Ukraine – Russia … not more of the last thread

[cpp]

My selection for the designated target: The Kremlin.

That would be a home run.

 

[mtrycrafts]

He also said that the war in Ukraine has strengthened the Russian military.

That is why it is dragging out so long.

 

[mtrycrafts]

For me: Wherever Putin is hiding.

All his hiding places.

 

[Mr._Clark]

According to this (very) unconfirmed report, Trump has signaled that he will continue military aid to Ukraine.

>>>Donald Trump’s team has told European officials that the incoming US president will demand Nato member states increase defence spending to 5 per cent of GDP, but plans to continue supplying military aid to Ukraine.<<<

Trump wants 5% Nato defence spending target, Europe told

US president-elect’s closest foreign policy aides indicate he will continue arming Ukraine while pursuing end to war

www.ft.com

 

[highfigh]

That is why it is dragging out so long.

Well, that and the fact that he doesn't give a poop about how many die in his quest.

 

[Mr._Clark]

It will be interesting to see how this plays out.

>>>The Finnish authorities on Thursday boarded an oil tanker that they believe was involved in cutting through vital undersea cables, and was part of Russia’s so-called shadow fleet of ships aimed at bypassing sanctions. . . .

A number of other vital undersea cables have been cut in recent months, raising fears that Russia might be waging a shadow campaign against NATO nations that have supported Ukraine in the face of Moscow’s full-scale invasion.<<<

Finland Seizes Ship After Undersea Power Cable to Estonia Is Cut

The country’s prime minister said the incident, the latest in a series of disruptions to undersea infrastructure, underscored the danger of a so-called Russian shadow fleet.

www.nytimes.com

 

[Mr._Clark]

This isn't too surprising:

>>>The Eagle S – a tanker ship carrying Russian oil and suspected of severing the Estlink 2 power cable running under the Baltic Sea between Finland and Estonia – was reportedly brimming with spy equipment. The cable incident is the latest in a series of such events in this strategically important region as tensions with Russia have mounted in the wake of its war on Ukraine.

After being seized by Finnish Police, the Eagle S was found to be “kitted out with special transmitting and receiving devices that were used to monitor naval activity, according to a source with direct involvement in the ship,” Lloyds List reported. That equipment “effectively allowed it to become a ‘spy ship’ for Russia.”<<<

Russian-Linked Oil Tanker Suspected Of Sabotage Was Brimming With Spy Equipment: Report

The Eagle S is suspected of severing the Estlink 2 power cable running under the Baltic Sea between Finland and Estonia.

www.twz.com

It's an unconfirmed report, but it seems plausible.

 

[mtrycrafts]

This isn't too surprising:

>>>The Eagle S – a tanker ship carrying Russian oil and suspected of severing the Estlink 2 power cable running under the Baltic Sea between Finland and Estonia – was reportedly brimming with spy equipment. The cable incident is the latest in a series of such events in this strategically important region as tensions with Russia have mounted in the wake of its war on Ukraine.

After being seized by Finnish Police, the Eagle S was found to be “kitted out with special transmitting and receiving devices that were used to monitor naval activity, according to a source with direct involvement in the ship,” Lloyds List reported. That equipment “effectively allowed it to become a ‘spy ship’ for Russia.”<<<

Russian-Linked Oil Tanker Suspected Of Sabotage Was Brimming With Spy Equipment: Report

The Eagle S is suspected of severing the Estlink 2 power cable running under the Baltic Sea between Finland and Estonia.

www.twz.com

It's an unconfirmed report, but it seems plausible.

Very plausible as Russia is not an honest country when it comes to spying. And it gives them a cover over the long run until they are caught.
Now they need to go after all those ships.

Could be an early warning of what Russia is planning, an attempt to invade Finland? Or a payback for joining NATO?

 

[Mr._Clark]

Very plausible as Russia is not an honest country when it comes to spying. And it gives them a cover over the long run until they are caught.
Now they need to go after all those ships.

Could be an early warning of what Russia is planning, an attempt to invade Finland? Or a payback for joining NATO?

More evidence the Eagle S broke the power line by dragging it's anchor:

>>>OSLO, Dec 29 (Reuters) - Finnish police said on Sunday they had found tracks that drag on for dozens of kilometres along the bottom of the Baltic Sea where a tanker carrying Russian oil is suspected of breaking a power line and four telecoms cables with its anchor. . . . Finnish police suspect the Eagle S caused the damage by dragging its anchor along the seabed.
Investigators have identified a "dragging track" but have yet to find a missing anchor, Sami Paila, tactical leader and detective chief inspector of Finland's National Bureau of Investigation, said in a statement.

"The track is dozens of kilometres in length," Paila said.

Photos taken of the Eagle S on Friday showed the vessel missing its port side anchor.<<<

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/finland-finds-drag-marks-baltic-seabed-after-cable-damage-2024-12-29/

 

[Trell]

Ukraine will not renew contracts of Russian gas transiting through Ukrainian pipelines. These where contracts agreed upon in 2019.

Pipeline Russian gas imports to Europe was over 40% in 2021 and about 8% [edit: fix typo] in 2023.

>>>Ukraine has made good on its promise to halt the transport of Russian gas to Europe through its territory after a key deal with Moscow expired on Wednesday.

Ukraine’s refusal to renew the transit deal was an expected but symbolic move after nearly three years of its full-scale war with Russia, and comes after Europe has already drastically cut Moscow’s share of its gas imports. Ukraine’s energy ministry said it ended the deal “in the interests of national security.”

“We have stopped the transit of Russian gas. This is a historic event,” the ministry said in a statement, adding that its gas transportation infrastructure had been prepared in advance of the expiration.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called the move “one of Moscow’s greatest defeats.” In a Telegram post Wednesday, he accused Moscow of “turning energy into a weapon and engaging in cynical energy blackmail against its partners” and expressed hope that the United States would increase its supply of gas to Europe.
...
The lapsed deal had represented about 5% of the European Union’s total gas imports, according to Brussels-based think tank Bruegel, and supplied mainly Austria, Hungary and Slovakia. Now, after its expiry, Europe receives pipeline gas from Russia via a single route: The Turkstream pipeline, which runs through Turkey and on to Bulgaria, Serbia and Hungary, says Bruegel.
...
Before Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russia was the European Union’s biggest supplier of natural gas. The bloc has whittled Russia’s share of its pipeline gas imports down from over 40% in 2021 to about 8% in 2023, according to the European Council.

To fill the gap, Europe has imported vast quantities of liquefied natural gas (LNG) — a chilled, liquid form of natural gas that can be transported via sea tankers — from the United States and other countries, as well as pipeline gas from Norway. The EU has also ramped up imports of Russian LNG to help heat its homes and power its factories, but faces a self-imposed deadline of 2027 and plans to break its dependence on all Russian fossil fuels. ...<<<

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/01/01/business/ukraine-russia-gas-eu-halted-hnk-intl/index.html

 

[mtrycrafts]

...

To fill the gap, Europe has imported vast quantities of liquefied natural gas (LNG) — a chilled, liquid form of natural gas that can be transported via sea tankers —...

Chilled? -162C is really chilled.