it might be their only option considering the losses they’ve had. A ferry operation is about 5 to 10 times slower depending on the number of ferries you can assemble. Then the wait areas become a target rich environment 
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Russia now exporting gas to Germany at 20% capacity. Invents another bullshit maintenance excuse that is complete and utter bullshit.
It’s pontoon time…
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Guatemala President visits UA, expresses support for Ukraine. One Latin onside, even if no sanctions, others may be concerned at grain and sunflower prices and would oppose Russia blocking UA exports.
Chicago wheat prices on a yoyo, went down with grains deal, up with Russian attack on Odesa. Announced today that exports could commence from Chormomorsk by this week, from Odesa and then the other one in two weeks if technical issues sorted.
Chatter that Russia was aiming for the silos at Odesa.
Meanwhile Lavrov courting Egypt and other grain dependent countries in Africa. Even if Russia could supply, the price is the problem. Some in Africa are dependent on the WFP, which has warned that its supply will be constrained by price and that its purchases are likely to be lower.
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Color me shocked
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Perhaps Chancellor Olaf Scholz should revisit his thinking about delaying the delivery of “modern air defence systems” to Ukraine.
Like, today.
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I’m holding with a 5 of clubs, a 7 and a 4 and everyone knows I’m bluffing. This will end well.
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Here’s a description on the NATO types of ribbon bridge/raft
The Russian one is an update on the soviet era one but interoperable. Pontoon length is about 7m (same as SRB).
Here’s the more modern one.
That is what an engr Div Bn would carry. More can be made available from Army as required.
Here’s a russian doctrine artilce
And the soviet doctrine which hasnt changed much
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And video
https://twitter.com/intelcrab/status/1551696936310300672?s=21&t=n4bBJ5Wf2Vh3IWU-lLMJYw
Embedded tweet doesn’t seem to work. Video impressive.
Edit - could be this
Edit edit - and another strike overnight. This time a fuel storage.
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The L119 light artillery recently put into service by Ukraine were donated by Australia.
https://twitter.com/noclador/status/1551696188994424832?s=21&t=n4bBJ5Wf2Vh3IWU-lLMJYw
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Not UA but a simulation of the air campaign over Iraq and what it would look like if the US or Nato got involved. Or even if the US gave UA F16 and A10s plus some of the specialized weapons and EW support.
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Something which is going to be impactful in the coming weeks is airpower around the Kherson region.
NATO have their best airborne radar surveillance over this territory. Wikipedia says they have a 375km range, odds are they have better, but let’s pretend that’s right.
From that patrol pattern, the radar coverage is a bit inland from Melitopol, but not quite to the Zaporizhzhia frontline.
This explains why Russia is having a difficult time wiping out the Ukrainian airforce. They aren’t based out of a predictable airfield, so can’t be eliminated on the ground with cruise missiles. They have NATO radar warning them of a Russian interception, so can turn and run early. Russian strike aircraft can be detected early and Ukrainian interceptors guided in. Ukrainian SAM systems can be controlled by NATO weapons officers over satellite phone instead of giving their position away with their own radar.
Basically Ukraine has a massive information advantage.
Russia can’t base aircraft out of occupied Ukraine because of HIMARS. (Black dotted line.) The only trick they can play is to fly out of NATO radar range and then turn back and hit something from a different angle. That only works if NATO radar is limited and Ukraine has no air defences along the southern border.
Anyway, interesting thought exercise. Explains why Ukrainian SU-25s and attack helicopters have routinely been evading Russian interceptors. Ukraine is playing in their own backyard when the conditions are perfect, with big brother watching over.
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What was the outcome of that court house that was hit with 50 senior russians inside.
Check out war news on ukrinform site. Not sure that one has been officially confirmed, but latest war news claims to have wiped some out.
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@ArthurD around 57min gets really interesting for you. RAF retired pilot and procurement specialist talking about transitioning drones from being treated like aircraft to becoming treated like cheap ammunition.
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Thanks. I started here at 56:36 and stopped at 1:07 Osint Bunker Season 4 Episode 3 - YouTube
Has grasped the fact that mass produced drones can be cheaper than (expensive) precision munitions instead of like aircraft. But that is blindingly obvious and I did not see any sign of actual thought about the implications either for how to do that right now for present war or how it changes the way they would be used (and countered) in present war.
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What are the NATO flights avoiding SSE of Crimea?
It’s likely something as simple as needing two planes for coverage and splitting the job halfway. If you have one plane flying the whole length, there’s a big wait between passes.
But that’s pure guesswork. I’m sure the call signs would be recorded, you could work out what type of plane did each pass, what type of mission they are suited to. I can’t be bothered with that amount of work!