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MS DAILY BRIEF – September 11 th, 2024
Daily appearance Monday-Saturday 10 AM (GMT +2)
Some information is presented when possible from several sources
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BREAKING: IDF takes out key Hamas commanders; air strikes bombed Hezbollah launchers | TBN Israel 1
Naval Group signs ICA with Dutch government ahead of future submarine contract. 13
Ukraine says Russia hit a civilian grain ship in the Black Sea. 15
Bulgaria hosted a conference on Black Sea security issues. 16
BREAKING: IDF takes out key Hamas commanders; air strikes bombed Hezbollah launchers | TBN Israel
Update from Ukraine | Wow! Unexpected blow in Ukraine | Russian offensive could fail at any time- Sept 12
Ukraine war briefing: Russia blamed for unprecedented missile attack on grain ship in Black Sea-The Guardian,Fri 13 Sep 2024 03.16
The attack marks the first time a missile has struck a civilian ship carrying grain in the open waters of the Black Sea. What we know on Day 933
See all our coverage of the Russia-Ukraine war
Ukraine accused Russia on Thursday of using strategic bombers to strike a civilian ship loaded with grain in Black Sea waters near NATO member Romania, escalating tensions between Moscow and the military alliance. It was the first time a missile has hit a civilian ship carrying grain at sea since Moscow’s invasion began in February 2022. Some ships were damaged during Russian attacks on Ukrainian ports where they were anchored. Zelenskiy said that the ship carrying Ukrainian grain to Egypt was hit at night by a Russian missile just after leaving Ukrainian territorial waters. There were no casualties, he said. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said the strike was “a brazen attack on the freedom of navigation and global food security”. The Ukrainian navy said Russian Tupolev Tu-22 bombers launched several cruise missiles at the ship on Wednesday at 23.02 local time.
The US ambassador to Ukraine “strongly condemned” the attack and said Russia was responsible. A United Nations spokesman said the incident was a “stark reminder” of the threats civilian ships still face in the Black Sea. Russia had no immediate comment.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is heading to Washington for a “strategic discussion” with US President Joe Biden on Ukraine and the Middle East. The discussion is expected to include a decision to allow Ukraine to launch longer-range strikes inside Russia with Storm Shadow missiles, partly made in Britain. Starmer added that it was not about trying to force a peace deal on Ukraine. “Ultimately, this is a discussion to be led by President Zelenskiy,” Starmer said. Instead, he said, “it is very important for two key allies” to discuss foreign policy issues “among themselves and have the space to do so.” Ukraine has been lobbying for several months to use US-made Storm Shadow and Atacms missiles.
Starmer told Vladimir Putin that the Russian president had started the war in Ukraine and could end it at any time, after the Russian leader warned that any use of British long-range missiles on Russian territory would put NATO at war with his country. The prime minister spoke on his way to Washington to meet Biden.
Russia says its forces have recaptured 10 settlements after launching a counteroffensive in the Kursk region to repel Ukrainian troops who pushed across the border five weeks ago. As fierce fighting continues, the Russian defense minister listed the names of 10 settlements he said he had recaptured in a significant blow to Kiev. Zelenskiy acknowledged that a Russian counteroffensive had begun.
Last year, more than $30m (£23m) worth of airplane tires made by Western manufacturers were imported into Russia through intermediaries despite attempts to ban the trade, according to a Ukrainian government agency.
On Thursday, Russian shelling killed three people and wounded nine in a village in the Kharkiv region of northeast Ukraine, regional prosecutors said. A statement said one person died of wounds in hospital after the attack on the village of Borova, southeast of Kharkiv. Kharkiv is Ukraine’s second-largest city and a frequent target of Russian attacks. The interior ministry had earlier reported that emergency services were working at the scene of the initial attack when Moscow troops shelled it again. Three rescuers were among the wounded.
A hundred people gathered in Kiev’s central synagogue on Thursday to pay tribute to Matityahu Anton Samborskyi, the son of Ukraine’s chief rabbi who was killed in fighting with Russian forces. The mourners carried flowers, touched the coffin and shook hands with the deceased’s father, Chief Rabbi Moshe Azman, who was holding back tears. “I want God to take revenge for him and the other innocent soldiers and civilians who are dying in this war,” Azman said.
British anti-terror police are assisting the investigation into the death of a Daily Telegraph journalist in Gibraltar. David Knowles died on Sunday while on vacation following what his employers said was believed to be cardiac arrest. The 32-year-old audio journalist had joined the Telegraph in 2020 and was behind its Ukrainian : Latest podcast.
Starmer tells Putin he started Ukraine war and can end it at any time-The Guardian,Thu 12 Sep 2024 23.00
British PM responds to Putin’s threat that using British long-range missiles inside Russia would put it at war with Nato
Keir Starmer has told Vladimir Putin that he started the war in Ukraine and can end it at any time, after the Russian leader warned that any use of British long-range missiles inside Russia would put NATO at war with his country.
The Prime Minister spoke on his way to Washington to meet US President Joe Biden as he tried to justify a Western decision taken behind closed doors that would allow Ukraine to attack Russia’s interior with Storm Shadow missiles, partly British-made.
Responding directly to earlier threats by the Russian president, Starmer told reporters: ‘Russia started this conflict. Russia illegally invaded Ukraine. Russia can end this conflict immediately. Ukraine has the right to self-defense.”
The UK, he added, had provided “training and capability” – a reference to weapons – to help Ukraine repel the Russian invasion, and said he had visited the US president partly because “there are clearly further discussions to be had about the nature of that capability”.
A day earlier, The Guardian revealed that the US and Britain had agreed with other allies to allow Ukraine to hit military targets in Russia with Storm Shadow missiles, which have a range of at least 190 miles, a long-standing demand by Kiev.
On Thursday, Putin said any Western move to allow Kiev to use such longer-range weapons against targets inside Russia would mean NATO would be “at war” with Moscow – a dramatic escalation of his rhetoric about the war that began with the Russian invasion in February 2022.
“This would change in a significant way the very nature of the conflict,” Putin told a state television reporter. “It would mean that NATO countries, the US, European countries, are at war with Russia,” he said, adding that Russia would make “appropriate decisions based on the threats we will face” as a result.
Starmer spoke on a plane to Washington DC as he headed to a special foreign policy summit with Biden on Friday. The Prime Minister said he would not comment directly on Storm Shadow, but added that he wanted to make sure “all the decisions we’ve made fit into the strategic context” by discussing the issues with his US counterpart at the White House on Friday afternoon.
“There are probably very important developments over the next few weeks and months, both in Ukraine and in the Middle East, and therefore a number of tactical decisions should be taken,” the prime minister said.
David Lammy, the foreign secretary, appeared to go a step further on Thursday night, saying Britain and the US should give Ukraine the weapons it needs to defeat Russia. “This is a crucial period in the fight, because you are putting things in place to stop Russia getting the upper hand over the winter,” he told the Daily Telegraph while visiting Kiev.
“We’re also here, of course, at a time when it’s very clear that Russia is escalating with its friend Iran by taking a batch of ballistic missiles. Ballistic missiles that will be used in the winter, unfortunately, against the Ukrainian people and will cost lives.
“So, of course, we are here to strategize, to understand how we can put the Ukrainians in a position to win and what is necessary.”
Ukraine has been lobbying for several months to use USA -made Storm Shadow and Atacms missiles, complaining that while Moscow has repeatedly been able to bomb targets in Ukraine since the start of the war, it has been prevented from hitting military targets inside Russia.
However, Biden has been reluctant to authorize a retaliation because of fears of escalating the conflict with Russia. But the situation changed earlier this week when the US and Britain said Russia had received the first shipment of Fath-360 short-range ballistic missiles from Iran.
However, the US and the UK have emphasized to Ukraine and its president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, that any use of the Storm Shadow missiles must be carefully coordinated as part of a wider plan to try to force Russia to end the conflict now heading into its third winter.
No press conference is planned to be attended by Biden and Starmer, and any first announcement of the use of Storm Shadow inside Russia is likely only in the event of a missile attack. Its impact would be too visible to hide.
Starmer emphasized that the purpose of the trip, during which he will have about three hours of talks Friday with Biden, who has left the country, was to have “a strategic discussion” about Ukraine, Gaza and other foreign policy issues.
But he added that it was not about trying to force a peace deal in Ukraine. “Ultimately, this is a discussion to be led by President Zelenskiy,” Starmer said. Instead, he said, “it is very important for two key allies” to discuss foreign policy issues “with each other and have the space to do so.”
The prime minister will first have a brief one-on-one meeting with the president, who is due to step down in January, before moving on to a wider meeting attended by David Lammy, the foreign secretary, and other key officials, the British ambassador to the US, Karen Pierce, and Tim Barrow, the national security adviser.
But the prime minister will not meet Kamala Harris, the vice president and Democratic nominee, because she was campaigning ahead of the November election. “She will be in other parts of the US,” he said. “Rather than Washington, she will be, as you would expect, in swing states.”
Putin: lifting Ukraine missile restrictions would put Nato ‘at war’ with Russia-The Guardian,Thu 12 Sep 2024 20.06
Comments come after Antony Blinken suggests the US will lift restrictions on Kiev’s use of weapons inside Russia
Vladimir Putin has said a Western move to allow Kiev to use longer-range weapons against targets inside Russia would mean NATO would be “at war” with Moscow.
Putin spoke as senior diplomats from the US and Britain discussed relaxing rules on firing Western weapons into Russia, which Kiev has pushed for after more than two and a half years of Moscow’s offensive.
“This would significantly change the very nature of the conflict,” Putin told a state TV reporter.
“It would mean that NATO countries, the US, European countries, are at war with Russia,” he added. “If this is the case, then taking into account the changing nature of the conflict, we will take appropriate decisions depending on the threats we face.”
Authorizing Kiev to strike deep into Russia “is a decision on whether NATO countries are directly involved in the military conflict or not.”
Putin’s comments came a day after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken gave the strongest hint yet that the White House is about to lift restrictions on Ukraine’s use of Western-supplied long-range weapons on key military targets inside Russia.
Speaking in Kiev alongside British Foreign Secretary David Lammy, Blinken said the US had been willing “from day one” to adjust its policy in line with the changing situation on the battlefield in Ukraine. “We will continue to do so,” he emphasized.
Blinken said he and Lammy would report back to their “bosses” – Joe Biden and Keir Starmer – after their talks Wednesday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
The foreign secretary suggested that Iran’s shipment of ballistic missiles to Moscow – revealed this week – had changed strategic thinking in London and Washington. It was a “significant and dangerous escalation”, he said.
He added: “The escalator here is Putin. Putin escalated with Iran’s missile shipment. We see a new axis of Russia, Iran and North Korea.” Lammy urged China “not to cast its lot” with what he called “a group of renegades”.
British government sources have indicated that a decision has already been taken to allow Ukraine to use Storm Shadow cruise missiles on targets inside Russia, although this is not expected to be publicly announced on Friday, when Starmer is due to meet Biden in Washington DC.
The two leaders plan to discuss the war in Ukraine and how it might be ended as part of a broad foreign policy discussion, although they will avoid focusing intensely on any individual weapons system as the focus of the conversation is strategic.
With Agence France-Presse reporting
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/sep/12/putin-ukraine-missile-restrictions-nato-war-russia
Russians strike again near Romania’s borders: Tu-22M3 Tu-22M3 jets bombed Snakes Island-Update: 12.09.2024 21:51
Russian long-range bomber of the Tu-22M3 type. Photo source: Tupolev
According to an assessment presented this morning by the Air Forces of Ukraine, during the night of 12.09.2024, Ukrainian radio-technical troops detected and escorted over the national territory 69 Russian air targets.
According to the data presented by Ukrainian officials, Russian troops hit the Cernihiv region with two Iskander-M ballistic missiles launched from the Kursk region and a Kh-59/69 guided aviation missile launched from the Bryansk region.
Also, two Tu-22M3 long-range bombers in the airspace over the Black Sea launched two Kh-22/32 cruise missiles at targets on the Snake Island. At the same time, 64 Shahed attack drones launched from the Kursk region, the Yeisk area of Krasnodar Krasnodar and Cape Chauda on the Crimean Peninsula were also in Ukrainian airspace.
During the air battles, Ukrainian military assets (airplanes, anti-aircraft missile complexes, mobile fire groups and electronic warfare stations) managed to shoot down 44 Shahed-131/136 attack drones.
It should be noted that the Russian military continues to strike Ukrainian targets in the vicinity of Romania’s borders. After Russian drones have recently been operating close to Romanian territory or, in some cases, even inside it, Russian troops have intensified their strikes on the Black Sea island of Serpents.
Thus, two days ago, Su-30SM and Su-35S fighter jets launched six Kh-31P anti-radar missiles on the Serpents’ Island, and last night Tu-22M3 long-range bombers reappeared in the Black Sea area.
The latter also attacked the Snake Island with Kh-22/32 cruise missiles on the night of August 24. Four Russian missiles then targeted infrastructure built on the island by the Ukrainian side.
It should be recalled that the Russians lost an Su-30MS airplane in these attacks. The Military Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine (HUR/GUR) confirmed that its special forces destroyed a Russian Su-30SM multi-role fighter jet by hitting it with a MANPADS system.
The repeated strikes carried out by the Russian Aerospace Forces on Snake Island confirm that Ukraine has recently been trying to rebuild infrastructure targets on the island.
Having alternately controlled Snake Island since the beginning of the Russian military invasion of Ukraine, the two sides seemed to have given up this territory, which can only be held at very high losses.
However, the strategic importance of the island means that Russia and Ukraine regularly try to deploy various military assets on the territory just a few dozen kilometers from Romania’s border.
Sources: x.com, t.me.
Ukrainians confirm with footage (Video): the Russian Su-30SM aircraft was shot down by special operations forces using a MANPADS system-Update date: 12.09.2024 15:11
Russian Su-30SM over the Black Sea before it was shot down. September 11, 2024. Frames from a Defense Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU) video.
Military servicemen of a special operations force unit of the Defense Intelligence Service (GUR) of Ukraine destroyed a Russian Su-30SM multi-role fighter Su-30SM by hitting it with a MANPADS system. This happened during an operation in the Black Sea, Defense Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU/GUR) press service reported.
Thus, Russian troops lost contact with their fighter jet on September 11, 2024, at around 5 am. It is noted that the Su-30SM fighter plane belonged to the 43rd Separate Naval Aviation Regiment of the Russian Aerospace Forces, based at the Saky airfield in temporarily occupied Crimea.
DefenseRomania wrote a few hours ago, citing aviation monitoring sources on social networks, that on the evening of 10.09.2024, a Russian Su-30SM fighter jet crashed in the Black Sea in a maritime district located halfway between the Ukrainian city of Odessa and the coast of the Crimean Peninsula (about 70 kilometers west of Cape Tarhankut).
The aircraft disappeared from radars at around 23:40, after firing several Kh-31P missiles at targets in the Odessa region.
The Su-30SM aircraft, which was stationed at the Krimsk airfield in Krasnodar Krasnodar County, fired four of the six missiles on board, after which it lost contact with it.
As to the reason for the downing of the Russian aircraft, initially, on social networks several variants were circulated, all of which included its downing by the Ukrainian military.
First, there was talk of the plane being destroyed by the Ukrainian anti-aircraft defenses. Then there was speculation that the aircraft had been shot down by a Ukrainian F-16 fighter jet. Last but not least, the plane was said to have been hit by an anti-aircraft missile from a man-portable launcher (MANPAD) used by GUR servicemen on board a starliner in the Black Sea.
MANPADS (Man-Portable Air-Defence Systems) are lightweight anti-aircraft weapons. They are designed to protect soldiers on the battlefield from aircraft attacking their positions. Because MANPADS are intended to be rapidly transported and deployed by ground forces, they are cheap, light, compact and mobile.
About three hours after the downing of the enemy aircraft, the Russians launched a search and rescue operation involving an An-26 airplane and Mi-8 and Ka-27 helicopters.
“In the afternoon, the invaders reported to the command about a characteristic stain of aviation fuel found in the sea 70 kilometers northwest of Cape Tarkhankut, and shortly afterwards they saw the wreckage of the destroyed Su-30SM plane,” DIU/GUR said.
It is noteworthy that the day before, analysts from the Monitor group reported the “disappearance” of a Russian warplane over the Black Sea on a Telegram channel that tracks Russian aviation activities.
On the night of September 11, the Russians launched a large-scale missile and drone attack against Ukraine. According to the Ukrainian Air Force, the Russians struck, in particular, the Snake Island with six Kh-31P anti-radiation missiles from the airspace over the Black Sea.
Such missiles are used against radars as part of anti-aircraft missile systems and can also target other communications systems.
Despite the loss of Su-30s during the war against Ukraine, Russia continues to manufacture Su-30s in its own factories. In August, the Russian Defense Ministry took delivery of a batch of new Su-30SM2 multi-role fighters.
If we lock in domestic laws, allied military jets to shoot down Russian drones. Should Romania follow Lithuania’s example?-Update date: 12.09.2024 19:41
A Canadian CF-188 Hornet CF-188 Hornet aircraft during an air policing mission in Romania. Photo source: MApN
Lithuanian Defense Minister Laurynas Kasciunas has called for a change in the logic of NATO’s air policing mission deployment in the Baltic states, following the recent downing of a Russian military drone in Latvia, according to Lithuanian national radio LRT. The Baltics are demanding the streamlining of procedures in the alliance so that allied military jets carrying out air policing missions can shoot down Russian drones that violate national airspace. We recall that in Romania there is a whole debate on the legislative framework that allows or not to shoot down drones flying over the national territory, after a Russian drone penetrated 30 kilometers deep into Romania.
According to the minister, Alliance aircraft “should not only patrol, but also, if necessary, if time permits, shorten the decision-making chain at NATO level, so that they can take off immediately and destroy the drones”.
Kasciunas believes that if a drone is detected violating NATO airspace, the information should be passed quickly to NATO HQ.
“NATO HQ assesses the situation, if there is sufficient evidence that it is an enemy drone and not another unidentified aircraft, and then a quick decision is taken to deploy air police aircraft. This is a certain process and it has to be accelerated,” the Lithuanian minister said.
At the same time, responding to a question on Lithuania’s response to a violation of the country’s airspace by an enemy drone, Kasciunas said it should be a collective NATO decision.
On September 7, the Latvian Defense Ministry reported that a Russian military drone crashed in the east of the country in the Rezekne region.
At the time, the country’s armed forces tracked its flight and identified the crash site.
And on September 9, it was confirmed that the Russian UAV that flew from Belarus and crashed was a Shahed Shahed kamikaze drone. At the same time, the Latvian Ministry of Defense said that the appearance of the drone in Latvia cannot be seen as an open military escalation against the country and that it was not directed against Latvia.
Should Romania follow suit and demand that NATO planes shoot down these drones?
An image of a C-27J Spartan C-27J with a Romanian F-16 Fighting Falcon during an intercept training mission. Photo: DefenseRomania
Russia provoked fresh hostile reactions on Sunday after its attack drones, aimed at Ukraine, were spotted in Latvia and Romania, member states of NATO and the E.U. Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics confirmed then on X (formerly Twitter) that a “Russian military drone crashed in eastern Latvia”. He added that an investigation was underway and that “the number of such incidents is increasing along NATO’s eastern flank and we need to address them collectively”.
At this year’s NATO summit in Washington in July, NATO countries agreed to strengthen their air defenses by rotating patrols in the Baltic states’ airspace. However, two NATO member states said Russian drones had violated their airspace, as one reportedly crashed into Romania during night attacks on neighboring Ukraine, while another crashed in eastern Latvia the day before.
A drone entered Romanian territory on Sunday morning as Moscow struck “civilian targets and port infrastructure” located on the Danube bank in Ukraine, the Romanian Defense Ministry said. Latvian Defense Minister Andris Spruds later said that a Russian drone had crashed the day before near the town of Rezekne and had probably crashed in Latvia from neighboring Belarus.
Latvian Defense Minister Andris Spruds then stressed the need to strengthen Latvia’s eastern border and improve air defense and electronic warfare systems to counter such UAV incursions.
Meanwhile, Romania also reported a violation of its airspace. The defense ministry said that on Sunday morning, military radars detected a Russian drone that entered Romanian airspace before departing for Ukraine.
Romanian Air Force planes have been monitoring the situation, and authorities have been issuing telephone alerts to residents in the border counties of Tulcea and Constanța. Initial reports suggested the drone may have hit an unpopulated area near the village of Periprava.
Romania’s foreign ministry condemned the violation, calling it a “new violation” of its airspace. The ministry urged Russia to cease “repeated attacks” that fuel the “irresponsible escalation” of the regional security situation.
A Russian missile has hit a Ukrainian wheat merchant ship that was in Romania’s exclusive economic zone in the Black Sea, Ukrainian sources say-Date of update: 12.09.2024 18:17
Photo:Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський/X.com
A Russian missile struck a merchant ship carrying grain from Ukraine to Egypt in the Black Sea, with no injuries reported, Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenskyy said on Thursday, according to Reuters.
The Russian military fired on a shipment of wheat bound for Egypt in the Black Sea. The enemy hit a civilian ship immediately after it left territorial waters, President Volodimir Zelenski said.
According to preliminary data, no people were killed.
“Ukraine is one of the leading global donors to food security. The internal stability and the lives of dozens of countries in different parts of the world depend on the smooth and normal functioning of our food export corridor,” the president emphasized.
A maritime source claimed in a statement to this news agency that the ship was hit during the night in “Romanian waters” near a mouth of the Danube River into the Black Sea, while a Ukrainian navy spokesman, Dmitro Pletenciuk, said the ship was in Romania’s “maritime economic zone”. It is unclear whether these statements refer to Romanian territorial waters or Romania’s exclusive economic zone in the Black Sea.
Romanian Naval Authority spokeswoman Irina Pușcașu meanwhile told Reuters that the grain ship that Ukraine says was hit by a Russian missile overnight was not in Romania’s territorial waters. “All I can tell you about that ship is that it was not in our territorial waters at that time,” the spokeswoman said. We were also “not asked for any assistance,” she added.
According to British maritime security company Ambrey, the Saint Kitts and Nevis-flagged bulk carrier had departed from the Ukrainian port of Ciornomorsk, was hit by a Russian-launched missile and suffered damage to its port side, including one of its holds and a crane.
“We will continue to make every effort to defend our ports, the Black Sea and food exports to global markets,” said President Zelenski, who posted images on social network X showing a cargo ship with twisted metal, a damaged crane and other damage.
“We are waiting for the world to react. Wheat and food security must never be the target of missiles,” he indicated.
For his part, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiga described the incident as “a cynical attack on the freedom of navigation and global food security”.
Russia did not immediately comment on reports that the ship had been hit. Nor could the company operating the ship, the Greek company VRS Maritime Services, be immediately contacted for clarification, Reuters notes.
Ukraine exports about four million tons of grain a month through a shipping corridor set up on the western Black Sea coast near Romania and Bulgaria, which was created in August 2023 after Russia pulled out of a deal allowing Ukrainian grain to be exported through a secure shipping corridor under the war it triggered by invading Ukraine.
Nazi ships with explosives, sunk in the Danube during the war, unearthed by drought – Replica de Constanța – September 11, 2024
The wreckage of explosives-laden Nazi ships sunk in the Danube during World War II have surfaced near the Serbian port city of Prahovo after drought in July and August caused the river’s level to drop, Reuters reports.
Four ships dating back to before 1950 also surfaced in Hungary’s Danube-Drava National Park near Mohacs, where the Danube’s level was only 1.5 meters (5.5 feet) on Tuesday following heat waves and persistent drought in July and August, according to Agerpres.
The ships discovered in Prahovo are among hundreds sunk along the Danube by Nazi Germany’s Black Sea fleet in 1944 as they retreated from advancing Soviet forces, destroying the ships. Wrecks can hamper river traffic during periods of low water levels.
Scattered along the riverbed, some of the ships still have turrets, decks, broken masts and crooked hulls, while others lie largely submerged in sandbanks.
Endre Sztellik, a ranger in the Danube-Drava National Park, said of one of the ships: “We still don’t know exactly what it is. What is noticeable, an unfortunate thing, is that the wreck is shrinking as people are interested in it and pieces of it are disappearing.”
The level of the Danube reached 1.17 meters in Budapest on Tuesday, which is close to an all-time low of about 0.4 meters, recorded in October 2018. During floods, the Danube rises well above six meters.
“Eastern Europe is facing critical dry conditions, affecting crops and vegetation,” the European climate service Copernicus said on its website in its latest drought report, published earlier this month.
The much-anticipated rainfall that started on Monday could raise the level of the Danube to about three meters at Mohacs by the end of the week, with the river’s waters likely to cover the wrecks again.
The level of Poland’s longest river, the Vistula, has dropped to a record low, leaving shoals in Warsaw. The water level was so low that a moose was filmed crossing the river in a rural section of the river, stiripesurse.ro quotes stiripesurse.ro.
Source: https://www.replicaonline.ro/nave-naziste-cu-explozivi-scufundate-in-dunare-in-timpul-razboiului-scoase-la-iveala-de-seceta-604163?z=l
Satellite images show Russian cargo ship carrying ballistic missiles from Iran – Business Insider – September 11, 2024
Overview of ships at Russia’s Port Olya on Sept. 4. Image ©from satellite 2024 Maxar Technologies.
1. Russia has received short-range ballistic missiles from Iran, NATO countries confirmed on Tuesday.
2. The US said Russia used a ship called Port Olya-3 to transport the missiles.
3. Satellite images captured last week appear to show the ship in a Russian port on the Caspian Sea.
A cargo ship suspected of carrying ballistic missiles from Iran was spotted in a Russian port last week, according to newly released satellite images.
The US and its European allies confirmed on Tuesday that Russia has received short-range ballistic missiles from Iran and is likely to use them to attack Ukraine in the coming weeks, calling the development a major escalation of the war.
Moscow received its first shipments of the missiles in early September and used a Russian-flagged ship called Port Olya-3 to transport the weapons from Iran, the US Treasury Department said.
Satellite images recently captured by Maxar Technologies and obtained by Business Insider show what was identified as the Olya-3 at Port Olya on Sept. 4. The port is located along the Caspian Sea in the Astrakhan region of southwest Russia.
A few days earlier, at the end of August, Olya-3 was docked at the Iranian port of Amirabad, in the opposite corner of the Caspian Sea.
Ships at Russia’s Port Olya on Sept. 4. Image ©from satellite 2024 Maxar Technologies.
The ship Port Olya-3 docked at Russia’s Port Olya on Sept. 4. Image ©from satellite 2024 Maxar Technologies.
Sky News first reported new satellite images available Wednesday.
The Olya-3 regularly transits the Caspian Sea to transport cargo between Iran and Russia, according to the Treasury Department, which has announced sanctions on the ship as part of widespread measures targeting Tehran and its assets in response to missile transfers.
US officials have said dozens of Russian servicemen have trained in Iran to use Fath-360 missiles that Tehran has delivered to Moscow. These short-range ballistic missiles have satellite guidance and a maximum range of about 75 miles.
The missiles can be equipped with a 330-pound warhead, posing a deadly threat to Ukrainian military positions and civilian infrastructure.
It is unclear exactly how many missiles Russia has received, although the Treasury Department said
John Kirby, a spokesman for the White House National Security Council, said Russia could use the new Iranian missiles on shorter-range targets in Ukraine while keeping its own ballistic missiles to strike deeper.
Russia has received Iranian missiles similar to the one seen here. The Biden administration believes they will likely be used against Ukraine in the near future. WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS
The Biden administration has long warned of deepening military ties between Russia and Iran. Kirby said Tuesday that Moscow has shared space-related intelligence and highly sought nuclear technology with Tehran.
The British, French and German governments have called the delivery an “escalation by both Iran and Russia” and “a direct threat to European security”.
“This is a further escalation of Iran’s military support for Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and will bring Iranian missiles to European soil, increasing the suffering of the Ukrainian people,” the countries said in a joint statement .
The launch of the Fath-360 missiles marks the latest transfer of weapons from abroad to Russia, which continues to depend on other pariah states such as Iran and North Korea for military assistance to bolster its war machine in Ukraine.
Iran has supplied Russia with one-way attack drones, while North Korea has supplied Moscow with ballistic missiles and artillery. Western countries, including the US, have condemned the deals as destabilizing and escalatory.
Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said Tuesday that the recent missile transfer between Iran and Russia was likely not a “good one-time deal,” noting that Moscow could seek additional munitions in the future.
Source: https://www.businessinsider.com/satellite-images-show-russian-cargo-ship-transported-iranian-ballistic-missiles-2024-9
Ship loaded with 20,000 tons of ammonium nitrate attempts to offload cargo for repairs – Marine Traffic – September 12, 2024
RUBY ship, image credit: Malcolm Cranfield
The vessel RUBY, which is loaded with 20,000 tons of explosive ammonium nitrate, has requested permission to dock in the port of KLAIPEDA, Lithuania.
The Klaipeda State Authority reported that the vessel attempted to enter the port and is carefully assessing the situation as the vessel is loaded with dangerous cargo. According to MarineTraffic, the Maltese-flagged vessel has been anchored off Andenes, Norway, since today, September 12.
The vessel RUBY is seeking repairs after suffering damage to its hull and propellers. Citing deteriorating conditions and inclement weather, the ship has taken refuge in the port of Tromso, Norway, where a 500-meter safety radius has been established around the vessel. RUBY left the area on September 4.
However, due to the dangerous nature of the cargo being close to universities and hospitals, the ship was taken out of port to an anchorage and temporary repairs were made. The ship has now requested permission to enter the port of Klaipeda and unload the dangerous cargo. The ship has plans to proceed for repairs at one of the port’s shipyards.
Ammonium nitrate is a chemical compound that has uses in fertilizers, but is best known for its explosive properties. This improper storage of this particular compound was the cause of the Beirut explosions in 2020.
Klaipeda authorities said they are carefully assessing the situation and a decision is expected in the near future.
Source: https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/maritime-news/16/general/2024/11487/vessel-loaded-with-20000-tons-of-ammonium-nitrate-seeks-to-o
Navy to boost fleet’s electronic attack capability with low-bandwidth contract for next-generation Jammer -Sea Power Magazine – September 10, 2024
The Navy has awarded a contract for engineering and production development of the Next Generation Jammer Low Band system, which will be deployed on the EA-18G Growler (pictured). It’s part of a larger system that will provide enhanced AEA capabilities to disrupt, deny and degrade enemy air defense and ground communications systems (U.S. Air Force photo by Sgt. Nicholas Priest).
The U.S. and Australian fleets are one step closer to getting the next increment of the U.S. Navy’s most advanced airborne electronic attack (AEA) system. The Navy awarded L3 Technologies Inc, Communication Systems-West a $587.4 million contract Aug. 26 for engineering development and production of the Next Generation Jammer Low Band (NGJ-LB) system.
“NGJ-LB will address current and emerging electronic warfare threats and increase the lethality of 4th and 5th generation attack platforms and weapons,” said Rear Adm. John Lemmon, program executive officer for tactical aircraft programs, Rear Adm. John Lemmon. “The Navy will work with L3Harris to get this key capability into the hands of the warfighter.”
The NGJ-LB is part of a larger NGJ system that will augment and eventually replace the aging ALQ-99 tactical jamming system on the EA-18G Growler EA-18G aircraft. Using the latest Active Electronic Scanned Array software and technologies, the NGJ will provide enhanced AEA capabilities to disrupt, deny and degrade enemy air defense and ground communications systems.
This latter augmentation will counter greater capability of adversary systems in the low-frequency electromagnetic spectrum. The NGJ-LB is scheduled to reach early operational capability in 2029.
The Navy originally awarded the contract in 2020. Following several protests, the Navy issued an amended request for proposals in 2023. This contract supports the final design and manufacturing efforts of operational and system-level prototypes for the U.S. Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). NGJ-LB is a joint cooperative program between the U.S. Department of Defense and the Australian Department of Defense.
“The contract award is a major step forward for our fleet as well as the RAAF,” said Capt. David Rueter, Airborne Electronic Attack Systems Program Manager Airborne Electronic Attack Systems (PMA-234). “Our partnership with Australia to develop the newest AEA jamming capability demonstrates our shared commitment to ensure continued superiority over the electromagnetic spectrum.”
PMA-234 is responsible for the acquisition, delivery and sustainment of AEA systems, including the NGJ, ALQ-99 and ALQ-231 Intrepid Tiger Pod II Intrepid Tiger Pod II. The program office provides combatant commanders with electronic warfare capabilities that enable operational mission success.
Source: https://seapowermagazine.org/navy-to-boost-fleets-electronic-attack-capability-with-next-generation-jammer-low-band-contract-award/
Naval Group signs ICA with Dutch government ahead of future submarine contract
An industrial cooperation agreement (ICA) has been signed between the Dutch government and France’s Naval Group in connection with the future contract for the Dutch submarine capability replacement program (RNSC).
The ICA was signed on September 10, 2024 at the Ministry of Economic Affairs in The Hague by Dutch Minister of Economic Affairs Dirk Beljaarts and Pierre Eric Pommellet, President and CEO of Naval Group. The actual contract for the RNSC program will be signed by the Dutch Ministry of Defense in the coming weeks.
The ICA is a binding document setting out Naval Group’s industrial cooperation strategy with the Dutch defense and maritime sector for the RNSC program. The Netherlands selected Naval Group to deliver four new-generation expeditionary submarines based on the Barracuda family design in March 2024, following a competitive bidding process. This new class of submarines will replace the Royal Netherlands Navy’s four Walrus-class boats.
The ICA forms an important part of the submarine program, as it contains the industrial cooperation plan involving Dutch companies and knowledge centers with the aim of maximizing strategic autonomy.
Under this agreement, Naval Group will cooperate over a period of 20 years with numerous key Dutch companies and knowledge institutes. This major project already involves a mix of large companies, small/medium-sized enterprises, high-tech companies and knowledge institutes. The agreement paves the way for a long-term partnership with the ambition to create value over the entire life cycle of the four new submarines, according to Naval Group.
“It is an honor to be here in The Hague today to sign the Industrial Cooperation Agreement, which is a major step forward for the RNSC program,” Pommellet said at the signing ceremony. “This agreement establishes an ambitious cooperation between the Netherlands Netherlands Defense Technological and Industrial Defense Technological and Industrial Base (NLDTIB) and Naval Group to jointly build the next generation of Royal Netherlands Navy submarines. We look forward to continuing to benefit from this cooperation in the future. The defense technology and industrial base in the Netherlands offers high-performance and niche solutions that will be broadly incorporated into this program, and I consider Naval Group extremely fortunate to be able to work closely with such qualified partners in this program and beyond for decades to come.”
The ICA will lead to a significant strengthening of NLDTIB in the design, development and production of critical components and subsystems for next-generation submarines as well as surface ships.
The ICA signed in The Hague on September 10, 2024 between the Dutch government and France’s Naval Group sets out the Naval Group’s industrial cooperation strategy with the Dutch defense and maritime sector for the RNSC program (Photo: Naval Group).
Source: https://euro-sd.com/2024/09/major-news/40355/naval-group-ica-with-dutch-gov/
Airbus and Rohde & Schwarz collaborate to develop Royal Navy communications – European S&D – September 11, 2024
Airbus Defense and Space and Rohde & Schwarz have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance the technology connectivity offering for the UK’s Royal Navy.
The strategic collaboration, which was signed on August 28, 2024 at Airbus offices in London and then announced on September 9, aims to provide the Royal Navy with enhanced communications resilience by leveraging the latest technologies and expertise from both companies. By combining their strengths, Airbus Defense and Space and Rohde & Schwarz will seek to jointly develop innovative solutions to address the evolving communications challenges facing the Royal Navy.
The Memorandum of Understanding recognizes that defense challenges often require collaborative efforts to deliver effective solutions. As part of this agreement, Rohde & Schwarz will contribute its communications technology to enhance the Airbus Maritime Network Evolution product. This integration will enable the Royal Navy to benefit from enhanced communication capabilities, ensuring seamless and secure connectivity in different operational scenarios.
“We are delighted to partner with Rohde & Schwarz: a renowned expert in secure communications systems,” said Richard Budd, vice president of integrated space solutions for the UK, US and Asia-Pacific regions for Airbus Defence and Space, quoted in a Rohde & Schwarz press release. Together, we will work to provide the Royal Navy with cutting-edge technology to improve communications resilience and support their critical missions.”
Gary Mackay, Managing Director of Rohde & Schwarz UK, added: “We are proud to be working with Airbus Defence and Space to support the Royal Navy’s communications needs. Our communications technology has been designed to provide secure and reliable communications solutions and we look forward to contributing to the development of innovative solutions to meet the Royal Navy’s evolving requirements.”
Gary Mackay, managing director of Rohde & Schwarz UK (left), and Richard Budd, vice president of integrated space solutions for the UK, US and Asia-Pacific regions for Airbus Defence and Space, signed a memorandum of understanding on August 28, 2024 focused on improving the communications resilience of the Royal Navy (Photo: Airbus).
Source: https://euro-sd.com/2024/09/major-news/40324/airbus-and-rohde-schwarz-mou/
Ukraine says Russia hit a civilian grain ship in the Black Sea
By Pavel Polityuk and Yuliia Dysa
September 12, 2024245:04 GMT+3AUpdated an hour ago
A picture shows a damaged civilian cargo ship carrying wheat grain to Egypt, which was hit by a Russian missile attack after leaving the Ukrainian maritime border in the Black Sea amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, September 12, 2024. Ukrainian presidential press service via REUTERS
1. Summary
1. Zelenski says grain ship was hit after it left Ukraine
2. Ship was in Romania’s maritime economic zone, he says
3. No immediate comment from Russia
Ukraine on Thursday accused Russia of using strategic bombers to hit a civilian ship with a missile in the Black Sea in the maritime economic zone of NATO member Romania in what it described as a “brazen attack” on freedom of navigation.
President Volodimir Zelenski said the ship carrying Ukrainian grain to Egypt was hit by a Russian missile immediately after leaving Ukrainian territorial waters and that there were no casualties, according to a preliminary assessment.
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There was no immediate comment from Russia.
If confirmed, the incident would mark a sharp rise in tensions between Moscow and the NATO military alliance, which has been trying to shift between fears of escalation and supporting Ukraine in its war with Russia since Moscow’s invasion in February 2022.
British maritime security company Ambrey said in a note that a Saint Kitts and Nevis-flagged bulk carrier was hit by a Russian-launched missile after leaving the Ukrainian port of Chornomorsk in the Ukrainian region of Odessa.
The ship sustained damage to its port side, including a cargo hold and a crane.
Traders said the incident has contributed to the rise in wheat prices, heightening concerns about tightening supplies in the Black Sea export zone. US futures rose as much as 2% to hit a two-month high.
Zelenski posted pictures showing the twisted metal of a damaged crane and other damage.
An industry source told Reuters the strike took place overnight, not far from the mouth of the Danube. Dmytro Pletenchuk, spokesman for the Ukrainian navy, told Reuters that the ship was in Romania’s maritime economic zone.
Romania’s naval authority said the ship was not in its territorial waters and that its assistance had not been requested in any way.
“SHAMELESS ATTACK”
Zelenski wrote on X: “We are waiting for the world to react. Wheat and food security should never be missile targets.”
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called the attack “a brazen attack on freedom of navigation and global food security”.
Ukraine is a major global grain exporter that has had to battle Russia in the Black Sea to boost its exports through its seaports since Russia’s invasion imposed a de facto blockade.
Position of the AYA on 12.09.24 – 19.00
Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russian-missile-hits-civilian-ship-with-ukrainian-grain-black-sea-zelenskiy-says-2024-09-12/
Bulgaria hosted a conference on Black Sea security issues
Commander of the Military-Maritime Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Vice Admiral Olexsiy Neizhpapa took part in the fleet commanders’ conference, held within the next stage of the international training series “Sea Breeze 2024”.
The representative event was attended by the commanders of the U.S. Sixth Fleet, Bulgarian Navy, Turkish Republic, French Mediterranean Fleet, Deputy Commander of the NATO Maritime Command, Commander of the British Royal Fleet Operations, the leadership of the Naval Forces of Estonia, Sweden, Greece, Italy, Japan.
The conference, as well as its own training, focused on the issue of ensuring counter security in the Black Sea.
During the conference, the Commander of the Navy of the Armed Forces of Ukraine held bilateral meetings with the Commander of the US Sixth Fleet, Vice Admiral Thomas Ishi, Commander of the Bulgarian Navy Rear Admiral Kiryl Mikhailov, Commander of the UK Royal Fleet Operations, Major General Major Richard Cantrill, Deputy Commander of the Naval Commander of the NATO Vice Admiral Vice Admiral Didier Malieter. During the meetings, the parties discussed Ukraine’s security problems, strengthening interaction with partners in the Coalition for the Development of Ukraine’s Maritime Capabilities and planning collective efforts to free the Black Sea from the danger of mines.
Both during the collective discussions and personal meetings, Vice Admiral Alexei Neizhpapa repeatedly noted that the current and future efforts of the countries to achieve mine safety in the Black Sea without the involvement of Ukraine as the main player will not be effective.
– Ukraine’s counterpart capabilities will soon be provided with five counterpart ships and three counterpart boats, autonomous counterpart systems, underwater mining specialists and a ready-made headquarters of a counterpart battle group. They are to play a key role in mining in the north-western Black Sea and pool the efforts of the partners around them to achieve successful large-scale counter-operation under the NATO flag. Only in this way we will make our sea free and safe, – summarizing the conference, the Commander of the Military-Military Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Vice Admiral Alexei Neizhpapa announced.
– Communications Management of the Command of the Military-Navy Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
Source: https://www.facebook.com/navy.mil.gov.ua/posts/922449559922627?ref=embed_post
Ukraine, together with its partners, will mine the Black Sea – Black Sea News – September 12, 2024
A conference on mine safety in the Black Sea was held in Bulgaria. The event discussed Ukraine’s participation in demining the sea.
The conference was held as part of the next stage of the Sea Breeze 2024 international exercises and was dedicated to mine safety in the Black Sea, the Navy of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported .
During the event, they discussed strengthening cooperation with partners in the coalition for the development of Ukraine’s maritime capabilities, as well as planning collective efforts to free the Black Sea from mine danger.
The Commander of the Navy of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Vice Admiral Oleksiy Neizhpapa, noted that the current and future efforts of countries to achieve mine safety in the Black Sea without the involvement of Ukraine as a major player will not be effective.
“To this end, Ukraine will involve five anti-mine vessels and three anti-mine craft, autonomous mine countermeasures systems, as well as underwater demining specialists and a trained headquarters of the mine countermeasures tactical group. They should play a key role in demining the north-western Black Sea and unite the efforts of partners to successfully conduct a large-scale mine action operation under the NATO flag. This is the only way we will make our seas free and safe again,” Oleksiy Neizhpapa emphasized.
The conference was also attended by the commanders of the US 6th Fleet, the Bulgarian Navy, the Republic of Turkey, the Republic of Turkey, the Mediterranean Fleet of France, the Deputy Commander of the NATO Maritime Command, the Commander of Operations of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom, the leadership of the naval forces of Estonia, Sweden, Greece, Italy and Japan.
Source: https://www.blackseanews.net/read/221920
Finland has suspended the work of the consultative council with the Russian Federation on the Saimaa Canal
The Ministry of Transport and Communications of Finland has announced the suspension of the work of the consultative council with Russia on the operation of the Saimaa Canal.
This was reported by CFTS with reference to information from the Ministry of Transport and Communications in the country.
“The work of the Saimaa Canal Advisory Council has been suspended until further notice,” the department said.
The main work of the council was aimed at determining the start and end dates of navigation through the canal, exchanging information about the state of affairs in the region.
Source: https://www.blackseanews.net/read/221899
Russian Su-30SM fighter jet shot down with MANPADS over the Black Sea – Defense Intelligence / Video
During the operation in the Black Sea, soldiers of the special unit of the Ukrainian Defense Intelligence Intelligence Service destroyed a Russian Su-30SM fighter jet with a MANPADS strike. The cost of such an aircraft is about 50 million dollars.
This was reported by the press service of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.
It is noted that the fighter that crashed into the sea belonged to the 43rd Separate Naval Aviation Regiment of the Russian Air Force, which is based at the airfield in the city of Saky in the temporarily occupied Crimea.
The Main Intelligence Directorate said that the Russian occupiers lost contact with their fighter jets on September 11, 2024, at around 5 am. About three hours later, the Russians launched a search and rescue operation that involved an An-26 aircraft as well as Mi-8 and Ka-27 helicopters.
“At noon, the invaders reported to the command about a characteristic spot of aviation fuel found in the sea 70 kilometers northwest of Cape Tarkhankut, and soon saw the wreckage of the destroyed Su-30SM aircraft,” the statement said.
The cost of such an aircraft is about 50 million dollars, GUR added.
VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoVs-R2fb4g
Source: https://www.blackseanews.net/read/221907