On Wednesday, NATO Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, joined other international landmarks and switched off lights at 2000 local time in solidarity with Ukraine.
According to a NATO news release, the initiative is part of the ‘Lights for Ukraine’ campaign launched by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, together with the United 24 platform.
“It will run until 31 December 2022. The aim is to raise funds for generators for Ukrainian hospitals and to draw the world’s attention to the situation in Ukraine, in particular the large-scale blackouts caused by Russia’s massive strikes on critical infrastructures, leaving the population in dire conditions, without electricity or running water, as winter progresses.
NATO Allies are helping Ukraine uphold its rights for self-defence, enshrined in the UN Charter. Unprecedented support has been already delivered to Ukraine, including equipment to repair energy grids, winter clothing, fuel and generators.”
At NATO’s Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Bucharest in November, Allies reaffirmed their continued support to Ukraine and made additional pledges as part of NATO’s Comprehensive Assistance Package for Ukraine.
It is wednesday 28 December, it is 1130GMT in the UK. 2000hrs has not happened yet. It is still daylight. My Fb says this story was posted 23 minutes ago. Slightly confused. Is this to be announced for a UK National “Lights Out” for, say, 5 minutes in the UK from 2000 tonight? Odd story as NATO Members are across so many Time Zones, it is hardly co-ordinated.
The lights out took place a week ago, from the linked in article:
The Post by Tom Watson is dated 28 Dec.. The bit I can see does not refer to the info you have – which was my point. I do see the link, but superficially the real importance is the joint effort, but, heigh ho, precis stories and links could be followed, but Media is shallow and brief,isn’t it!
L wrote:
I think you mean Tom Dunlop,
Tom Watson (FUB) is a former Labour MP who used his position as Labour Nbr 2 to target Tory MPs with false allegations of kiddy fiddling and then refused to apologise when caught out. For his service for telling porkies (He also claimed £4800 for food on expenses) he was made into a Lord this year by Starmer.
Oops – my apologies!
See Lavrov tried another of his ‘famed’ one-liners. Russia’s very own Comical Ali. Asking for a slap at this rate. Clearly needs teaching a few manners.
10 months and 1 week after Moscow started its 3-day special operations misadventure inside the Ukraine and they really are on the backfoot:
1) In the north of the Kharkiv Oblast, Moscow is getting pushed back, having advanced around 20 miles of the Oskil river (a natural defensive line, which they reached in September and where Moscow really should have held the line) at the city of Kreminna, there is talk that the Ukraine has captured it.
2) In the centre, for some very strange reason, Moscow has spent the past 4 to 5 months trying to capture the city of Bakhmut, which despite all the extra troops it has deployed to take the city, has suffered huge losses resulting in this past week of Kyiv actually taking back lost ground (The videos and photos from the city show a death toll that would bring down any western government , one photo alone shows 19 dead Russian troops, another (recent video clip) shows a UAV using a thermal camera to track a squad of Russian troops (remember its winter, so cold) allowing Gunners to take them out. Another video clip (yesterday) shows a loitering munition tracking a speeding APC (BMP2 I think) from above its starboard side dropping down behind it and racing to strike it in the rear, a rear which has its clam shell doors open and which clearly shows a bloke sat in the back and another on the turret trying to shoot it down.
3) At the bottom, Moscow appears to have made some progress against the city of Malinka , the thing is, it is 14 miles to the centre of Malinka from the centre of Donetsk city, so hardly anything to write home about.
4) In the south east, the Ukraine has taken to hitting concentrations of Russian troops with uncanny accuracy (usually inside R&R Hotels) , as well as striking ammo dumps, HQs and lines of communication. Leading Moscow to presume that the Ukraine is going to strike there next cutting the land bridge to the Crimea which kind of explains why Sat photos show they have completely fortified the city of Tokmak and the town of Kam’yanka
5) Following on from the strike on Engels airbase 2 nights ago (duty rumour has it 5 TU95 jets were damaged , 17 blokes killed , 21 injured and control tower destroyed, having watched the street cameras videos of the explosions, (with sound) I would rather believe that claim than the report issued by Moscow that they shot the missile down and the debris killed 3 people) Moscow (Like it did in the Crimea) has started relocating aircraft further away from the area. Which kind of explains the rash of missile and arty strikes on the city of Kherson yesterday.
6) For some reason Moscow still peddles the line of nothing more than unconditional surrender , yes I can see that is just for Western public consumption and things like the British PM asking for an audit of British Aid to the Ukraine doesn’t help. I mean the last poll inside the Ukraine (last week) had 78% of those surveyed voting for the Ukraine to continue fighting.
Well its almost a new year, I expect to see the Ukraine open a completely new front and retake another huge swath of land back from Russia, something I expect Moscow is expecting and dreading simply as the quality of its troops is less than that of British army cadets , which might explain the 100 odd T90M in Belrus, which I feel would be used as a distraction in which to put the brakes on any Ukrainian thrust.
Thanks for the detailed info. you have got to wonder what the Russians are on. they need a way out of this and are still coming out with bizarre statements
Ukraine’s air defences need to be as comprehensive as can be and will need continual replenishment. Hope Ukraine can sink some of the 🇷🇺 subs and ships launching these cruise missiles and take out their artillery batteries.
We all hope that this conflict is also focusing some MOD minds on the UK’s own lack of Land based Shorad, GBAD and ABM defences and to do something concrete about it sooner than (too) later
If Crimea is regained by 🇺🇦 they could then put a squeeze on 🇷🇺 naval Ops through Kerch Strait or at least keep a big pair of eyes over them. Ukraine might want to look at constructing a canal across the top of the Crimean peninsula to link the Black and Asov seas as an alternative to the Kerch Strait.
A difficult year ahead for Ukraine and its supporters. The bold effort by many countries must continue in 2023, with added vigour to remove Russia’s constant barrages on Ukrainian towns and cities.
Interesting story. I wonder if the British Army will ever get involved in war against Russia and if all its modern kit will be available. That is my very poor segue into this point about Ajax:
An Ajax update was posted on 21 Dec in Parliamentary written reply – my source is:
https://www.army-technology.com/news/no-realistic-timescale-the-uk-ajax-armoured-vehicle/
Apparently the User Validation Trials were ‘limited’ but it seems that the fixes by GDUK were satisfctory. Reliability Growth Trials commence next month and may last until Q1/2025. If all goes well, vehicle should then enter series production and be fielded soon after. At least an 8 year delay to ISD – that would surely be a record!
I can’t help believing that any good news will be gladly received and encouraged. The burning question must be if these improvements can save the programme? The betting is the vehicle will be signed off at around 85% worthy with an additional budget to address the remaining tasks during fleet build-up. The thought of cancelation and the likely, political, employment, and economic fallout draws me to a cobbled sign-off by the MOD.
This is not in the “spirit Christmas” but Russia’s continual bombardment of Ukraine over Christmas is just disgusting and barbaric. Time i think for “Russia’s lights to be knocked out”!! No need for nice diplomatic language or broadcasting what you want to do. Just the strength and capacity to do it on the quiet and push the 🇷🇺 buggers back into the Asov Sea, sink their subs, ships and keep destroying their planes, missiles and tanks. They’re showing what amoral bastards they are. Sorry for language. Strength to Ukraine 🇺🇦, its people, armed forces and their President. May you have victory early in 2023!! Happy New Year everyone who’s on 🇺🇦 side! 🇬🇧 🇦🇺 and the free 🗺.
Silliness.