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For the Pentagon now, “don’t ask, don’t tell” is one way of giving war weapons to Ukraine
By tom On Monday, October 17 th, 2022 · no Comments · In And more news stories ,News stories ,WritingBy Tom Squitieri Red Snow News WASHINGTON — The Pentagon has a new “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy — with this time the policy is about weapon systems it is giving or considering giving to Ukraine and not sexual orientation of personnel. At the forefront are two weapons systems: anti-personnel mines, known as Claymores, andRead moreIn Latvia, The Summer Winds Are Calm But No One Is Fooled, And No One Forgets
By tom On Thursday, August 11 th, 2022 · no Comments · In And more news stories ,News stories ,WritingBy Tom Squitieri Red Snow News RIGA, Latvia — No one forgets. It is rule one in the often trampled lands of eastern and southern Europe. And so, when Americans ponder why Latvians and others immediately recoil when a once angry bear growls again — and then ask for more, more, more support and militaryRead moreAustin To U.S. Troops: Be Ready To Defend “Every Inch” of NATO Territory
By tom On Tuesday, August 09 th, 2022 · no Comments · In And more news stories ,News stories ,WritingBy Tom Squitieri Red Snow News LIELVARDE AIR BASE, Latvia — Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told a group of U.S. military personnel to get off the base and learn about the countryside because “you are here to defend every inch of NATO territory.” Austin stopped at the Lielvarde Air Base in Latvia on his wayRead moreOutgoing Africa Command General: U.S. Casualties in Somalia “Inevitable”
By tom On Thursday, July 28 th, 2022 · no Comments · In And more news stories ,News stories ,WritingBy Tom Squitieri Red Snow News WASHINGTON — The outgoing commander of U.S. Africa Command said it is “inevitable” that the U.S. forces in Somalia will take casualties, chalking it up to fortunes of war and an enemy determined to kill Americans. “Even if you do everything right” there will be casualties, Gen. Stephen TownsendRead moreAir National Guard Filling Gaps As Force Multiplier for U.S. Space Force
By tom On Thursday, July 28 th, 2022 · no Comments · In And more news stories ,News stories ,WritingBy Tom Squitieri Red Snow News WASHINGTON — Select Air National Guard states with space capabilities have stepped up to fill the gap of backing up the Space Force as a force multiplier in the space domain while being liaisons with militaries in other nations. Right now, Air National Guard units from New York areRead moreWe Are Better Than The Russians, Pentagon Touts
By Tom Squitieri Red Snow News WASHINGTON —The fog of war wins again, but at least the U.S. military is better than the Russians. Those themes were driven home repeatedly Tuesday as the Pentagon released the results on the completion of a review into civilian casualties that occurred from a U.S. airstrike on March 18,Read moreNo Safeguards for Advanced, Coveted Weapon?
By tom On Tuesday, April 19 th, 2022 · no Comments · In And more news stories ,News stories ,WritingBy Tom Squitieri Red Snow News WASHINGTON — The U.S. lost significant equipment to the Taliban when it left Afghanistan in August 2021. Now the Pentagon is sending to Ukraine an experimental cutting-edge coastal defense system and seems not to have a concern about the cutting-edge technology possibly falling into Russian hands. “I don’t evenRead moreWe Do It For You; Now You Can Look And Act
By tom On Thursday, April 07 th, 2022 · no Comments · In And more news stories ,News stories ,WritingBy Tom Squitieri Red Snow News WASHINGTON — The first massacre victim I met was really two, an elderly couple still holding hands three days after an ambush along a dusty Bosnian road left them and a dozen others dead. The only way to find out who they, and the others who were slain —Read more“Zeitenwende” Has Arrived And Germany Is Responding
By tom On Tuesday, March 29 th, 2022 · no Comments · In And more news stories ,News stories ,WritingBy Tom Squitieri Red Snow News WASHINGTON – German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht said Tuesday that “zeitenwende” — the turning point — has arrived in Germany and for NATO, that “If Putin’s plans don’t work out, we owe this largely to this NATO unity” and that President Biden’s vow that “America is back” is “totallyRead moreWorld War One Is Calling Ukraine
By tom On Saturday, March 19 th, 2022 · no Comments · In And more news stories ,News stories ,WritingBy Tom Squitieri Red Snow News WASHINGTON — It took about a month for stalement to be achieved on the Western Front during World War One. We may look back at today and see as four weeks of the Russian-Ukraine war has ended, a similar stalemate has ensued. Then the new advances in technology —Read moreA High Target Area That Rumbles In Confidence, Not Concern
By tom On Monday, February 28 th, 2022 · no Comments · In And more news stories ,News stories ,WritingBy Tom Squitieri Red Snow News WASHINGTON – A Russian military convoy nearing the outskirts of Kyiv is now believed to be more than 40 miles long and includes armored vehicles, tanks, towed artillery, and other vehicles. It is what is known in military parlance as a “high-target area” — a long convoy, moving slow,Read more“A No Kidding Invasion of Their County” As The Next 48 hours Become Critical For Ukraine
By tom On Friday, February 25 th, 2022 · no Comments · In And more news stories ,News stories ,WritingBy Tom Squitieri Red Snow News WASHINGTON — Ukraine’s military has dealt the Russian invading forces unexpected setbacks and has prevented Moscow from being able to “executive their plans as they deemed they would” the Pentagon said. “Our understanding is they have experienced some setbacks,” John Kirby, the Pentagon spokesperson, told reporters, referring to theRead more
By Tom Squitieri
Red Snow News
WASHINGTON — Ukraine’s military has dealt the Russian invading forces unexpected setbacks and has prevented Moscow from being able to “executive their plans as they deemed they would” the Pentagon said.
“Our understanding is they have experienced some setbacks,” John Kirby, the Pentagon spokesperson, told reporters, referring to the Russian invaders. Of Ukraine’s military, he said “they are fighting back and we have seen measures of success.”
At a Twitter forum in Washington sponsored by the German Marshall Fund, Olena Sotnyk, an adviser to Ukraine’s deputy prime minister, said, “The next 48 hours will be decisive.”
On Friday, Russian troops were attacking from the north toward Kyiv, from the northeast, from the east, and the south. Ukraine lost the city of Konotop. There’s an ongoing fight for control of the city of Melitopol. Russia has reached the line of Kherson – Nova Kakhova – Kakhova to hold the dam of North Crimean Canal and establish provision of water to Crimea. Russia has deployed additional units in the direction of Skadovsk.
Kirby called it a “no kidding invasion of their country.”
Officials warned residents of Kyiv to “prepare Molotov cocktails” as Russian troops advanced on the capital.
“We are continuing to provide” lethal and non-lethal aid to Ukraine,” Kirby said. “We will have to look for other ways to do this (provide support) since the air space over Ukraine is contested. We are going to provide additional security assistance. How that is going to be done is still being worked out.”
Disparate battlefield reports offered different storylines, some which Pentagon officials acknowledged, others that they professed unaware.
For example, Kirby was asked about a widely circulated and publicized plea by Ukraine President Zelensky for NATO, including the U.S., to establish a no-fly zone in Ukrainian skies as it has done in Syria and other conflict zones. “I haven’t seen that request,” Kirby told reporters.
On Friday, NATO for the first time activated its rapid response force. Kirby said that forces, which will include thousands of U.S. troops, will be deployed to some NATO nations only —not neutrals like Finland and Moldova who are also threatened by the Russian rampage.
‘That’s a big deal,” Kirby said. “We are going to lean in as much as we can.” Between 10,000 and 12,000 U.S. troops have been put on heightened alert to deploy.
He also said there are no plans to remove National Guard forces now in Moldova training that military, Moldova had a revolt by its Russian-speaking minority in a war in 1992, and now there are 1,500 Russian paratroopers based in the contested area.
What is clear are Ukraine heroes.
A group of 13 soldiers on Zmiinyi (Snake) island are being honored as heroes after they died refusing to surrender to a Russian warship, which then blasted them to death.
At Henichesk bridge, Vitaliy Skakun Volodymyrovych sacrificed his life by blowing up a bridge linking Russian-occupied Crimea to Ukraine trying to stop Russian troops.