1/
Russia used North Korean soldiers as its convicts: how Pyongyang has already helped the occupiers and how it is ready to help in the future

Open sources have begun to regularly appear videos showing groups of Asian-looking soldiers taking part in battles in the Kursk region. Obviously, these are North Korean soldiers, which again makes the issue of cooperation between the DPRK and Russia relevant for consideration. Let's figure out how Pyongyang has already helped the aggressor country, how it is helping now, and how it can help in the future.

war.obozrevatel.com/ukr/rosiya-zad…

More details about this can be found in the material of the joint project OBOZ.UA and the group "Information Resistance" .
sprotyv.info 2/
Soldiers from North Korea

Information that Putin had requested troops from Kim Jong-un appeared in June 2024. But then it was about an alleged request from several engineering brigades, which seemed quite appropriate given the catastrophic losses of special equipment by the Russian occupation forces.

In the first half of October, data emerged that the dispatch of personnel to Russia had been carried out, but these were not engineering brigades, but full-fledged combat units. The only question that remained relevant was where and when the North Korean military would appear and how the Russians would use them

In November, it became known that the DPRK military began to replenish the 810th separate marine brigade, whose area of ​​operation was the Kursk region, where it suffered heavy losses. In order not to withdraw the 810th brigade from the combat zone for recovery, it began to be reinforced on the spot with North Korean "rambos". Moreover, the process (from the moment information appeared about the compensation of losses by the North Koreans and until their direct involvement) lasted more than a month

1t
ISW assessed what is behind the Kremlin's latest statements regarding bases in Syria and what their loss threatens for Russia

news.obozrevatel.com/ukr/abroad/v-i… 2/
The Kremlin continues to cautiously signal that it can secure Russian military bases in Syria in the short term. However, it is uncertain about the long-term future of these bases amid the unstable political situation in the country.
obozrevatel.com/ukr/topic/konf…

1/
Joakim von Braun Swedish well known Security/East Europe expert 

Joakim von Braun — Sunday, December 8, 2024

STRONG INCREASE IN SUPPORT TO UKRAINE BY WESTERN COUNTRIES

Under the influence of two unpleasant factors, Western countries have now implemented a substantial increase in their military aid to Ukraine in the last quarter of the year. One factor is Russia's geographical advancement on the front, the other is Trump's fear of withdrawing promised US support. Today, Ukraine and its struggling people have many friends around the world, and such difficulties do not diminish the willingness of other donor countries to continue their support.

While there are several negative factors that put pressure on donors, there are also a number of particularly positive factors that increase donor willingness.

The fact that Ukraine has shown its forefoot and invaded Russia, and is now stuck in the Kursk Oblast, has shown that Ukraine’s military might shows both initiative and offensive force. 2/
► The fact that Ukraine has managed to quintuple the number of newly mobilized soldiers since spring also shows a regained strength and optimism. According to Christian Freuding, head of the "Bundeswehr Situation Center in Ukraine", the situation of Ukrainian artillery has also improved.

Russia is now losing more than 1,500 soldiers a day shows Putin is losing more and more grip. Many indications show that Ukrainian retreats are inciting Russia to attack, when in fact it should consolidate the front and thus reduce its heavy losses.

1/
It gives its result: the GUR said that Budanov regularly participates in combat operations

war.obozrevatel.com/ukr/dae-svij-r… 2/
The head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Kyrylo Budanov, is not a "cabinet general." On the contrary, according to military sources, he quite regularly takes part in combat operations, <

1/
Russia plans to seize Odessa and cut off Ukraine from the Black Sea. Ivan Stupak assessed the risks

war.obozrevatel.com/ukr/rf-planue-… 2/
The Russian occupation army has become more active in southern #Ukraine. The enemy has deployed additional forces and equipment to the Kinburn Spit, located only 60 kilometers from Odessa ,
obozrevatel.com/ukr/location/u…
and #Russian boats are storming the islands in the Dnieper Delta in the south of the Kherson region. Can the enemy attack Odessa? Can he make an attempt to cut off Ukraine from the Black Sea, in particular, using Transnistria?

The danger to Odessa and the Odessa region has indeed increased. The enemy actually has the ability to shell the city, port infrastructure, and the entire region. However, there is currently no talk of landing enemy forces in the Odessa region, although the Kremlin has such plans.

- The use of a group of Russian troops from Transnistria is also unpromising due to objective reasons. Currently, the enemy is betting mainly on an uprising within the country, but he has big problems with this too.

1/
The ISW explained what was behind the withdrawal of the Russian ships from the base in Tartus and the transfer of the PMK
news.obozrevatel.com/ukr/abroad/v-i… 2/
Russia withdraws its ships from the naval base in Tartus, Syria. This may indicate that Moscow is not going to provide significant reinforcements to the regime of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad in the near future.
obozrevatel.com/ukr/person/bas…

1/
Joakim von Braun Swedish Security/Eastern Europe expert

241201
Time:
17.00
Old news as new!    

- Hello all new friends and followers! Thank you for following my reports.

- I have been spreading a lot of information about Russia and the Soviet Union for a long time. For those of you who are new, I would like to give you the opportunity to share some of my nuggets. Having good background knowledge really helps to understand the amount of news that washes over us. Without this knowledge, there is a risk that you will become like some assessors who cannot decide whether Ukrainian news is valid or not. 2/
Important reading    

Below are a number of links to material that I hope will be of interest. They contain no secrets that cannot be quoted or distributed, so all the material, including entire compendiums, is excellent for sharing with friends and acquaintances, as well as the links to them. 

-gallery.mailchimp.com/55be27e943e9d9…

1/

“No one is ready to put up with the Russification of Georgia, with a Georgia whose Constitution was taken away, with a Georgia whose parliament and government are illegitimate.”
📽 President Salome Zurabishvili announced this in a special video address.

She called the simultaneous and spontaneous demonstrations "unprecedented." She addressed the law enforcement officers:
"she thanked the police and warned "the others." Probably, the special forces. "

Zurabishvili reminded them that they are responsible for what is happening, and called on them to fulfill their obligations and not to attack citizens: "Nothing is happening that requires dispersal."

The President also addressed the diaspora, thanking them for their solidarity. According to her, the results of the actions abroad included a statement by 135 employees of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, disassociating themselves from the "new pro-Russian policy" of the authorities.

She also noted that more than 40 employees of the Ministry of Defense, 450 representatives of the education sector, 17 judges, more than 100 employees of the Ministry of Justice, over 40 employees of the Public Television of Adjara, etc. expressed their protest.

"This is a big movement that started in the public sector, which will gradually spread to all of Georgia. This means that where the state, the future and the interests of Georgia are served the most, this protest has already arisen, and it will not stop."

At the end of the address, the president recalled that 43 people were detained at the November 28 rally. She called on Georgian society not to forget about them, adding that she herself feels personally responsible for their fate.

Zurabishvili said she also remains committed to the protests that have engulfed the entire country:

"The resistance movement has begun. It has begun by you, without any instructions or requests from anyone. A peaceful and constitutional movement."

The President stressed that it will continue until Georgia achieves its goal – returns to the European path and achieves new elections .

SOVA on Instagram / Facebook/

About ten journalists from various media outlets were injured today during the dispersal of the protest on Rustaveli Avenue.
t.me/georgia_24/598…

2/
Georgian top model Matilda Gvarliani reacts to the events in Tbilisi via social media.

Among her posts last night were a link to a statement by former Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania, a photo of the Georgian president addressing special forces before the dispersal, and patriotic graffiti on the walls of Tbilisi.

1/
Russia’s rising stagflation threat
en.thebell.io/russias-rising… 2/
Weekly guide to the Russian economy—written by Alexander Kolyandr and Alexandra Prokopenko and brought to you by The Bell.

Our top story this week is the growing prospect that the Russian economy will enter a period of stagflation.

"Recrimination and finger-pointing as Russia heads for stagflation"

The Russian economy is showing more and more signs that growth is slowing, and economists are beginning to talk more and more about stagflation – a combination of low growth and high inflation.

As no-one can openly blame the Ukraine war, the Central Bank highlights “external factors,” while business leaders and government-connected economists blame the Central Bank for imposing record high interest rates.

1/
There is nothing particularly new: ISW analyzed the capabilities of the Russian Oreshnik missile
war.obozrevatel.com/ukr/nemae-nich… 2/
There is nothing particularly new about the experimental Russian Oreshnik missile ,
obozrevatel.com/ukr/entity/rak…
no matter what #Russian dictator Vladimir Putin says.

Statements about its range and payload, as well as destructive capabilities, allegedly comparable to a meteorite impact, are needed by the Kremlin in order to intimidate Ukraine and the West and prevent further strikes on military targets on the territory of the Russian Federation by Western weapons

1/
"Different voices are heard, I want to work with him personally": Zelensky spoke about communication with Trump

war.obozrevatel.com/ukr/lunayut-ri… 2/
President Volodymyr Zelenskyi said that Ukraine will definitely work with the team of the president-elect of the United States of America, Donald Trump .

1/
Putin’s nuclear brinkmanship and Potemkin’s village
By
John Schindler

washingtonexaminer.com/in_focus/32433… 2/
- Talk of war, a big war, is rising in Europe.
As the third anniversary of Russia’s renewed aggression against Ukraine approaches next February, #NATO is bracing for the worst.

Last week, the United Kingdom’s uniformed defense chief, Adm. Sir Tony Radakin, stated that his country must seriously prepare for war.

He acknowledged that Britain must do more to get ready, without delay, since “we don’t have the culture of total defense.”

1/
A new stage of attacks on Russia: more than 200 enemy military objects are targeted by missiles and drones of the SOU
ukrinform.ua/rubric-ato/393… 2/
The Defense Forces of Ukraine will be able to achieve a much greater effect in the matter of undermining the logistical support of the DOM
After the information appeared in the Western media that Ukraine received permission to launch strikes with long-range missiles on the territory of Russia , we observed at least three that clearly fit into the concept of hitting military facilities and related infrastructure.
war.obozrevatel.com/ukr/nyt-bajden…

And despite the fact that the strike zone is limited to 300 kilometers from the border with Ukraine, this is enough to focus on the targets located there, which are more than 200 stationary military facilities of varying degrees of importance.

Before paying attention to attacks on the Russian Federation with new means of attack, which so far include ATACMS and Storm Shadow, I want to remind you what the Defense Forces of Ukraine mostly used to attack Russian targets.

The main means of defeat were shock drones , which, depending on their modifications, covered hundreds to thousands of kilometers.

1/
"Putin's latest steps show his desperation": Ukraine's ambassador to the OSCE made a loud statement

war.obozrevatel.com/ukr/ostanni-kr… 2/
Victoria Kuvshinnikova, acting permanent representative of Ukraine to international organizations in Vienna, said during the meeting of the Permanent Council of the OSCE that the Kremlin's latest escalating steps are a sign of Vladimir Putin's desperation.

- She emphasized that Russia's actions, including the deployment of troops from North Korea, strikes on nuclear facilities and new ballistic missiles, testify to Moscow's efforts to intimidate Ukraine and its partners.

This is reported by "Ukrinform". Kuvshinnikova noted that such steps by the Kremlin are a manifestation of Putin's weakness .
ukrinform.ua/rubric-polytic…

"Vladimir Putin's latest escalating moves, including the deployment of troops to North Korea, the attack on nuclear power facilities and the use of a new ballistic missile, are signs of his desperation. The stability of Ukraine and the unity of the free world are his weaknesses. Putin is looking for new means of terror to to break the will of Ukrainians to resist. He is intensifying blackmail to stop our friends and partners from supporting Ukraine," she said

1/
Kenneth Gregg volunteer in #Ukraine 

27.11.2024 the update. Today I have to start by denying what the so-called journalist Kirsi Jääskeläinen publishes in the newspaper ILTASANOMAT. Although you are a desktop journalist, you should probably double check the facts and indicate the EXACT source you are using. Now this journalist refers to another newspaper's publication but gives the impression that it is direct Ukrainian intelligence sources who stand as informants. Let me tear apart this misleading publication: 2/
1: Our intelligence service is not in the habit of giving statements about upcoming tourist operations or what countermeasures will be taken.

2: The article claims that Zaporizhia is under constant missile and glide bomb attacks and that 1,500 homes have been destroyed. This is not the case, and if it were, evacuation of the city would have already started

3: The article claims that Putin will allocate 130,000 men to capture the city. If he had done this at the beginning of the war when he had well trained soldiers he might have had a chance to succeed, not today. In addition, the question arises from where he will take these 130,000 men. Right now he is losing more soldiers than he can send to the front per month.

4: the largest source is listed as the Economist, which in itself should be thought provoking

1/
Joakim von Braun

Swedish well known (best known) security and eastern Europe expert

Most prominent
-------

241126
Time: 15.00

- Russia is crashing!  

More and more of Putin's dream kingdom is now turning into a nightmare! Soon, every little part of Russia that works as it should will be a news item worth mentioning in the media.

- When almost all the money goes to the Russian military, inflation accelerates, the interest rate is up to 21 percent and quantities of goods are missing, then the dissatisfaction of the Russian leadership grows.

However, the Russian armed forces are the biggest loser.

Nothing seems to work. In addition to North Koreans, you also have to forcibly recruit soldiers, e.g. from Nepal and Yemen.

The men think they will get work in Russian industry, but on the spot they are forced to sign papers in Russian (which they don't understand) that force them to fight for Russia.
2/
The explosions among military objects are increasing!
In the last week, Ukraine has succeeded in at least two hits in large military ammunition stores.

An unnamed ammunition depot in Novgorod Oblast was blown up recently and just a day before, the 67th Arsenal (в/ч 92919) ammunition depot in Karatjev, Bryansk Oblast was obliterated.

Since the beginning of September, Ukraine has successfully attacked and in several cases destroyed around 10 Russian ammunition depots. Russia is lying as usual and basically claims that all damage caused by Ukrainian drone and missile attacks is always caused by falling debris from the missiles and drones shot down

1/
Command post of the Russian army with North Korean generals? The probable target of the Storm Shadow attack on Kurshchyna became known

Ukraine began using not only ATACMS ballistic missiles, but also Storm Shadow/SCALP cruise missiles for attacks on Russian territory. One of these strikes was an object in the Kursk region, in particular, in the village of Maryine.

The target of the missile attack was probably the underground command post of the Russian troops, which could be used not only for communication, but also for the coordination of military operations. All details:
war.obozrevatel.com/ukr/komandnij-… 2/
Ukraine began using not only ATACMS ballistic missiles, but also Storm Shadow/SCALP cruise missiles for attacks on the territory of Russia. One of these strikes was an object in the Kursk region, in particular in the village of Maryino.
obozrevatel.com/ukr/entity/sto…

1/
#Russia is losing stocks of Soviet equipment in the war against Ukraine: ISW @TheStudyofWar told what problems the Kremlin will face in 2025
war.obozrevatel.com/ukr/rosiya-vtr… 2/
Launching a full-scale invasion of #Ukraine️ at the end of February 2022 , the Kremlin counted on a quick fall of the victim of aggression, the capture of #Kyiv in three days and the installation of a puppet government there.
obozrevatel.com/ukr/topic/vojn…

The thousand days that have passed since then have shown the fallacy of such a calculation and put Russia in a situation of constant decline in its military power

1/
To hold the Kursk region and not only": the political scientist explained what the USA is counting on by allowing Ukraine to use long-range weapons on the territory of the Russian Federation

The USA, having given Ukraine a "green light" to use long-range weapons on the territory of the Russian Federation, does not think that this will fundamentally change the course of the war. However, as The New York Times and Washington Post write, the White House expects that Kyiv will at least be able to stop the active advance of Russian troops

There is probably an assumption that Ukraine will be forced to sit down at the negotiating table. And in order to balance the territories, Ukraine needs to have its forces in the Kursk region of the Russian Federation, said political scientist-American Oleksandra Filipenko

Details: 2/
The USA, having given Ukraine a "green light" to use long-range weapons on the territory of the Russian Federation , do not think that this will fundamentally change the course of the war. However, as The New York Times and Washington Post write, the White House expects that Kyiv will at least be able to stop the active advance of Russian troops.
obozrevatel.com/ukr/topic/udar…

Probably, there is an assumption that Ukraine will still be forced to sit down at the negotiating table. And in order to balance the territories, Ukraine needs to have its own forces in the Kursk region of the Russian Federation. American political scientist Oleksandra Filipenko said this in an interview.

"In order for this Kursk region to be a part, let's say, controlled by Ukraine, and this was a way of putting pressure on the Russian side, accordingly, this is what ATACMS can help with," she said. This permission from the States also has a great psychological significance.

The reason why Washington made such a decision after all is the participation of North Korean troops in the war against Ukraine, which worries the USA and China very much. In this there is a point of contact in the interests of the last two countries.

1/
Enough for three months: the ISW assessed whether the possible involvement of 100,000 would save Russia. DPRK soldiers before the war

North Korea continues to provide military support to Russia, including the provision of missile and artillery systems and the potential deployment of additional troops.

It is predicted that this may affect the military operations of the aggressor in the short term, but the long-term benefits for him remain limited.

Details:
news.obozrevatel.com/ukr/russia/vis… 2/
Even the gradual deployment of 100,000 troops from the DPRK is unlikely to allow the Russian Federation to compensate for the current high level of casualties. Analysts of the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) came to this conclusion
understandingwar.org/backgrounder/r…

1/
The largest missile attack on Ukraine during the entire war: the Russian army raised dozens of planes and launched more than 100 missiles

war.obozrevatel.com/ukr/rosiya-vno… 2/
On November 17, the aggressor country Russia carried out the most massive combined attack on Ukraine in the entire full-scale war , using 210 means of air attack . The defenders of the sky shot down 102 Russian missiles of various types and 42 drones , almost as many drones were lost in location.

Anti-aircraft defense worked in almost all regions , in some there are defeats with victims and victims. The command of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine told about the repulse of the attack, which began as early as 20:00 of the previous day .

"The Russian occupiers carried out a massive combined strike on the facilities of the energy sector of Ukraine with various types of air-, land- and sea-based missiles, as well as Shahed-type attack UAVs. In general, according to preliminary data, the radio engineering forces of the Armed Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine identified and escorted 210 enemy air targets - 120 missiles and 90 drones ," the military said.

In particular, the enemy used:

– 3M22 "Zirkon" hypersonic ship missile ;

– eight Kh-47M2 "Kinzhal" aeroballistic missiles ;

– 101 Kh-101 Kalibr cruise missiles ;

– one "Iskander-M" ballistic missile ;

– four Kh-22/Kh-31P cruise/anti-radar missiles ;

– five Kh-59/Kh-69 guided air missiles ;

– 90 attack UAVs/drones of an unspecified type (from the Kursk, Orel, Primorsko-Akhtarsk regions of the Russian Federation).

The enemy involved seven Tu-160 and 16 Tu-95MS strategic bombers , two Tu-22M3 long-range bombers, five Su-34 fighter-bombers , four Su-27 fighters, 10 MiG-31K fighters, four ships - carriers of cruise missiles," the message says.