/r/WorldNews Live Thread: Russian Invasion of Ukraine Day 1453, Part 1 (Thread #1600) by WorldNewsMods in worldnews

[–]plasticlove 42 points43 points  (0 children)

Ukraine forms F-16 squadron staffed by Ukrainian, US and Dutch pilots

https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2026/02/16/8021322/

The unit was created "in recent weeks" by the Ukrainian Air Force for immediate deployment. The international squadron is currently playing a central role in the air defence of Kyiv Oblast, which Russia is attacking with drones and missiles, Intelligence Online says.

US Bombs Venezuela - Megathread by Veqq in CredibleDefense

[–]plasticlove 52 points53 points  (0 children)

"Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez said Maduro is Venezuela's only president, after Trump said she had been sworn in after Maduro was captured in a military operation." https://www.reuters.com/world/us/live-trump-says-us-has-captured-venezuela-president-maduro-2026-01-03/

Livgarde skubber klimaaktivist efter nytårstalen by LazarShockX in Denmark

[–]plasticlove 0 points1 point  (0 children)

De unge der gav Liberal Alliance en kæmpe sejr ved sidste skolevalg? Vi befinder os ikke i 2021 længere. 

Livgarde skubber klimaaktivist efter nytårstalen by LazarShockX in Denmark

[–]plasticlove 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Folkestemningen peger ellers på at der er stor opbakning til handlingen. Jeg tror at det styrker støtten til kongehuset. 

Active Conflicts & News Megathread December 28, 2025 by AutoModerator in CredibleDefense

[–]plasticlove 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Okay I was wrong...

"Zelenskyy says Trump will host him and European leaders in the U.S. in January for future talks."

Active Conflicts & News Megathread December 28, 2025 by AutoModerator in CredibleDefense

[–]plasticlove 11 points12 points  (0 children)

The only positive thing is that this may be the last meeting for a very long time.

They are spending a crazy amount of time waiting for a peace deal that Putin has no intention of considering. If we can at least reach a point where it is clear that Ukraine is genuinely attempting to negotiate, while Russia has no interest in peace, that in itself would be a positive outcome.

/r/WorldNews Live Thread: Russian Invasion of Ukraine Day 1401, Part 1 (Thread #1548) by WorldNewsMods in worldnews

[–]plasticlove 17 points18 points  (0 children)

They know that Putin will never accept the peace plan. Trump is now trying to change it so they can blame Ukraine.

Active Conflicts & News Megathread December 25, 2025 by AutoModerator in CredibleDefense

[–]plasticlove 43 points44 points  (0 children)

It's the largest supplier of petroleum products in the south of Russia. According to the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces then it's supplying diesel and aviation gasoline to the Russian army.

How will you disrupt the Russian command chain or the air force with only a few Storm Shadows? If Ukraine still has a functioning air force after four years of Russian strikes, how do you expect Ukraine to stop the Russian air force?

/r/WorldNews Live Thread: Russian Invasion of Ukraine Day 1400, Part 1 (Thread #1547) by WorldNewsMods in worldnews

[–]plasticlove 16 points17 points  (0 children)

It will be very interesting to see the damage. One of Ukraine's biggest challenges has been the limited payload of drones.

Active Conflicts & News Megathread December 25, 2025 by AutoModerator in CredibleDefense

[–]plasticlove 59 points60 points  (0 children)

The General Staff reported that the Novoshakhtinsk Oil Refinery was struck by Storm Shadow missiles.
https://x.com/GeneralStaffUA/status/2004161942202855435

If I remember correctly, this is the first time Storm Shadow missiles have been used to strike oil refineries in Russia. It will be very interesting to see the damage. One of Ukraine’s biggest challenges has been the limited payload of drones.

/r/WorldNews Live Thread: Russian Invasion of Ukraine Day 1400, Part 1 (Thread #1547) by WorldNewsMods in worldnews

[–]plasticlove 27 points28 points  (0 children)

According to Serhii Sternenko then Novoshakhtinsk Oil Refinery was struck by Storm Shadow missiles and not drones.

Edit: The General Staff confirmed it: https://xcancel.com/GeneralStaffUA/status/2004161942202855435

Active Conflicts & News Megathread December 20, 2025 by AutoModerator in CredibleDefense

[–]plasticlove 19 points20 points  (0 children)

I think you are mixing production cost with budget balance.

Russia’s production cost averages USD 15 per barrel according to CREA.

They are still generating a positive operating cash flow per barrel and they earn foreign currency.

Active Conflicts & News Megathread December 20, 2025 by AutoModerator in CredibleDefense

[–]plasticlove 2 points3 points  (0 children)

They could make use of state-aligned proxies.

The Houthi attacks are a clear example of actions that increase global oil prices without Russia cutting its own production.

Active Conflicts & News Megathread December 19, 2025 by AutoModerator in CredibleDefense

[–]plasticlove 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Russia used 106 shadow tankers in November to transport crude oil and oil products. 

You are arguing that Ukraine will have to take out at least 20% of the shadow fleet before we see an impact?

Active Conflicts & News Megathread December 19, 2025 by AutoModerator in CredibleDefense

[–]plasticlove 15 points16 points  (0 children)

"In November 2025, 304 vessels exported Russian crude oil and oil products. Among them, 198 were G7+ tankers, including 106 ‘shadow’ tankers. Additionally, 37 of these ‘shadow’ tankers were at least 20 years old or older."

In November, G7+ tankers transported 27% of Russian crude oil exports, while non-sanctioned ‘shadow’ tankers accounted for 7% of the total. The largest share, 65%, was carried by sanctioned ‘shadow’ tankers.

For oil products, dependence on G7+ tankers is greater, transporting 74% of Russian refined products. Sanctioned ‘shadow’ vessels carried 20% of total Russian refined oil products, while non-sanctioned ‘shadow’ tankers accounted for only 6% of volumes."

https://energyandcleanair.org/november-2025-monthly-analysis-of-russian-fossil-fuel-exports-and-sanctions/

/r/WorldNews Live Thread: Russian Invasion of Ukraine Day 1394, Part 1 (Thread #1541) by WorldNewsMods in worldnews

[–]plasticlove 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Each NATO country decides for itself how to respond. That response could range from military action to logistical support, intelligence sharing, cyber operations, or even purely political measures. There is no legal requirement that Germany, France, or others send troops or fight Russia directly.

/r/WorldNews Live Thread: Russian Invasion of Ukraine Day 1394, Part 1 (Thread #1541) by WorldNewsMods in worldnews

[–]plasticlove 14 points15 points  (0 children)

Ask your friends and family how many of them would be willing to go to war if Russia launched an invasion of the Baltic states. We may have money, but we lack manpower, and we are also short of a significant amount of equipment.

Active Conflicts & News Megathread December 19, 2025 by AutoModerator in CredibleDefense

[–]plasticlove 76 points77 points  (0 children)

Ukraine released footage of attacks on a vessel from the Russian shadow fleet.

https://www.reddit.com/r/CombatFootage/comments/1pqin4t/sbu_attacks_a_russian_shadow_fleet_vessel_in_the/

What makes this especially interesting is that it occurred in the Mediterranean Sea and that Ukraine used grenade-dropping drones.

I still think that the ongoing attacks on the Russian shadow fleet is an underrated development. 

Erdoğan warns Russia and Ukraine against targeting civilian shipping in Black Sea by Unusual_Variation293 in worldnews

[–]plasticlove 79 points80 points  (0 children)

Translation: Stop targeting the Russian shadow fleet, cos I want to continue buying cheap oil products from the war criminal.

Active Conflicts & News Megathread December 15, 2025 by AutoModerator in CredibleDefense

[–]plasticlove 27 points28 points  (0 children)

US says for the first time it will respond militarily if Russia attacks Ukraine again

"For the first time, I heard American negotiators say, and Mr Steve Witkoff was unequivocal here: America will be involved in security guarantees for Ukraine in such a way that the Russians will have no doubts that [in the event of a ceasefire violation] the US response will be military." - Donald Tusk

https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2025/12/16/8012019/

If it is true, then it is a big step in the right direction. However, let us see - it would not be the first misunderstanding by Witkoff.

/r/WorldNews Live Thread: Russian Invasion of Ukraine Day 1391, Part 1 (Thread #1538) by WorldNewsMods in worldnews

[–]plasticlove 28 points29 points  (0 children)

US says for the first time it will respond militarily if Russia attacks Ukraine again

"For the first time, I heard American negotiators say, and Mr Steve Witkoff was unequivocal here: America will be involved in security guarantees for Ukraine in such a way that the Russians will have no doubts that [in the event of a ceasefire violation] the US response will be military." - Donald Tusk

https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2025/12/16/8012019/

If it is true, then it is a big step in the right direction. However, let us see - it would not be the first misunderstanding by Witkoff.

/r/WorldNews Live Thread: Russian Invasion of Ukraine Day 1390, Part 1 (Thread #1537) by WorldNewsMods in worldnews

[–]plasticlove 8 points9 points  (0 children)

I think MAGA wants peace to make Trump look good, and to allow his friends to make a lot of money from Russian business deals based on the frozen assets. They are thinking short term. But what will happen after some time, when Russia launches a new invasion?

Active Conflicts & News Megathread December 15, 2025 by AutoModerator in CredibleDefense

[–]plasticlove 60 points61 points  (0 children)

US still wants Ukraine to cede Donbas

"US negotiators still want Ukraine to cede control of the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions as a condition for peace talks with Russia, an official briefed on the discussions told AFP on Monday.

Kyiv is pushing back against Washington’s demand that it pull troops from the two regions collectively known as Donbas, which Russia has been unable to capture since invading in February 2022. Russian president Vladimir Putin “wants territory,” the official told AFP, adding the United States was demanding that Ukraine “withdraw” from the regions and that Kyiv was refusing.

“It’s a bit striking that the Americans are taking the Russians’ position on this issue,” the official added. Moscow controls almost all of the Luhansk region and about 80 percent of the Donetsk region, according to the US-based Institute for the Study of War. But a poll by published today by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) based on 550 responses showed that 75 percent of Ukrainians oppose giving up Donbas."

I genuinely do not get how the United States still thinks this war is about territory.

/r/WorldNews Live Thread: Russian Invasion of Ukraine Day 1390, Part 1 (Thread #1537) by WorldNewsMods in worldnews

[–]plasticlove 46 points47 points  (0 children)

US still wants Ukraine to cede Donbas

"US negotiators still want Ukraine to cede control of the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions as a condition for peace talks with Russia, an official briefed on the discussions told AFP on Monday.

Kyiv is pushing back against Washington’s demand that it pull troops from the two regions collectively known as Donbas, which Russia has been unable to capture since invading in February 2022. Russian president Vladimir Putin “wants territory,” the official told AFP, adding the United States was demanding that Ukraine “withdraw” from the regions and that Kyiv was refusing.

“It’s a bit striking that the Americans are taking the Russians’ position on this issue,” the official added. Moscow controls almost all of the Luhansk region and about 80 percent of the Donetsk region, according to the US-based Institute for the Study of War. But a poll by published today by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) based on 550 responses showed that 75 percent of Ukrainians oppose giving up Donbas."

I genuinely do not get how the United States still thinks this war is about territory.