An alleged drone strike has targeted the Tikhoretsk ammo depot, according to early reports. The depot, closely monitored by Frontelligence Insight for its role in artillery ammo logistics, gained international attention in 2023 following the arrival of North Korean ammo.
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2/ Krasnodar Governor Veniamin Kondratyev reported that two UAVs targeting Tikhoretsk were "suppressed", with debris causing a fire and detonation of flammable materials. Videos on social media suggest a large denotation
Screenshot from the video posted by @war_monitor_ua
3/ The Tikhoretsk ammo depot was expanded in 2023 to store North Korean munitions. Most ammo arrived by train in containers, unloaded and stored in revetments - essentially pits in the ground under open sky. Civilian trucks then transported the munitions to frontlines
4/ The ammunition didn’t remain at the depot for long, as it was quickly moved to the frontlines. This makes it more of a temporary storage site than a long-term facility in 2024. The success of this strike largely depends on the timing of the most recent ammo delivery.
5/ Given the near-total destruction of the 107th GRAU arsenal in Toropets, Tver Oblast, and the successful strike on the 23rd GRAU Arsenal, the hit on Tikhoretsk can be a serious blow not only to ammunition supplies but also to the logistics supporting the entire force groupings
6/ While the extent of the damage is unclear, as of late 2023, the Tikhoretsk depot lacked any proper cover for ammo in revetments. Given that ammo at the Toropets depot detonated despite being stored in "bunkers," the chances of ammo surviving in open-air pits are even lower.
7/ While the full impact may be hard for the general public to assess, these attacks extend beyond the loss of ammo, which Russia cannot quickly replace. The strikes also severely disrupt logistics: delivery, transportation, and distribution, which heavily rely on the railroad
8/ Assessing the damage done by Ukraine to the ammunition storages will take time, but the impact of these strikes could be felt by troops on the frontlines much sooner than these evaluations are finished
Our investigation on North Korean ammo deliveries:
As Russian forces close in on Pokrovsk, a key logistical hub in Ukraine's Donbas region, concerns about its potential loss are mounting. There is uncertainty about why Pokrovsk is more significant than other recently lost towns. This thread aims to clarify this and other aspects:
2/ Before falling to Russian forces in February 2024, Avdiivka was vital for Ukrainian troops, serving as a fortress, protecting key logistical routes in Donetsk Oblast, and a potential foothold for deoccupying Donetsk. Since 2022, Russia has invested heavily in capturing it
3/ Pokrovsk, with a pre-war population of ~60,000, lies west of Avdiivka at a key railroad crossroads. It has become a key distribution hub, supporting Ukrainian forces along a broad frontline from Vuhledar to the north of Donetsk and beyond. The railways are highlighted in red
Ukrainian MFA stated that Belarusian armed forces are concentrating a significant number of personnel, weapons, and equipment near Ukraine's northern border under the guise of exercises
🧵It's still early to draw any definitive conclusions, but a few points should be considered:
2/ In February 2024, Frontelligence Insight and Rochan Consulting released an analysis of the Belarusian military's readiness, concluding that its combat units are typically manned at only 30-40% capacity, relying heavily on mobilization, with the rest filled during mobilization
3/ This suggests that if Belarus was seriously preparing for a major invasion, significant mobilization efforts would be seen. For fairness, this doesn’t rule out the possibility of an attack; it's more about the potential scale of attack if ever happens
Joe Lonsdale, founder of 8VC and employer of the son of sanctioned Russian oligarch Vadim Moshkovich, has brushed off allegations of Moshkovich's involvement in drone production. For clarity, let's focus on the facts, documents, and records.
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2/ First, let’s examine the rule issued by the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Bureau of Industry and Security. It clearly states that Assistagro and Geomiragro are contributing to the development of military-grade drones in Russia.
3/ Vadim Moshkovich is the founder of several companies, including AssistAgro. His role as both founder and investor in this company can be confirmed through various sources, including public company databases, official records, and media reports. Sources in the next tweet
Geospatial analysis from Frontelligence Insight reveals that Russian forces continue to build a defensive line in the Kursk region, located south and southwest of the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant in Kurchatov
Before continuing, please like and share to aid with visibility
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2/ The initial stages of constructing a defensive line near the settlement of Dolgii, roughly 10 kilometers south of the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant, were visible in satellite imagery on August 14. By August 18, the trenches were in the process of being reinforced.
3/ After completing the initial trench digging within the first few days, Russian forces secured the necessary equipment and materials to reinforce the trenches with logs and wood. Satellite imagery shows multiple excavators in the area.
Russia often touts itself as a multicultural country where ethnic minorities are equal. This narrative is particularly promoted in Africa and Asia for political gain. Yet, the 17-year-old Ksenia Cheponova, an Altai woman took her own life after bullying over her Asian appearance:
2/ In her death note, posted on Telegram, she wrote:
“I don’t understand what my fault was. Was it because I was born with narrow eyes or because my skin is dark? I never felt ashamed of my ethnicity until some people started turning it into a joke"
3/ In an interview with local media, her friends revealed that she was relentlessly bullied and called "slant-eyed": ...she was harshly bullied by her teammates, with the ringleader being the coach’s daughter. They taunted her with the nickname "slant-eyed."
Around August 16th, a video circulated on Telegram, showing a Ukrainian soldier's severed head on a pole, reportedly filmed by a member of the 155th Brigade. This should be seen not just as an isolated act of cruelty but as part of a larger, systematic approach.
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2/ Before discussing the issue, let's clarify several points. The video went viral after the notorious Russian unit "Rusich" posted it on their Telegram channel on August 16th. They praised the 155th Brigade, stating that this was an appropriate response to "pigs."
3/ This is not the first instance of the 155th Brigade engaging in such cruelty. In March 2022, the same brigade was involved in the occupation of Bucha, an event documented in the official report by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.