[New post can be found here](/r/worldnews/comments/1tbokgc/rworldnews_live_thread_russian_invasion_of/)
1
progress1819 hr ago
+34
> **Inside Russia’s push to recruit students as drone pilots in Ukraine**
>
> *“No one wants to join,” one student at a university in Siberia told NBC News. “No one is interested. Everyone understands that it’s not as they say it is.”*
>
> Students at universities across Russia are being promised high salaries, no front-line duty and a return to their studies within a year with free tuition if they join Russia’s newly formed drone force, meant to give Moscow an edge amid Ukraine’s significant leaps in drone warfare.
>
> But rights activists told NBC News the offer could be a trap that would see students in the thick of the fighting in Ukraine, risking being drafted into front-line infantry units with no way out until the war ends.
>
> The intense recruitment drive has accelerated since January, reflecting the increasingly crucial role of drone warfare in the conflict, now into its fifth year. Russia is sustaining heavy casualties, and the U.S.-led peace talks have stalled amid the focus on the Middle East.
>
> Andrey, a student from the Krasnoyarsk region in Siberia, told NBC News he attended an event at his university in February where a man from the military enlistment office as well as a veteran of what Russia calls its “special military operation” told students, all young men, about the new drone force and its personnel needs.
>
> They were told about all sorts of benefits of joining, said Andrey, who did not want his last name, age or the name of his university published out of fear of potential repercussions for speaking about a sensitive security topic during the war.
>
> --[NBC News](https://www.nbcnews.com/world/russia/russia-recruit-students-drone-pilots-ukraine-putin-war-rcna331675)
34
hornswoggled11118 hr ago
+14
That drone force role being largely the drone in the face role.
14
TurbulentRadish811321 hr ago
+38
> "A Ukrainian ground drone with 300 kg of explosives almost completely demolished a huge building with a terrorist group in Kostiantynivka."
It's so bad the Russians are getting into yet another city. Let's see how long this fight lasts.
https://bsky.app/profile/the-hedgehog.bsky.social/post/3mlonhv3nt22t
38
b3iAAoLZOH9Y265cujFh20 hr ago
+14
Oof, yeah. That'll ruin someone's day.
14
TurbulentRadish811322 hr ago
+34
> Drone strike on Russia and Crimea underway 23:20 | 12/05 Approximate flight routes of our UAVs: 🔴Red arrow - directions of movement of strike UAVs;
> According to Russian sources, about 250 drones were reported, but these estimates, along with the routes, are extremely indicative."
https://bsky.app/profile/the-hedgehog.bsky.social/post/3mlomkiqbyk2t
34
Remarkable_Beach_54523 hr ago
+28
Belarus is preparing their military for potential combat operations
https://united24media.com/world/lukashenko-says-belarus-is-preparing-for-war-plans-to-mobilize-units-18737
28
Frexxia17 hr ago
+8
They've been saying this since 2022
8
Uhhh_what55547638411 hr ago
+1
It's the annual "get Putin off our back" declaration, followed by the "our military would mutiny" leak.
1
PanneKopp22 hr ago
+20
I always get a little nervous when they start wargames at Belarus because they changed their constitition to go into war siding with Russia if it gets attacked, I do also believe Russia is hiding some things over there, their recent deployment of missiles tells a lot
20
Uhhh_what55547638411 hr ago
+1
Russia does their training and war games in Belarus because (1) it keeps their training units safe from Ukraine; (2) provides a garrison force to prevent the overthrow of Lukoshenko; and (3) forces Ukraine to man the line west of Kyiv.
They'll never actually attack from Belarus again. Against a prepared enemy it's a terrible line to attack across full of swamps and Chernobyl.
1
OrangeBird07722 hr ago
+23
I’m shocked they have any material left to arm their military with. Russia confiscated everything after the initial rout at Kyiv happened.
That being said, would Putin either invade and annex Belarus as a win at home to show the domestic audience they accomplished something, or is Lukashenko concerned that Ukraine could try to expand the conflict into Belarus?
If Ukraine invades it could not only upend another Russian ally in Europe, and expand a huge warzone that Russia already lacks the necessary manpower for. Belarusian territory has been used to facilitate Russian strikes, and if the UA wants to free up troops to be redeployed to the East the northern axis needs to be closed off permanently.
Not to mention there are Free Belarusian units in the UA who want to topple the current dictatorship in their homeland.
23
AgentElman21 hr ago
+16
The only thing Belarus could provide is bodies.
But pull the military that is propping up Lukashenko out of Belarus and they might lose the country.
16
b3iAAoLZOH9Y265cujFh21 hr ago
+14
As we know from their propagantistic videos, the only equipment the Belarusian army needs is steel chains on fire so they can jump them to demonstrate their martial prowess and manliness. Heck, building human pyramids and waving flags doesn't even need any materiel at all.
14
ZappaOMatic1 day ago
+38
[Scottish military instructor who spied for Russia jailed in Ukraine:](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c775vze3r4do)
> A Scottish man who worked as a military instructor in Ukraine but was recruited to work as a Russian spy has been jailed in the country for eight-and-a-half years.
> Ross David Cutmore, from Dunfermline in Fife, admitted disclosing "unauthorised information" on the location of Ukrainian units and information on foreign military trainers.
> Cutmore - who arrived in Ukraine in early 2024 - was also accused of discussing terrorist attacks and illegally possessing a pistol supplied by the Russians.
> He admitted his guilt at the Kyiv District Court in Odesa on 30 April under a plea deal and had co-operated with the investigation, according to the Ukrainian authorities.
Cutmore was arrested last year after an investigation by the Ukrainian security service.
> The probe found he had passed on the location coordinates of Ukrainian forces, photographs of training areas and information about military personnel.
> He also collected data on facilities in Odesa, discussed the possibility of using explosive devices and attempted to gain access to the command of military units.
> For one of the tasks he is said to have received 6,000 US dollars (£4,400).
> The Ukrainian security service said he initially travelled to Ukraine to work as an instructor in January 2024 but gave up this work in September that year and began looking for "easy money" in pro-Kremlin online communities.
> He was then recruited by an officer from Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) who offered him cash in exchange for co-operation.
> The Ukrainian authorities said Cutmore also received instructions from the FSB to prepare a series of terrorist attacks.
> They said he was given instructions for making an improvised explosive device, as well as the coordinates of a weapons cache from which he took a Makarov pistol with two loaded magazines.
> He was detained by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) counterintelligence officers at the planning stage in October last year.
38
PanneKopp23 hr ago
+22
a Scot selling his soul for 6k bucks - why ?
22
b3iAAoLZOH9Y265cujFh23 hr ago
+18
I think it reflects well on us that we're unable to comprehend that mindset.
18
thewaxrabbit22 hr ago
+1
I wonder is it possible he was a Ukrainian agent all along?
1
Canop13 hr ago
+1
Why would Ukraine jail a Ukrainian agent ?
1
b3iAAoLZOH9Y265cujFh21 hr ago
+7
How do you figure?
7
TurbulentRadish81131 day ago
+30
> The Russian Ministry of Economic Development's projections till 2029 show a drop in their growth estimate for 2026 from 1,3% to 0,4% but assure that there will be a return to growth without a stimulus something Russian analysts even state ones doubt fearing a recession.
It's just a data table saying what Russia should assume when planning future budgets. I believe they have cancelled most of the public budget planning that usually happens now, so we won't hear the official plans until much later than normal.
Interesting IMO is that they have cut the assumed salary growth this year by about 0.5%. If that happens & employment isn't higher than planned, it would cause a shortfall in the social security contributions that fund pensions, healthcare & family subsidies.
https://bsky.app/profile/delfoo.bsky.social/post/3mlo3ea266s2z
30
findingmike22 hr ago
+13
Also it's hard to deal with high inflation if your salary isn't going up.
13
neonpurplestar1 day ago
+39
Trump and his moron lackey doing everything they can to screw over ukraine and europe:
>Hegseth makes clear he's still refusing to spending congressionally allocated funds to support Ukraine
[https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3mlo3hus2eg26](https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3mlo3hus2eg26)
39
b3iAAoLZOH9Y265cujFh23 hr ago
+20
That sounds like straight up insurrection to me.
20
helm1 day ago
+10
> https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3mlo3hus2eg26
This link doesn't work for me.
10
Zhukov-741 day ago
+30
[Ukraine nears deal with Pentagon to test drones in US](https://archive.ph/2026.05.12-154637/https://www.ft.com/content/461ec432-e647-405f-a027-6dbf4ca4fa3b) \- Financial Times
30
troglydot22 hr ago
+12
This is significant imo. The US coming to rely on Ukrainian drones shifts the power balance a bit.
12
PanneKopp1 day ago
+24
they should take care of their intellectual property before they do so, otherwise it is gone
24
b3iAAoLZOH9Y265cujFh1 day ago
+14
Eh, I mean they should, but... If the US wants to steal IP, they'll steal IP. It's not like they care about adherence to laws these days.
14
b3iAAoLZOH9Y265cujFh1 day ago
+14
Well, I guess it's going to be interesting to see what - if anything - ultimately comes out of that.
Gotta be honest though: I suspect the interesting bit will be how (and how hard) it crashes and burns. And I'm not talking about target drones at White Sands.
14
neonpurplestar1 day ago
+38
This is objectively an avalanche of new taxes:
>The government plans to raise housing and utility rates for Russians by another 36%.
[https://archive.is/BBirZ](https://archive.is/BBirZ)
38
TurbulentRadish811323 hr ago
+15
Total is over three years. Scheduled price rises for Russians in October 2026 (assuming translations are good)
- 9.9% overall utilities
- 15.2% grid electricity
- 9.6% natural gas
Inflation is supposed to fall to 5.2% this year and fall further in the next few years.
15
b3iAAoLZOH9Y265cujFh21 hr ago
+10
> Inflation is supposed to fall to 5.2% this year
According to who? I can't imagine you of all people would actually believe that for a moment.
10
TurbulentRadish811319 hr ago
+7
Oh I'm just quoting the latest russian economic forecasts.
I actually have no idea what the "real" inflation in Russia will be. Or even what it is right now.
7
b3iAAoLZOH9Y265cujFh19 hr ago
+5
Ah, right. Yeah, *that* makes perfect sense. Um, for a given value of "sense" anyway.
5
findingmike22 hr ago
+15
I see no reason to believe inflation falls for Russia and three reasons in your comment that it will continue to be high.
15
TurbulentRadish811319 hr ago
+6
I try to think about why they might expect inflation to fall.
Massive productivity growth? Doesn't seem likely after investment cuts, sanctions and higher fuel prices.
Big drop in demand? Maybe that makes sense. But wouldn't that mean GDP struggling?
There's the currency factor. Iirc imports are ~15-25% of consumption, depending on the year. The strong rouble now is *probably* helping to hide inflation a bit. If they devalue the rouble though, then wouldn't that boost inflation later?
Their assumed combination of recovering growth + lower inflation doesn't seem likely to me. But I'm not an expert.
6
indypuyami1 day ago
+13
The impact of the war is bending their economy back to Soviet style fiat driven economics. Perun did a really good video on the short term cycles.
13
b3iAAoLZOH9Y265cujFh1 day ago
+14
Oh, and that's on top of the previous round of energy price hikes and changes to the thresholds of the electricity categories. That's one hell of a hike, and, correct me if I'm wrong, this seems like it'd counter-progressively hit those with the least to spare hardest.
14
findingmike22 hr ago
+9
Yeah, and they're starting it in winter.
9
b3iAAoLZOH9Y265cujFh21 hr ago
+8
"And then it got worse."
8
hornswoggled1111 day ago
+12
While providing fewer services.
12
Well-Sourced1 day ago
+34
[Empty road to Kramatorsk on May 9 reveal surreal life near Ukraine’s frontline | New Voice of Ukraine](https://english.nv.ua/opinion/empty-road-to-kramatorsk-on-may-9-reveal-ukraine-s-surreal-frontline-reality-50607267.html)
> On May 9, while Vladimir Putin, helped indirectly by Donald Trump’s pressure for a temporary ceasefire, managed to avoid Ukrainian drones over Moscow’s Victory Day parade, I decided to drive from Kharkiv to Kramatorsk.
> It is roughly 200 kilometers along what used to be one of eastern Ukraine’s busiest highways. Before the full-scale invasion, this road carried tourists, truck drivers, families, students and commuters. Now it feels abandoned.
> The closer you get to Donbas, the more the road itself becomes a chronicle of the war. Along the highway stand the skeletons of destroyed military vehicles and burned civilian cars, many already rusting into the landscape after years under rain, snow and sun. Entire villages appear dead: shattered homes, collapsed roofs, empty courtyards overtaken by weeds and grass. Some places look as if their inhabitants simply vanished one day and never returned.
> And most probably never will.
34
dokikod1 day ago
+27
That is so heartbreaking. Putin and Trump are two of the most evil monsters on the planet.
27
Soundwave_131 day ago
+21
Slava Ukraine 🇺🇦
Keep putting pressure on Russia the cracks are starting finally to show
21
neonpurplestar1 day ago
+35
>Debt burden on construction companies almost 500%
According to TsMAKP data, companies are directing 37% of profits toward interest payments - this is a record level.
Net obligations of developers have reached 481% of EBITDA, meaning aggregate debt is nearly five times the profit.
[https://bsky.app/profile/savonianfella.bsky.social/post/3mlndliz7ik2m](https://bsky.app/profile/savonianfella.bsky.social/post/3mlndliz7ik2m)
>Over the past week, 20 defaults were recorded in 🇷🇺 Russia
2024 - 11
2025 - 24
2026 - 11
Over the past week - 20 !!!
[https://bsky.app/profile/savonianfella.bsky.social/post/3mlndmgwxwk2m](https://bsky.app/profile/savonianfella.bsky.social/post/3mlndmgwxwk2m)
35
Strong_Weakness28671 day ago
+17
>Over the past week, 20 defaults were recorded
What are defaults in this context?
17
efrique15 hr ago
+3
A default is some kind of failure to meet some obligation. For this specific context, it would presumably be failing to make a contracted interest payment on a loan. It usually indicates the companies are in financial trouble bigger than they can effectively move deckchairs around to mask; this is generally a bad sign, particularly if they're big (a lot of defaults in such a short space of time is kind of a deal and indicates the construction sector is in big trouble), but not necessarily indicating anything immediately disastrous more broadly. In a normal economy it would make it harder and more expensive to borrow money in future (and might trigger various consequences for current loans), but Russia's economy is ... not really normal, particularly right now.
However if the lenders are themselves on shaky ground, a lot of defaults can be the start of an avalanche of problems ... particularly if the lenders are banks that have recently had a lot of people taking as much of their money out as they can. (I don't know if that's the case here; it might be or the commercial lenders might not be directly exposed to banks holding people's money)
My poorly justified opinion: I think it's one more sign that the Russian economy is heading toward a major crisis, but it doesn't mean it will necessarily be very soon. In part it depends on how that's responded to. Some kinds of response might keep things from falling in a heap quickly but every time they do something to put off the disaster, they bake in a new problem down the track. There's been a lot of "fix this now, worry about the consequences later" going on all over the economy. The bills will eventually all come due at once and there won't be any fixes left.
3
TurbulentRadish81131 day ago
+37
> 1\ Today was the biggest ever (nominal) repo "temporary money creation" auction by the Central Bank of Russia. 4.78 trillion roubles.
> No clear tax deadline or immediate catastrophe event. Other big ones: 👉4.70tr 31 Dec '25 (tax deadline). 👉4.14tr 1 Mar '22 (invasion) 👉3.23tr 6 May '14 (invasion)
> 2\ This is a weekly one, and Russia currently runs regular weekly ones. Last week's amount of 4.13tr rub has now been "destroyed".
> I'm still not sure how to interpret this but it looks and feels like it's a bad sign for Russia.
> 3\ With the World Bank Russia inflation calculator I get inflation-adjusted 10tr rub+ (2026 rub) for the massive Crimea-related one.
> In my view the situation is definitely different now though; this is long-run growth in a pretty isolated finance system vs a shock in '14.
https://bsky.app/profile/leoskyview.bsky.social/post/3mlo2bu67ok2o
37
neonpurplestar1 day ago
+33
1\\ Today was the biggest ever (nominal) repo "temporary money creation" auction by the Central Bank of Russia.
4.78 trillion roubles.
No clear tax deadline or immediate catastrophe event.
Other big ones:
👉4.70tr 31 Dec '25 (tax deadline).
👉4.14tr 1 Mar '22 (invasion)
👉3.23tr 6 May '14 (invasion)
2\\ This is a weekly one, and Russia currently runs regular weekly ones.
Last week's amount of 4.13tr rub has now been "destroyed".
I'm still not sure how to interpret this but it looks and feels like it's a bad sign for Russia.
3\\ With the World Bank Russia inflation calculator I get inflation-adjusted 10tr rub+ (2026 rub) for the massive Crimea-related one.
In my view the situation is definitely different now though; this is long-run growth in a pretty isolated finance system vs a shock in '14.
[https://bsky.app/profile/leoskyview.bsky.social/post/3mlo2bu67ok2o](https://bsky.app/profile/leoskyview.bsky.social/post/3mlo2bu67ok2o)
33
Nurnmurmer1 day ago
+52
**The estimated total russian war losses from 24.02.22 to 12.05.26 inclusive are as follows****:**
* personnel - approximately 1 343 050 (+1 020);
* tanks ‒ 11 926 (+2);
* armored fighting vehicles ‒ 24 553 (+2);
* special equipment ‒ 4 179 (+1);
* vehicles and fuel tanks ‒ 95 855 (+145);
* unmanned ground vehicles ‒ 1 373 (+2).
* artillery systems ‒ 41 935 (+72);
* MLRS ‒ 1 785 (+2);
* air defense assets ‒ 1 373.
* aircraft ‒ 435;
* helicopters ‒ 352;
* UAVs (operational-tactical level) ‒ 285 506 (+1 252);
* cruise missiles ‒ 4 585.
* warships and boats ‒ 33;
* submarines ‒ 2.
Source [https://mod.gov.ua/en/news/total-russian-combat-losses-in-ukraine-as-of-may-12-2026-1](https://mod.gov.ua/en/news/total-russian-combat-losses-in-ukraine-as-of-may-12-2026-1)
Russia grows weaker every day. Slava Ukraini!
52
Well-Sourced1 day ago
+36
[NOELREPORTS | BlueSky](https://bsky.app/profile/noelreports.com/post/3mlnzwhvizs2n)
> Satellite footage confirms a Ukrainian drone attack in May hit a warehouse of unknown purpose at the Bryansk Chemical Plant in Seltso. The strike affected a site inside the enterprise’s territory. #Russia
36
Well-Sourced1 day ago
+33
[🪖MilitaryNewsUA🇺🇦 | BlueSky](https://bsky.app/profile/militarynewsua.bsky.social/post/3mlo2oi35dk2b)
> Ukrainian forces struck two command and observation posts and an enemy control point in the area of Selydove in the temporarily occupied territory of Donetsk region, as well as a UAV control point of the aggressor near Pokrovsk.
> n addition, strikes were carried out on the occupiers’ material and technical support (MTS) warehouse in Novopoltavka, Zaporizhzhia region, a repair unit in Rozkvit in Luhansk region, and on areas where enemy manpower is concentrated in Donetsk (temporarily occupied territory of Donetsk region) and Okhrimivka (temporarily occupied territory of Zaporizhzhia region).
33
neonpurplestar1 day ago
+55
Of all the batsh\*t arguments being put forward by Trump supporters, the one that he was good for Ukraine is easily the most disingenuous. This is what Trump did:
Stopped all aid to Ukraine Starved Ukraine of air defense (which helped Putin kill Ukrainians)…
Tried to bully Ukraine into handing over territory and people to Putin,
Protected Putin from harsh sanctions (and then got rid of those),
Interfered regularly in Ukrainian politics,
Built up the narrative that Russia was super strong while Ukraine had no cards,
Even now, he does Putin's dirty work in negotiating with Ukraine--remember the parade deception.
Yes, Trump has destroyed the notion of there being any truth in politics, but do not let these frauds get away with it.
[https://bsky.app/profile/phillipspobrien.bsky.social/post/3mlmz6aizfc27](https://bsky.app/profile/phillipspobrien.bsky.social/post/3mlmz6aizfc27)
55
socialistrob1 day ago
+17
I'm convinced that if the US had passed another 60 billion dollar aid package (when combined with the aid Europe has provided) then the war would be over and Ukraine would have won by now.
The US passed three big aid packages for the first three years of the war. When they stopped coming it was a huge loss in combat power to Ukraine compared to what they otherwise would have been capable of. Despite this major loss in combat power Ukraine has been able to hold on and even push back a bit at times. If the aid had kept coming I think they would have been able to go on the offensive and score some decisive hits.
17
GetInTheKitchen11 day ago
+16
Yes and no they are lost but indepenents need to see conservatives for the snakes that they are, having killed ukrainians so trump could win 2024 and claim he was pro peace (somehow).
16
unbelievablehulk1 day ago
+24
Also rolled out the red carpet and received Putin with full honors, thereby granting a form of legitimacy to a war criminal wanted by the International Criminal Court.
24
b3iAAoLZOH9Y265cujFh1 day ago
+18
Then [mounted a golden(ish)-framed photo of him and Putin](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/29/trump-putin-white-house-photo) right above one of him and a grandchild in the West Wing. You know, in case he was being too subtle and a few people still didn't get it.
18
neonpurplestar1 day ago
+32
Yet again, trump tries to help putin in any way that he can, because he is putin's w****:
>As Iran war hits U.S. weapons stocks, allies fear impact on Ukraine
[https://archive.is/uLCEn](https://archive.is/uLCEn)
>WP: European allies concerned about future of US weapons supplies to Ukraine
[https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2026/05/12/8034264/](https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2026/05/12/8034264/)
32
neonpurplestar1 day ago
+44
Some headlines from the hellscape that is russia:
>"Layoffs without severance pay." One in four Russian companies has cut staff.
[https://archive.is/xdxyb](https://archive.is/xdxyb)
>The government has lowered its economic growth forecast to nearly zero.
[https://archive.is/YWbYV](https://archive.is/YWbYV)
>"A shortage has already emerged." Attacks on refineries in Russia have led to a gasoline shortage.
[https://archive.is/26P1H](https://archive.is/26P1H)
>The government is preparing to make budget cuts due to a drop in revenue.
[https://archive.is/NT7Jh](https://archive.is/NT7Jh)
44
TurbulentRadish81131 day ago
+22
What's crazy is that the Russia's official budget already included spending cuts on the war in 2026.
Assuming we believe their numbers for 2025 spending and the 2026 budget law.
22
TurbulentRadish81131 day ago
+35
> Ukrainian middle strike drones targeted: PRV-16 radar (Donetsk) P-18 radar (Donetsk)
These are old Soviet radars. Less capable and less valuable than lots of the other recent hits. But thé radars should be useful still, and I don't think Russia builds them any more. Sounds like another good night to me.
https://bsky.app/profile/the-hedgehog.bsky.social/post/3mlnhf6l6dc2g
35
TurbulentRadish81131 day ago
+27
> Drone strikes hit targets near Dzhankoi in occupied Crimea overnight on May 5-6, including an S-400 launcher, 2 mobile fire group vehicles and Dzhankoi railway station.
Unconfirmed but I love it when S-400 launchers blow up.
https://bsky.app/profile/noelreports.com/post/3mlnxjhvbi22n
27
TurbulentRadish81131 day ago
+34
> The ISW reports that Russia used the "truce" to regroup rather than to de-escalate. Combat operations did not cease for a single day.
> While the "silence regime" was in effect, the Russian Federation brought up reserves and built up personnel. It sharply increased the use of "Molniya" drones - likely stockpiled in advance specifically for this purpose.
I think this is obvious & expected, but it's worth thinking about how ceasefires are used before judging any future ones.
https://bsky.app/profile/wartranslated.bsky.social/post/3mlnhwxja3c22
34
RealisticEntity17 hr ago
+1
>Russia used the "truce" to regroup rather than to de-escalate
Of course - anybody with a brain knows that Russia isn't, and was never, interested in peace. Any ceasefire is just an opportunity for Russia to put their forces into a better position to further their invasion and any peace agreement is essentially just demanding Ukraine surrender on Russia's terms (despite Russia's mounting losses on the battlefield and evidence they won't be able to continue the way things are going).
That's why the absolute destruction of Russia's economy / oil and gas industry is so important - they're clearly not going to stop unless they physically and financially can't go on. Or Putin gets assassinated for destroying Russia and / or being severely weakened - one or the other.
1
PanneKopp1 day ago
+9
it was Donalds little present for Putin
9
TurbulentRadish81131 day ago
+32
> Russian blogger Fighterbomber is asking his followers to please donate a car to the Russian air force. The russian air force needs random people to give it a car. It doesn't matter what kind. Any car. Any make. Any model, the air force is desperate. The Russian motherland needs a car.
Fighters from both sides beg for cars. I think this is the first time I've seen the air force begging though.
https://bsky.app/profile/the-hedgehog.bsky.social/post/3mlnjgpbqp22g
32
PanneKopp1 day ago
+9
usually one would quit job, but hey, suffering seem tradition in Russia, while Stalin is hailed again
9
arvigeus1 day ago
+17
I am interested in donating to the Russian air forces! I have a LEGO Toy Car, I hope they have fun with it!
17
Soundwave_131 day ago
+10
Don’t give them that! Once it breaks it turns into even more land mines! Have you ever stepped on a Lego at night?
10
Intrepid_Top_23001 day ago
+12
Slava Ukraine!
12
Well-Sourced1 day ago
+30
[24Hours Ukraine | BlueSky](https://bsky.app/profile/24hoursukraine.bsky.social/post/3mlnnqmknxk23)
> Ukrainian Liutyi drone flying above Orenburg, Russia.
[24Hours Ukraine | BlueSky](https://bsky.app/profile/24hoursukraine.bsky.social/post/3mlnjwyq5k223)
> Booommm 💥 Fiiiiiiiirrreeee 🔥
> Orenburg, Russia - 1300km from Ukraine.
[🪖MilitaryNewsUA🇺🇦 | BlueSky](https://bsky.app/profile/militarynewsua.bsky.social/post/3mlnniogdlk2x)
> ❗️Moment of the explosion in 🇷🇺Orenburg
30
hornswoggled1111 day ago
+9
Do we know what they hit?
9
Well-Sourced16 hr ago
+2
It did not hit the target which was the Strela defense plant.
["An attack drone was spotted over the Russian city of Orenburg, heading toward the Strela defense plant. This plant manufactures cruise missiles and components for Su and MiG aircraft. According to ASTRA, the drone sharply deviated from its initial trajectory at the last moment. It is possible that attempts were made to jam its communications using electronic warfare systems."](https://militarnyi.com/en/news/attack-drone-spotted-russian-city-orenburg/)
2
hornswoggled11114 hr ago
+2
Sad for the drone. But hopefully others will come finish the job.
2
Well-Sourced1 day ago
+35
[🪖MilitaryNewsUA🇺🇦 | BlueSky](https://bsky.app/profile/militarynewsua.bsky.social/post/3mlnom4v24c2n)
> The Russian vessel Ursa Major, which sank on December 22, 2024, off the coast of Spain under mysterious circumstances, was likely carrying components of two nuclear reactors intended for a North Korean submarine.
> The captain told Spanish investigators that the ship may have been redirected to North Korea. After a series of explosions on board, two sailors were killed. Later, the Russian research ship Yantar spent several days above the wreckage, after which four more explosions occurred in the area.
> One year later, North Korea announced the construction of its first nuclear-powered submarine
35
PanneKopp1 day ago
+7
wait until Iran announces its bomb, Donald speeded things up significantly, Putin grins
7
Well-Sourced1 day ago
+23
[🪖MilitaryNewsUA🇺🇦 | BlueSky](https://bsky.app/profile/militarynewsua.bsky.social/post/3mlnpd2bv222x)
> Detonation of a shelter with 🇷🇺Russian soldiers in the ruins of a building by an infantry group from the 🇺🇦214th Assault Battalion of the Ukrainian Armed Forces (OPFOR). Ukrainian fighters planted improvised explosive devices at both entrances to the shelter at once in order to reduce the likelihood that the enemy could escape.
23
Well-Sourced1 day ago
+29
[🪖MilitaryNewsUA🇺🇦 | BlueSky](https://bsky.app/profile/militarynewsua.bsky.social/post/3mlnrzebncs2p)
> In 🇷🇺Perm today there are also explosions, with a large-scale fire at the scene.
> The distance from the state border of 🇺🇦Ukraine is 1,500 km
[🪖MilitaryNewsUA🇺🇦 | BlueSky](https://bsky.app/profile/militarynewsua.bsky.social/post/3mlnmzo2h722w)
> 🇷🇺Chelyabinsk. Reports of smoke in the area of the zinc plant.
> An air alert had previously been declared in the region.
29
Shepherd_of_Ideas1 day ago
+6
Thanks for the good news!
6
Well-Sourced1 day ago
+25
[🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 | BlueSky](https://bsky.app/profile/specialkhersoncat.bsky.social/post/3mlnw2qax7c2z)
> 🚀Ukrainian FP-1/FP-2 strike drone launching an unguided air-to-surface rocket at a Russian mobile air defense group during the overnight raid on Crimea.
> The first known use of unguided air-to-surface rockets from Ukrainian aerial drones.
25
0camel691 day ago
+38
I just donated to United24. The tide is turning. Slava Ukraine.
38
KentuckyLucky331 day ago
+15
Well done!
Slava Ukraine
15
barney-panofsky1 day ago
+31
Surviving Mariupol: How the Drama Theater became an emblem of Ukrainian resistance under siege
[https://www.theatlantic.com/international/2026/05/mariupol-theater-survival-ukraine/687112/?gift=hVZeG3M9DnxL4CekrWGK3yvwArFWsP5zibKOdYRScUM&utm\_source=copy-link&utm\_medium=social&utm\_campaign=share](https://www.theatlantic.com/international/2026/05/mariupol-theater-survival-ukraine/687112/?gift=hVZeG3M9DnxL4CekrWGK3yvwArFWsP5zibKOdYRScUM&utm_source=copy-link&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=share)
For 62 years, the Donetsk Regional Academic Drama Theater was among the most spacious and sturdiest structures in Mariupol. When Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 and laid siege to Mariupol, the building became an enduring emblem of the city’s resistance.
31
troglydot1 day ago
+71
Signs of gasoline shortage in Russia (again).
>The Russian fuel ma rket is experiencing a growing shortage of AI-95 gasoline. This is due to unscheduled refinery maintenance, reduced primary refining, and seasonal consumption increases. According to ma rket participants, refineries are being forced to reallocate production in favor of the more socially significant AI-92. Meanwhile, demand for AI-95 is growing faster than su pply ahead of the summer season, and over-the-counter volumes are being so ld at a 10% premium. However, sources say that even at this pr ice, the fuel is difficult to find.
kommer sant . ru/doc/8653351 (via t . me/istrebin/41282 )
It's a mark of incredible success to produce a gasoline shortage in the second largest oil producer in the world. Maybe we'll start seeing empty pumps in some regions soon
71
Own_Pop_97111 day ago
+28
"unscheduled maintenance"
28
AwesomeFama1 day ago
+15
As far as I understand, in addition to Ukraine hitting their refineries, they do sometimes also spontaneously combust. I think they reduced and/or postponed scheduled maintenances to compensate from Ukraine's actions, but that maintenance is usually done for a reason in the first place.
15
kiss_my_what1 day ago
+22
Due to rapid, unplanned disassembly.
22
AwesomeFama1 day ago
+46
IIRC russia uses a lot more gasoline during the summer. Was it so that last year there were shortages during the Fall, but they had managed to get over the summer before it happened?
If they're heading for shortages already before the worst (from a consumption POV) season starts, they might be in for a rough summer. Probably harder to import gasoline too, with the Iran thing ongoing and this being more of a global issue too this time.
Of course that is assuming Ukraine can keep hitting russia and doesn't just stop right now, so the situation wouldn't improve for them.
46
troglydot1 day ago
+29
Yes, I think you're exactly right. Last year there was a definite lull in refinery attacks in the early summer, perfectly timed to get Russia through the high season. Shortages were seen around September if I remember correctly. I bet there was a lot of external pressure from Trump involved in this, but I don't think he holds as many cards anymore.
29
TurbulentRadish81131 day ago
+11
It started late March and was pushed through by the US Republicans.
De facto the energy strikes pause seems to have lasted a few months iirc.
https :// meduza . io/en/news/2025/03/25/kremlin-publishes-list-of-energy-infrastructure-covered-under-partial-ceasefire-negotiated-by-u-s-and-russia-it-includes-oil-refineries-and-nuclear-power-plants
11
baqarah13371 day ago
+50
What? No F*** Putin post yet?
F*** Putin!
50
traveller-1-11 day ago
+16
This is making ww1 seem relatively sane.
16
goodoldgrim1 day ago
+29
WWI routinely had tens of thousands of soldiers running across open fields straight into machine gun fire.
29
POGtastic1 day ago
+10
This isn't true, and the reality is actually way worse. The assaults *usually worked*, which is why the generals kept ordering them. The problem is that upon taking a trench, your forces cannot consolidate quickly enough to stop the counterattack. So you take the trench, lose it during the counterattack, and then *counter-counterattack* to do the same to the guys who just retook their trench. This repeats until attrition renders one side incapable of carrying out an assault, at which point both sides consolidate.
So the actual pattern of trench warfare looked less like some tower defense game (enormous numbers of people getting slaughtered out in the open in an obviously futile assault) and much more like a "Capture the objective" game where everybody is constantly seizing territory but can't keep it.
10
goodoldgrim20 hr ago
+2
It still involved a lot of what I said. It somewhat worked because artillery work before the assault had diminished the defenses enough for the numbers to be sufficient to get to the first trench lines.
2
_EbenezerSplooge_1 day ago
+52
I have said this quite a few times over the last few years, but I'm not sure it's entirely appropriate to compare this war to WW1.
To take France's experience in WW1 as an example; France lost ~40,000 KIA in the first *week* of combat, including ~27,000 dead in a *single day* (22nd August 1914 - the bloodiest day of the entire war). By the end of the first *month* of fighting, they had lost ~100,000 KIA; by the end of 1914, they had lost in excess of ~300,000 KIA, with overall casualties sitting somewhere around ~1 million.
To put that in context - France suffered roughly twice the number of overall casualties in five months of fighting as Ukraine has likely suffered in four years - and France would go on to continue fighting until November 1918.
Obviously that is not to say that what is happening in Ukraine is not utterly horrific - I have seen way too much combat footage to believe that - and on the surface this war definitely bears lots of similarities to WW1, particularly in terms of its stagnant, highly positional nature, heavy use of fires etc. The point is moreso that what happened in WW1 was another level of insanity, and *vastly* more destructive in terms of lives lost.
(*Edit*: Don't mean to be pendantic / patronising in posting this btw, just raised it as a point of consideration; hope it didn't come across that way)
52
Different_Pear_54361 day ago
+8
To put into perspective, how many civilians were ‘KIA’ in the first three months of the war in Mariupol?
8
_EbenezerSplooge_1 day ago
+7
The high-end estimate produced by the UCDP for *overall deaths* in Mariupol during the 2022 siege was ~80,000, the vast majority of which were believed to be Ukrainian civilians; however, this is very much an outlier, with the majority of estimates for civilian deaths seeming to fall somewhere in the 20-30,000 range.
The treatment of civilians during the first few months of the invasion is actually one area wherein the current war is perhaps more reminiscent of the First World War - particularly in terms of the fighting that took place on the Eastern Front, where civilians were frequently targeted by roving military units and subjected to horrific levels of violence and degradation.
7
Jay_CD1 day ago
+66
Russia has lost 1,020 soldiers killed and wounded over the past day, bringing its total number of personnel losses to 1,343,050.
**Source:** [Russian losses over past day: 1,020 soldiers killed and wounded | Ukrainska Pravda](https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2026/05/12/8034267/)
**Details:** The total combat losses of the Russian forces between 24 February 2022 and 12 May 2026 are estimated to be as follows \[figures in parentheses represent the latest losses – ed.\]:
* approximately 1,343,050 **(+1,020)** military personnel
* 11,926 **(+2)** tanks
* 24,553 **(+2)** armoured combat vehicles
* 41,935 **(+72)** artillery systems
* 1,785 **(+2)** multiple-launch rocket systems
* 1,373 (+0) air defence systems
* 435 (+0) fixed-wing aircraft
* 352 (+0) helicopters
* 1,373 **(+2)** ground robotic systems
* 285,506 **(+1,252)** operational-tactical UAVs
* 4,585 (+0) cruise missiles
* 33 (+0) ships/boats
* 2 (+0) submarines
* 95,855 **(+145)** vehicles and fuel tankers
* 4,179 **(+1)** special vehicles and other equipment
The information is being confirmed.
66
TurbulentRadish81131 day ago
+69
Ukraine's drone commander Madyar has a huge post. I ML translated and clipped:
> Operation ‘Standard-10’ to make enemy worm elimination inevitable: the math of the Madjar breakthrough. (Current) 3.14 symbolizes containment, endless cycles with no end. It’s time for ruthless linear progress—‘Standard-10’!
> Data: 700k+ enemy troops currently engaged against Ukraine. 29.5k/month reinforcements (Dec–Apr). 31.5k/month enemy losses via drones (Dec–Apr).
> Detailed losses (March–April): 33,989 + 33,961 verified ... All verified in Delta, drone-only.
> Average destruction per strike crew per month: 3.14 enemy troops – general SOU crew 15.2 – SBS strike crew 30.6 – 414th “Birds of Madjar” crew
> If each Ukrainian strike crew eliminates 10 enemies/month, losses will double enemy mobilization.
https://t . me/robert_magyar/2336
69
TurbulentRadish81131 day ago
+55
He's thinking about the big picture. If the Delta system is vaguely accurate, then there's a very good chance that Russia's forces have been shrinking recently:
- Janis Kluge's analysis shows russian recruitment has slowed down. According to Russian data.
- Mediazona's analysis shows that russian death rates have been much higher than previously confirmed. According to Russian data.
- Russia has some additional recruitment (Ukrainians etc), but they also have some additional losses to sickness, non-drone weapons, execution for disobeying orders etc.
- Frontelligence Insight used partial russian data to estimate a possible ~70k AWOL/desertions in the Russian army in 2025. Most were dragged back, but the rates were growing.
55
swazal1 day ago
+40
Slava Ukraini!
40
WorldNewsMods1 day ago
+24
[Previous post can be found here](/r/worldnews/comments/1t9s8p6/rworldnews_live_thread_russian_invasion_of/)
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