, while experts argue that, although China may have more ships and submarines, the tonnage of the U.S. naval fleet exceeds that of China in a ratio of 2 to 1, due to the larger size of U.S. ships.

On the air side, China is accelerating the production of the J-16, J-10 and also its maritime variants. The J-16, a multifunctional fighter, has more than 100 fuselages produced annually, while the production of the J-10 is around less than 40 fuselages per year. But again, the J-10C is not exactly the F-15EX of the USAF, but rather "the low-end or high-low mixture of this version," said Rice.

However, if the production rate increases as planned, China could overtake the US in the production of its latest fighter planes. Rice noted that the development of a national engine by China and the reduction of dependence on engines manufactured in Russia accelerated the production of combat aircraft.

J-11 combat jets.

“With the engines of the WS-10 and WS-15 series, China was able to produce a credible and reliable engine for its combat aircraft, namely J-10C and J-20,” Rice said. "Since this change in the supply chain, and together with the increase in the production capacity of their fuselages, we have seen different production facilities, such as Shenyang Aircraft Corporation and Chengdu Aircraft Corporation, increase the size of their production facilities in anticipation of higher yields."

Regional influence is another consideration when comparing the size of the fleets. In his separate written testimony to legislators, Aquilino stated that the PLA Air Force and Navy combined constitute "the largest aviation forces in the Indo-Pacific". Although the US must maintain its superiority in the long term, China's regional dominance carries strategic concerns, especially in a scenario where it tries to take Taiwan by force.

“China doesn't need tankers, because it just doesn't have to go that far,” said J. Michael Dahm, from the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies. "China does not need a Global Hawk that can fly for more than 24 hours. Maybe you just need drones, older and more adapted aircraft that can fly 160 kilometers through the Taiwan Strait on a one-way trip."

U.S. air power is also spread all over the world, with missions in Europe, the Middle East and the country.

And although the report on China's military power has excluded drones from their aircraft count, they may play a crucial role in future assessments of the projection of military power. China is also modernizing on this front, with the recent introduction of the Xianglong jet UAS, the supersonic WZ-8 and the redesigned GJ-11 stealth Manned Combat Air Vehicle (UCAV).

Stealth combat drone GJ-11 Sharp Sword.

"At a time when we are increasingly concerned about artificial intelligence, I would say that when we start counting unmanned aircraft, it may also quickly tilt the scale in favor of China,” Dahm said.

Source: Air & Space Forces Magazine

Tags: Military AviationChengdu J-20PLAAF - China Air Force

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Fernando Valduga

Fernando Valduga

Aviation photographer and pilot since 1992, he has participated in several events and air operations, such as Cruzex, AirVenture, Dayton Airshow and FIDAE. He has works published in specialized aviation magazines in Brazil and abroad. He uses Canon equipment during his photographic work in the world of aviation.

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[pixiebombblog]

I've just released my Runic Dragonstone Replacer, a high quality visual replacer for Skyrim's Dragonstone so you don't have to look at the weird, flat pentagon anymore ;) This started as a project for me to hone my texturing skills, and learn to upscale and improve VERY low-quality textures to high quality ones that can add some visual beauty to the game, & I'm honestly very happy with the results. There are 4K, 2K, and 1K options, and an optional Legacy of the Dragonborn Display patch to be able to have the Runic Dragonstone model displayed at the museum <3 https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/91135

[bangzchan]

17, 58, 75, 96 bestieeeeee 🥹

THANK U bestest friend of MINE💘

17. taeyeon - cant control myself

58. pentagon - call my name

75. kiss of fire - woodz

such a low ranking for such a high quality song ...im sorry king

96. hyolyn & jooyoung - layin low

[scottguy]

Americans have to be honest with how we've let capitalism destroy a lot of what made America a country to be so proud of. I'm proud of America but I know we can do better.

Our healthcare is the most expensive and that leads to much worse quality of care, higher death rates, and higher infant & maternal mortality. Housing & food are expensive, pay is absurdly low. We don't get subsidized child care or college (both of which would improve American economic strength!) , we have crappy short vacations.....all because OUR tax dollars are first given to the Pentagon and wildly profitable corporations & for tax cuts to the obscenely wealthy and policies that support the already rich.

We CAN fix it!!! 👍🏻��� Just vote for people who promise to fix stuff and don't reelect them if they were just lying. (Like Kristin Sinema).

Not voting is surrendering to those bastards.

Remember, there are WAY more of us getting screwed than there are wealthy people in the oligarchy. If we fixed similar problems under President Roosevelt, we can fix working class problem again!!

Lol, at the US being determined to fight socialism but Americans flocking overseas for the socialism.

[tomsquitieri]

Caissons Stop Rolling, As Army Scrambles To Reverse, Improve Conditions That Put Arlington Horses In Jeopardy

WASHINGTON — One week after the Army privately touted its steps to improve the conditions for horses working at Arlington cemetery, it decided to shut down the Army's Caisson platoon, the ceremonial horse unit that is the centerpiece of the service to carry the bodies of fallen troops for burial at Arlington National Cemetery.

The suspension follows four equine deaths in the platoon over the last year and as well as deep, festering and some say negligent living conditions for the horses and a seemingly stark lack of elementary training for those who care and handle the horses, congressional aides said.

The slowness of the Army to address the problem has raised bipartisan ire from Congress, which has directed millions in funding to improve the living conditions for the horses — and has increased concerns in equine and humane organizations.

“This is a national tragedy,” Jim Gath, founder and chair of the Tierra Madre Horse and Human Sanctuary in Cave Creek, Arizona, and author of 10 books, including ‘I Hear You, Horse,” said in an interview. "These horse are being used to take heroes to the final resting place. They have been treated as if nobody is in charge of these horses and their well-being.”

The shut down is for at least 45 days to prioritize the health of the herd. The Army said the "suspension" will not impact military honors at the cemetery.

The concerns over the Army’s poor treatment of the Arlington horses is one element of growing national concerns over equine conditions - including those of race horses. Prior to the recent Kentucky Derby, five horses were scratched from the race — the most since 1936 — amid a 10-day stretch where seven horses died at Churchill Downs, including two on race day.

Asked on May 4 if Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was satisfied with the Army's decision to stand down the Caisson unit at Arlington National Cemetery as a way to further review the treatment of the horses there, Deputy Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh said, “So I know what you're referring to. I just don't have more information on that. I'd be happy to take that question and get back to you and provide an answer.”

For months and most likely years, the Arlington herd was living in small, unsanitary lots covered in more than a dozen inches of excrement. They were also eating low-quality hay and other materials, congressional aides said.

More than a dozen inspections conducted between 2019 and 2022 gave the horse facilities “unsatisfactory” sanitary ratings, despite supposed efforts made by the soldiers of Caisson Platoon, who train and care for the horses. A lack of space, inadequate funding and the turnover of unit commanders were noted as the primary issues. The 60-some horses were fed poor-quality feed, suffered parasite infestations and lived in excrement-filled mud lots.

Roughly half of the horses in the unit were over 20 years old -- or geriatric.

“You want someone with practical experience,” Gath said. “You want someone who has dealt with these issues in the past.

“They are putting these horses in jeopardy,” he said. “The details in what they plan to do is every thing. They need to walk down every stall, teeth to tail (exam), get a permanent record going, the types of feed, the types of hay, the supplements they get, the medicine, the physical (activity) for them you do to bring them back proper health.

“It’s all about the horse,” Gath said. “I would be more than glad to come out there and help with those evaluations - just like we do here at Tierra Madre."

Facing severe congressional criticism and the threat of civilian lawsuits - some comparing the Army’s treatment of its horses to horses broken down in some big city tourist systems — the Army said it was undertaking a significant review and upgrade of operating procedure and living conditions for the beleaguered herd.

That includes, for the first time, creating an adoption program through which certain individuals can adopt retired horses. The Army did not provide details on the program nor if individuals or organization could support the existing herd working at the cemetery.

“Raising awareness for and participating in this program is a great way to support the Caisson Platoon,” Army Col. June Jeffrey-Kim, Director of Public Affairs, Military District of Washington, said in a statement to Red Snow News.

Two horses died within 96 hours of each other in February 2022, one with 44 pounds of gravel found in his gut upon necropsy. Tony, the horse with 44 pounds of sediment in his gut, died of sand colic, the result of being fed in inappropriate feeding areas. Mickey, the other horse that died in February, died of septic colic, which was caused by an untreated gastrointestinal illness or injury. Manure and bacteria made their way into his bloodstream, causing an infection.

Rio, a 19-year-old horse, died on Oct. 24, 2022, and Rambler, a 14-year-old horse, died a month later. Both were euthanized by veterinarians as a result of their ailments. Rio died of surgical complications after he suffered a left limb fracture; he underwent three surgeries to attempt to fix the injury, but veterinarians determined he would be euthanized for quality-of-life purposes.

Ramble died of "acute abdominal distress;" it is unclear if it was caused by sediment in his gut as the unit was waiting for necropsy results at the time. Horses can die from an ailment called "colic," a general term for abdominal pain that can vary in severity and pain for the animal.

In January of this year, the unit closed its stable to the public for a month to "minimize spreading a contagious [to other horses] upper respiratory bacterial infection that was found in" one of the horses.

Part of that criticism has centered around how much space the unit has allotted to the herd at Forts Myer and Belvoir, facilities that currently offer less than 20% of the area that equine experts recommend. Provisions to improve the horses' conditions were included in the National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, that passed Congress last year.

Even with the added 14 acres, the herd is still short of the "generally required" 1-2 acres per horse.

In an email response to Red Snow News, the Army outlined on background what it is doing to improve the care and status of the horses.

That includes repairing shelters, fences lines and removing hazardous objects, and repairing stalls, repairing the bar heating system; and acquired and establishing a new 14-acre pasture in Fairfax County after working jointly with the Bureau of Land Management; placing concrete pads around hay feeders and installing rubber mats in feeding areas to reduce the ingestion of sand and gravel.

It said it hired a herd manager with equine and agricultural degrees to oversee all aspects of herd health from procurement to retirement and a facilities manager with a degree in environmental biology and 16 years of professional animal care management to upgrade and improve equine equipment and facilities for the entire herd.

The Army also said it established relationships with civilian farriers to address corrective and orthopedic shoeing needs, worked with civilian saddle fitters to properly match horses to existing cavalry saddle, and established relationships with local agricultural experts like the Virginia Tech Extension Offices to consult on our pasture rotation schedule and the elimination of toxic plants.

It did not identify any of those relationships for verification.

It also said it updated the Basic Horsemanship Class to include more instruction on horse care, horsemanship, and riding skills for new soldiers.

As for horse care, it said it has “established nutritional minimums for forage and supplements; organized routine check-ins to monitor horse weight and body condition.” t also said it has updated hay, feed, and supplement contracts to provide more nutritional value for the herd and address existing health concerns.

Part of the improvements are to install commercial slow feed nets in stalls to better align with natural horse consumption habits and improve grain feed schedules and protocols “ensuring each horse receives feed based on their individual dietary needs,” the Army said.

The Army also made adjustments to what horses must wear, moving toward what horse experts say are basics that should have been done long ago.

They include procuring Western style saddle pads to address pressure, discomfort, and soreness related to poor tack fit from the existing cavalry saddles; adopting Hippo setup for wagon tack to address neck pain soreness from existing tack fit; procured English saddles for section horses to increase ergonomics for horse and ride, and ordered new girths and headstalls to improve tack fit for the cemetery herd.

The Army also promised to allow for more flexibility and time off for horses assigned to cemetery operations. It promised to expand “our mission tracking and forecasts to allow for more efficient operations and more deliberate rest cycles,” establish grooming standards to improve coat condition for the cemetery horses, and institute monthly educational classes for soldiers to learn about equine healthcare and management.

[cyberbenb]

Budanov’s “Resurrection” and Tractors Instead of Tanks: TOP 10 Recent Failures of Russian Propaganda. Part 2

Israeli passport of Olena Zelenska

During June 20-22, Russian media spread a fake that the wife of the President of Ukraine Olena Zelenska had Israeli citizenship. This allegedly indicates the preparation of the president’s family for escape from Ukraine. A photocopy of the first page of the first lady’s Israeli passport was presented as “evidence.”

However, the falsification turned out to be of really low quality. As a basis, the creators of the fake took a template of an Israeli passport, which can be easily found on the Internet. They took the photo of Olena Zelenska from one of the publications on the social networks of the first lady.

They also confused the date. The date of issue of the document is indicated as 19/06/2023, and the expiration date is 18/06/2023. That is, the passport was “issued” after it lost its validity.

The attack can be considered part of a dirty anti-Semitic campaign directed against the president of Ukraine and his family.

Fake: The wife of the President of Ukraine Olena Zelenska has Israeli citizenship

Fact: The photo of the Israeli “passport” is a gross forgery

Manipulation of losses of Western equipment

The military assistance provided to Ukraine by Western partners is a serious problem for Russia. Therefore, the Kremlin is making great efforts to discredit and disrupt this process. One of the most common methods is regular statements about the poor quality of Western equipment and its destruction on a huge scale.

Among the most recent examples is Putin’s statement about five Patriot complexes allegedly destroyed by the Russians near Kyiv.

In fact, Ukraine received two divisions of Patriot (from the United States and Germany), each consisting of a command post, a radar station, and several launchers. The Pentagon confirmed the damage to one Patriot system as a result of a massive missile attack on May 16. It was promptly repaired and returned to combat duty. Putin’s statements indicate that he does not quite understand what the Patriot complex is made of.

Fake: The Russians destroyed five Patriot complexes in Ukraine

Fact: Putin announced the destruction of more systems than Ukraine has. Ukraine regularly receives ammunition for Patriot in military aid packages from the United States, which indicates the successful combat use of these complexes by the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Russian security forces and propagandists are actively promoting the statements about the massive loss of armoured vehicles, in particular Western. On June 21, Putin said that the soldiers destroyed 245 tanks. 

To get such statistics, the Russian military resort to outright falsifications. On June 6, the Russian Defence Ministry reported the destruction of two Leopard tanks and published a “video confirmation.” The footage clearly shows wheeled equipment — John Deere 4830 self-propelled sprayer.

It is worth mentioning that reports from the Russian Ministry of Defence about the destroyed Leopard appeared even before their combat use by the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Fake: Russians destroy Leopard tanks in huge quantities

Fact: The Russian military passed off agricultural machinery for the destroyed tanks

Combat mosquitoes from American biolaboratories

The long-running topic of “American biolaboratories” in Ukraine is one of the Kremlin’s main “scarecrows,” which it began to promote to Russian and foreign audiences even before the start of the full-scale invasion. The nonsense about the “Ukrainian combat mosquitoes” at the meeting of the UN Security Council was voiced by the representative of the Russian Federation Nebenzia.

On June 28, Chair of the Federation Council of Russia Valentina Matvienko stated that a report of the commission to investigate the activities of American biological laboratories in Ukraine had been sent to all parliaments of the world. The document refers to the development of “combat” mosquitoes, ticks and lice, “experiments on the military” and “pumping soldiers with drugs.”

The report is the most extensive description of the conspiracy theory, which until 2020 was promoted exclusively by marginal pro-Russian activists. The Russians do not provide any evidence of the “facts” set out in the Russian report. But this does not prevent them from bringing blatant conspiracy to the international level, enhancing it with the “authority” of the upper house of their parliament.

Fake: Americans are breeding combat insects in Ukraine and drugging the Ukrainian military.

Fact: The Russian parliament is promoting evidence-free conspiracy at the international level.

Ukrainians destroyed Mariupol

The Russian military is damaging the cities and villages of Ukraine, destroying cultural monuments, killing and torturing locals. This does not prevent propaganda from portraying armed aggression and seizure of territories as “liberation” and accusing Ukrainian defenders of their own crimes.

On May 20, the head of the occupation administration of Mariupol, Oleg Morgun, during the celebrations on the occasion of the first anniversary of seizing the city (which propaganda calls “liberation from Nazi occupation”), accused the Armed Forces of Ukraine of destroying and killing civilians.

“These events intersect with the distant 1943 year, then, under the onslaught of the liberating Red Army, the fascists, fleeing from the city, sought to destroy its infrastructure, take out all the valuables and food, significantly reduce the number of able-bodied population that could begin to rebuild the country. After almost 80 years, it almost happened again,” he said.

Morgun did not mention the fact that it was the Russian army that, during the full-scale invasion, stormed the city for three months and destroyed it using artillery and aviation. Strikes on the maternity hospital and the drama theatre, with civilians and children hiding in the basement, became symbols of Russian barbarism and the tragedy of Mariupol, where more than 20,000 residents died as a result of the Russian invasion.

Fake: Mariupol was destroyed by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, not by Russian aviation and artillery.

Fact: Russia is engaged in outright victimblaming, shifting responsibility for crimes from the aggressor to the victim of aggression.

Ukraine claims inheritance of Berlusconi

After the death of Italian politician and businessman Silvio Berlusconi, pro-Russian resources promoted an outright fake about Ukraine’s claims to his inheritance. The messages were based on a completely fictional statement by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba. He allegedly said that Berlusconi was a friend of Putin, and therefore Europe should confiscate all the property of the deceased and give it to Ukraine as compensation for the war crimes of Russia.

Of course, Kuleba did not make such statements and Ukraine did not put forward any claims on Berlusconi’s property and assets. The purpose of the fake is to promote the statement that Ukraine is supposedly a “black hole,” where European funds disappear, and therefore assistance to it needs to be stopped.

Fake: Foreign Minister of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba announced Ukraine’s claims to Silvio Berlusconi’s inheritance.

Fact: Russian propaganda invented Kuleba’s statement and spread a fake to discredit Ukraine in Italy and other EU countries.

Ukraine exports valuables from the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra to Europe

On June 26, Russian media spread a statement by the chief of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Russia, Sergei Naryshkin, that Ukraine planned to export valuables, including the relics of saints, from the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra to France, Germany, Italy, and the Vatican. Allegedly, the return of the relics to Ukraine “is not planned.”

Naryshkin’s statement was promptly refuted by the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine. The Ministry reminded that the main threat to the Ukrainian cultural heritage was the armed aggression of Russia. “No relic will leave the territory of Ukraine. Russia will have to return everything it stole,” the ministry stated.

The Russian special services spread the fake about the preparation for the export of sacred valuables from Ukraine to provoke an interfaith confrontation in Ukraine. It is for this purpose that the message mentions the Vatican: to strengthen the narrative of “the seizure of Orthodox relics by Catholics and schismatics.” In addition, using the information noise, Russia seeks to hide its own crimes against the cultural heritage of Ukraine: the robbery of museums and theft of archaeological artefacts in the occupied territories, the destruction of ancient churches, architectural monuments in the combat zone and the blow-up of the Kakhovka HPP.

Fake: Ukraine plans to take valuables from the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra state reserve to the EU and leave them there.

Fact: The head of the Foreign Intelligence Service Naryshkin spread lies to conceal the crimes of Russia against the Ukrainian cultural heritage and provoke confrontation in Ukraine on religious grounds.

Pizzeria in Kramatorsk turned out to be a military facility

On the evening of June 27, the Russians launched a missile attack on the Ria Lounge pizzeria in the centre of Kramatorsk, Donetsk Oblast. As a result of the strike, 12 people were killed, 65 were injured.

Russian propagandists traditionally accused the Ukrainian Armed Forces of the attack.

But later, the official version was “a high-precision strike on the temporary deployment point of the 56th Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.”

It was voiced by the Russian Ministry of Defence on June 28. The next day, the ministry announced that two generals, 50 officers, and 20 foreign mercenaries had been killed.

See also: Accusations of the AFU and joy over the death of Ukrainians: fakes of Russian propaganda about the shelling of Kramatorsk

The strike on the catering facility once again proved that the assurances of the Russian authorities that the Armed Forces of Russia did not strike civilian targets was a cynical lie.

In Kramatorsk, three teenage girls were killed, an eight-month-old baby was injured. During the shelling, Colombian MP Sergio Jaramillo, writer Héctor Abad, and reporter Catalina Gomez were injured. All of them, according to Russian propaganda, turned out to be “officers of the Armed Forces” or “Western mercenaries.”

Fake: The pizza place in Kramatorsk, which was visited by both civilians and the military, turned out to be the location of the AFU unit.

Fact: The Russian military carried out the terrosist attack, killing civilians, including children. The assurances of the Russians that they are targeting exclusively military facilities are a lie.

Disinformation is part of the aggressive war that Russia is waging against Ukraine. Fakes and manipulations are spread in the information space in a non-stop mode to demoralize Ukrainians and affect the level of support of our state by international partners. The mechanism for the spread of these fakes is coordinated information campaigns mainly on social networks. 

The Russians are systematically working to drive a wedge between Ukrainians and Western partners and among Ukrainians, to undermine the level of trust in the military and political leadership of Ukraine.

Centre for Strategic Communication and Information Security

The post Budanov’s “Resurrection” and Tractors Instead of Tanks: TOP 10 Recent Failures of Russian Propaganda. Part 2 appeared first on Centre for strategic communication.

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