The Ukraine Crisis Part 2 . The Battle for the Donbas

Reports are coming in from Norway and Finland that people, who are believed to be russian spies, have been using camera drones to spy on locations with critical infrastructure, such as power plants, gas pipelines and military bases. In Norway, several people with connections to russia have been arrested for doing this.

Norwegian Police detains son of close Putin ally for flying drone at Svalbard

russia is doing missile testing with the Yars ICBMs at the Plesetsk cosmodrome in Arkhangelsk.

Russia tested all legs of nuclear triad over the Arctic

The Belgians are warning that if the situation escalates into a full on war between russia and the west, Brussels would be the first target for russian nukes.

https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20...cCQHTZmGQu+V0VrWuHzsXc00vJcY0rrdw5+4qsQ==&utm

Google translate from dutch:
"The Belgian security services are understaffed, underfunded and teeming with political appointments, harassment and abuse of power. They are also not particularly highly regarded by, say, the American CIA or the British MI6, on whom they depend for vital information. Because our country, as the headquarters of the EU and NATO, is the ideal target. "In a nuclear attack on the West, the first atomic bomb is for us," says intelligence specialist Kenneth Lasoen (UA/Clingendael). At the same time, he is firm about the rumors about Putin's health."

 

Meanwhile at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic..

 

Ukraine Unleashes Mass Kamikaze Drone Boat Attack On Russia's Black Sea Fleet

 

"Smol countri scary." t. Putin

In the meanwhile, even the Wagner group's mercenaries have hit rock bottom. Morale is at an all time low despite the Wagner mercs getting handsomely paid (around 5000$ per month), and they've tossed standards out the window in their recruiting process. They'll now take anyone in, and this includes even people with some serious health issues, like Hepatitis C and HI-virus infections, indicating that they could be hiring people with serious drug abuse issues for example. Wagner is also hiring Afghan fighters, former allies of the United States, who have previously fled their home country, after the US all but abandoned them when they withdrew from Afghanistan in 2021. Many now don't have choice, they can't return home to Afghanistan, where they'd be killed for sure by the angry and vindictive Taliban.

According to CNN, Iran is sending more ammo to the russians. This would include more combat drones and at least 1000 short range missiles. Ukrainians have already warned that they might not be able to defend against these missiles, or shoot them down.

 

Ukraine and Israel are currently in negotiations over Kyiv’s request for Israel to provide air defense systems and missile technology - Hopefully all will go well.

 

So Iran is supplying weapons to Russia, and now it seems Israel will provide weapons to Ukraine. More and more it seems Ukraine has become a testing ground for new weapons technologies. Must the entire country be reduced to rubble before it ends?

 

The war appears to be a testing ground for old and new technology

You couldn’t help but be impressed by Ukrainian innovation by attacking the Russian Black Sea Fleet with a number of unmanned naval sea drones.

In the video you can clearly see the drone or unmanned surface vehicle being shot at by a Russian MI-17 helicopter as it approaches its target The Admiral Makarov Frigate.
The Makarov is the flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet. The drone impacts the ship then the video cuts out.

The drone wasn't powerful enough to sink the ship (or so its presumed) unless it hit below the water line.

If it was undamaged Russian news media would have released footage of the Makarov going about its merry way

 

The war will start slowing up soon as winter approaches .

There is rumour of a possible ceasefire for winter .

 

But would the Ukrainians roll with this while they still have the momentum? If they can get proper winter gear, they could possibly keep fighting and strike a serious blow against the weakened russians, who are already poorly equipped as it is, and probably not ready to handle winter battlefield conditions. Not to mention, a ceasefire would buy the ruskis more time to re-arm themselves and gather more troops. According to CNN and US intelligence sources, North-Korea has now begun sending artillery shells to the russians in secret. You can bet that russia is not gonna stop bombing Ukrainian cities for the winter holidays. That's expecting too much of them.

Also, according to NY Times, russian military leadership is now discussing the possibility of using tactical nukes. While no preparations have been made to deploy them, just the fact that they're even considering this is disturbing.