southfront--2020-10-07--Russian Navy Successfully Test-Fired Zircon Hypersonic Anti-Ship Missile (Video)

The Russian Navy had successfully test-fired the 3M22 Zircon anti-ship hypersonic cruise missile , Chief of Russia ’ s General Staff Army Gen. Valery Gerasimov informed President Vladimir Putin during a video conference on October 7 .
Admiral Gorshkov frigate of the Navy ’ s Northern Fleet launched the new missile in the White Sea against a target at a distance of 450 km .
During the test firing the missile flew to a range of 450 km , climbing to a maximum altitude of 28 km .
The flight lasted four minutes thirty seconds , during which the missile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 8 .
President Putin called Zircon hypersonic missile ’ s successful test a “ great event ” for the country , praising those who worked on the project .
“ The work on the Tsirkon system and the stage of carrying out a successful test of this missile is a major event not only for the Armed Forces but for entire Russia , the entire country because equipping our Armed Forces – the army and the fleet – with advanced weapons systems , which indeed have no rivals in the world , certainly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for many years to come , ” Putin said .
The 3M22 Zircon can travel at a speed of Mach 8–Mach 9 .
The missile ’ s average range is around 500 km .
However , in a 2020 test , Ministry of Defense of Russia claimed that the missile ’ s range was estimated to be 1,000 – 2,000 km depending on the type of target .
The hypersonic missile poses a serious threat to the naval forces of Russia ’ s adversaries .
The Russian Navy ’ s surface ships and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ missile .
The Zircon is one of many hypersonic weapons developed by Russia in the recent years .
While many of these weapons have already entered service with the Russian military , other countries are still struggling to develop such systems .
MORE ON THIS TOPIC : • Turkey To Conduct Major Test Of Russian S-400 Systems Despite US Sanctions Threat • Russia Says “ No Problem ” Delivering S-400 Missiles To Iran When UN Embargo Expires

Support SouthFront
The Russian Navy had successfully test-fired the 3M22 Zircon anti-ship hypersonic cruise missile, Chief of Russia’s General Staff Army Gen. Valery Gerasimov informed President Vladimir Putin during a video conference on October 7.
Admiral Gorshkov frigate of the Navy’s Northern Fleet launched the new missile in the White Sea against a target at a distance of 450 km.
During the test firing the missile flew to a range of 450 km, climbing to a maximum altitude of 28 km. The flight lasted four minutes thirty seconds, during which the missile gained a hypersonic speed of over Mach 8.
“the tasks of the launch were fulfilled, the test-fire was recognized as successful and the missile was registered to accurately hit the target,” TASS quoted Gen. Gerasimov as saying during the video call.
President Putin called Zircon hypersonic missile’s successful test a “great event” for the country, praising those who worked on the project.
“The work on the Tsirkon system and the stage of carrying out a successful test of this missile is a major event not only for the Armed Forces but for entire Russia, the entire country because equipping our Armed Forces – the army and the fleet – with advanced weapons systems, which indeed have no rivals in the world, certainly ensures our state’s defense capacity for many years to come,” Putin said.
The 3M22 Zircon can travel at a speed of Mach 8–Mach 9. The missile’s average range is around 500 km. However, in a 2020 test, Ministry of Defense of Russia claimed that the missile’s range was estimated to be 1,000 – 2,000 km depending on the type of target.
The hypersonic missile poses a serious threat to the naval forces of Russia’s adversaries. The Russian Navy’s surface ships and submarines will be both armed with the missile.
The Zircon is one of many hypersonic weapons developed by Russia in the recent years. While many of these weapons have already entered service with the Russian military, other countries are still struggling to develop such systems.
MORE ON THIS TOPIC:
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-10-07--Azerbaijani, Armenian Forces Continue To Exchange Artillery Fire (Photos)

On October 7 , Azerbaijani and Armenian forces exchanged artillery fire in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh , where a heated battle has been ongoing for more than ten days now .
The Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan accused the Armenian military of shelling the towns of Tartar , Barda , Aghdam , Agjabadi , Fizuli and Jabrayil .
No casualties were reported .
The towns , which are located on the frontlines , were likely evacuated in the early days of the conflict .
Azerbaijan claims that Armenian fire has so far claimed the lives of 27 civilians and injured @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 63 facilities were allegedly destroyed .
While Azerbaijan was accusing Armenia of shelling civilian settlements , its forces were pounding the Armenian-held town of Shushi .
Azerbaijani artillery strikes caused significant damage to a number of civilian facilities in the town as seen in few photos shared by the Armenian Unified Infocenter .
At least 21 Armenian civilians have been killed in Azerbaijani shelling on Nagorno-Karabakh since the outbreak of the battle there .
More than 90 others were injured .
The battle in Nagorno-Karabakh will likely claim the lives of more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ few days .
A ceasefire doesn ’ t appear to be possible now .
Azerbaijan and Armenian are still not ready for compromise .
MORE ON THIS TOPIC :

Support SouthFront
On October 7, Azerbaijani and Armenian forces exchanged artillery fire in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh, where a heated battle has been ongoing for more than ten days now.
The Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan accused the Armenian military of shelling the towns of Tartar, Barda, Aghdam, Agjabadi, Fizuli and Jabrayil. No casualties were reported. The towns, which are located on the frontlines, were likely evacuated in the early days of the conflict.
Azerbaijan claims that Armenian fire has so far claimed the lives of 27 civilians and injured at least 141 others. 376 houses and 63 facilities were allegedly destroyed.
While Azerbaijan was accusing Armenia of shelling civilian settlements, its forces were pounding the Armenian-held town of Shushi. Azerbaijani artillery strikes caused significant damage to a number of civilian facilities in the town as seen in few photos shared by the Armenian Unified Infocenter.
Meanwhile #Azerbaijan officially claims that they are targeting only MILITARY facilities, their Armed Forces are targeting the Culture House in Shushi#StopAzerbaijaniAggression #NKpeace pic.twitter.com/S2TRdklcrv — Armenian Unified Infocenter (@ArmenianUnified) October 7, 2020
At least 21 Armenian civilians have been killed in Azerbaijani shelling on Nagorno-Karabakh since the outbreak of the battle there. More than 90 others were injured.
The battle in Nagorno-Karabakh will likely claim the lives of more civilians on both sides in the upcoming few days. A ceasefire doesn’t appear to be possible now. Azerbaijan and Armenian are still not ready for compromise.
MORE ON THIS TOPIC:
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-10-07--Military Situation In Iraq On October 7, 2020 (Map Update)

Click to see the full-size image A brief overview of the recent developments in Iraq : • On October 5 @ @ @ @ @ Baghdad Airport .
No casualties were reported • Iraqi PM Mustafa al-Kadhimi forms a High @ @ @ @ @ at the US Embassy and bases that housed Coalition forces ; • PMU forces carried @ @ @ @ @ ISIS cells southwest of Kirkuk ; • PMU forces carried out a security operation against @ @ @ @ @ ; • A spokesman for the US-led coalition fighting ISIS in Iraq and Syria confirmed @ @ @ @ @ completed its drawdown from about 5,200 to fewer than 3,000 troops in Iraq .
MORE @ @ @ @ @ US Withdraws Another 2,500 Troops From Iraq , Uncertainty Surrounds Future Plans

Support SouthFront
A brief overview of the recent developments in Iraq:
On October 5, two rockets fell near Baghdad Airport. No casualties were reported
Iraqi PM Mustafa al-Kadhimi forms a High Committee to investigate security breaches at the US Embassy and bases that housed Coalition forces;
PMU forces carried out a security operation against ISIS cells southwest of Kirkuk;
PMU forces carried out a security operation against ISIS cells north of Samarra;
A spokesman for the US-led coalition fighting ISIS in Iraq and Syria confirmed that the US military had completed its drawdown from about 5,200 to fewer than 3,000 troops in Iraq.
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-10-07--ISIS Terrorists Launched Large Attack Against Syrian Troops In Eastern Hama

Late on October 6 , ISIS terrorists launched a large attack on the Syrian Arab Army ( SAA ) and @ @ @ @ @ Hama countryside .
The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights ( SOHR ) said the @ @ @ @ @ had targeted positions in the area of al-Fasdah as well as in the mountains of @ @ @ @ @ clashes broke out in eastern Hama as a result of the attack .
However , @ @ @ @ @ to advance in the region .
ISIS stepped up its attacks on government forces in @ @ @ @ @ the Hama-Aleppo-Raqqa triangle , in the last few weeks .
According to the SOHR , @ @ @ @ @ pro-government fighters were killed in clashes in the central region over the last week only @ @ @ @ @ , ISIS terrorists continue to escalate in the central region , which indicate that they @ @ @ @ @ Some recent reports revealed that U.S.-backed fighters in the southeastern region of al-Tanaf are suppling @ @ @ @ @ money .
MORE ON THIS TOPIC :

Support SouthFront
Late on October 6, ISIS terrorists launched a large attack on the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and pro-government forces in the eastern Hama countryside.
The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said the terrorist group’s attack had targeted positions in the area of al-Fasdah as well as in the mountains of Tanahij and Tutian.
Heavy clashes broke out in eastern Hama as a result of the attack. However, ISIS terrorists were not able to advance in the region.
“Three Russian warplanes targeted the organization’s [ISIS] positions in the desert of Deir Ezzor at the time of the organization’s attack [in eastern Hama],” the SOHR said in its report.
ISIS stepped up its attacks on government forces in central Syria, especially in the Hama-Aleppo-Raqqa triangle, in the last few weeks.
According to the SOHR, 49 terrorist and 41 Syrian pro-government fighters were killed in clashes in the central region over the last week only.
Despite sustaining heavy losses, ISIS terrorists continue to escalate in the central region, which indicate that they are receiving some support. Some recent reports revealed that U.S.-backed fighters in the southeastern region of al-Tanaf are suppling the terrorists in exchange for money.
MORE ON THIS TOPIC:
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-10-08--Russian Warplanes Pounded ISIS Positions In Western Deir Ezzor

Early on October 8 , warplanes of the Russian Aerospace Forces carried out a series of airstrikes on ISIS positons in the western Deir Ezzor countries .
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights ( SOHR ) said more than seven airstrikes struck the terrorist group ’ s positions in the outskirt of Faydat al-Muin ’ a , a desert area located to the west of al-Mayadin city .
“ There are cells and hideouts of the Islamic State [ ISIS ] organization in the area , and attacks are always being carried out against regime forces in the area @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in its report .
A few days ago , a wave of Russian airstrikes hit ISIS positions in Deir Ezzor ’ s desert .
At least 30 terrorists , including a field commander known as “ Abu Qatada ” were killed .
Abu Qatada was allegedly responsible for the August 18 attack , which claimed the lives of a Russian general , a military translator and several Syrian soldiers .
Heavy clashes between ISIS terrorists and Syrian pro-government forces have been ongoing in the central region for a few weeks now .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the terrorists launched a large attack on Syrian military positions in the eastern Homs countryside .
Pro-government troops repelled the attack without sustaining any serious losses .
According to a recent report by the SOHR , 49 terrorists and 41 Syrian pro-government fighters were killed as a result of central Syria clashes in the last week only .
MORE ON THIS TOPIC : • Syrian Army Lifted Siege Of Kanakir After Reaching Final Agreement With Locals • Syrian Militants Playing “ Children ’ s Games ” Waiting To Join The Fray In Nagorno-Karabakh

Support SouthFront
Early on October 8, warplanes of the Russian Aerospace Forces carried out a series of airstrikes on ISIS positions in the western Deir Ezzor countryside.
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said more than seven airstrikes had struck the terrorist group’s positions in the outskirt of Faydat al-Muin’a, a desert area located to the west of al-Mayadin city.
“There are cells and hideouts of the Islamic State [ISIS] organization in the area, and attacks are always being carried out against regime forces in the area there,” the monitoring group said in its report.
A few days ago, a wave of Russian airstrikes hit ISIS positions in Deir Ezzor’s desert. At least 30 terrorists, including a field commander known as “Abu Qatada”, were killed. Abu Qatada was allegedly responsible for the August 18 attack, which claimed the lives of a Russian general, a military translator and several Syrian soldiers.
Heavy clashes between ISIS terrorists and Syrian pro-government forces have been ongoing in the central region for a few weeks now.
In most recent episode of the clashes, the terrorists launched a large attack on Syrian military positions in the eastern Homs countryside. Pro-government troops repelled the attack without sustaining any serious losses.
According to a recent report by the SOHR, 49 terrorists and 41 Syrian pro-government fighters were killed as a result of central Syria clashes in the last week only.
MORE ON THIS TOPIC:
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-10-08--Turkey Kept Its Fighter Jets In Azerbaijan To Deter Armenia – Report

Turkey has kept a number of its F-16 fighter jets in Azerbaijan after a joint exercise that was held in July , the Middle East Eye reported on October 8 , citing sources familiar with the issue .
The sources told the London-based outlet that the fighter jets were kept as a deterrent against any possible Armenian attacks on Azerbaijan .
New York Times journalist Christiaan Triebert shared on October 7 satellite images , proving that at least two Turkish F-16s were deployed in Azerbaijan ’ s Ganja International Airport .
Armenia claims that one of the Turkish F-16s deployed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of one of its Su-25 warplanes on September 29 .
The Middle East Eye ’ s sources denied the Armenian accusations , claiming that the F-16s are not supporting Azerbaijani operations in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh .
According to the sources , the Turkish F-16s were moved from Ganja following an Armenian rocket strike that targeted the airport on October 4 .
The presence of Turkish troops , warplanes and Turkish-backed Syrian mercenaries in Azerbaijan indicate that Ankara is playing a key role in the ongoing conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh .
Baku is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Turkish forces .
MORE ON THIS TOPIC : • Azerbaijan Official Claims Armenian Suicide Drone Was Downed .
It Is Actually Israeli-Made Drone Supplied To Baku • Syrian Militants Playing “ Children ’ s Games ” Waiting To Join The Fray In Nagorno-Karabakh

Support SouthFront
Turkey has kept a number of its F-16 fighter jets in Azerbaijan after a joint exercise that was held in July, the Middle East Eye reported on October 8, citing sources familiar with the issue.
The sources told the London-based outlet that the fighter jets were kept as a deterrent against any possible Armenian attacks on Azerbaijan.
“The F-16s have been there as a deterrent against any Armenian attacks on civilian populations and military installations within Azerbaijan,” the outlet quoted one of the sources as saying.
New York Times journalist Christiaan Triebert shared on October 7 satellite images, proving that at least two Turkish F-16s were deployed in Azerbaijan’s Ganja International Airport.
We compared the approximate measurements and visual characteristics (canard wings, color, etc.) with a variety of aircraft, including those operated by the Azerbaijani Air Force (MiG-21, MiG-29, Su-25, L-39). The Turkish-operated F-16 is the closest match. pic.twitter.com/dRCGUshyYp — Christiaan Triebert (@trbrtc) October 7, 2020
Armenia claims that one of the Turkish F-16s deployed in Azerbaijan was behind the shot down of one of its Su-25 warplanes on September 29.
The Middle East Eye’s sources denied the Armenian accusations, claiming that the F-16s are not supporting Azerbaijani operations in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh.
According to the sources, the Turkish F-16s were moved from Ganja following an Armenian rocket strike that targeted the airport on October 4.
The presence of Turkish troops, warplanes and Turkish-backed Syrian mercenaries in Azerbaijan indicate that Ankara is playing a key role in the ongoing conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh. Baku is, without a doubt, receiving support from Turkish forces.
MORE ON THIS TOPIC:
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-10-08--Syrian Army Lifted Siege Of Kanakir After Reaching Final Agreement With Locals

The Syrian Arab Army ( SAA ) has lift its siege of the town of Kanakir to the south of the capital , Damascus , a number of pro-opposition sources reported on October 8 .
According to the sources , the army withdrew all of its troops from the outskirt of the town and reopened all roads after reaching a final agreement with the locals to restart the reconciliation process in the town .
Under the new agreement , Syrian authorities also released three women from the town , who were arrested for unclear reasons on September 19 .
Some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrest of the three women as a pretext to disturb peace in the town .
The militants carried out a series of attacks on government forces inside the town as well as in nearby areas .
In response to these attacks , the SAA deployed large forces around Kanakir .
Preparations were being made to carry out a limited operation in the town .
However , an initial agreement with the locals was reached on October 3 .
The final agreement will restart the reconciliation process in Kanakir .
According to the Orient @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will join the Military Intelligence Directorate Branch 220 , which is active in the southern Damascus countryside .
The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the militants involved in attacks , especially bombings in Damascus , will not be allowed to stay in Kanakir .
The militants will be deported to opposition-held areas later .
Kanakir ’ s agreement will improve security around Damascus and strengthen the reconciliation process , without military action or bloodshed .
MORE ON THIS TOPIC : • Syrian Militants Playing “ Children ’ s Games ” Waiting @ @ @ @ @ @

Support SouthFront
The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) has lift its siege of the town of Kanakir to the south of the capital, Damascus, a number of pro-opposition sources reported on October 8.
According to the sources, the army withdrew all of its troops from the outskirt of the town and reopened all roads after reaching a final agreement with the locals to restart the reconciliation process in the town.
Under the new agreement, Syrian authorities also released three women from the town, who were arrested for unclear reasons on September 19.
Some of Kanakir’s militants used the arrest of the three women as a pretext to disturb peace in the town. The militants carried out a series of attacks on government forces inside the town as well as in nearby areas.
In response to these attacks, the SAA deployed large forces around Kanakir. Preparations were being made to carry out a limited operation in the town. However, an initial agreement with the locals was reached on October 3.
The final agreement will restart the reconciliation process in Kanakir. According to the Orient News, the town’s militants will join the Military Intelligence Directorate Branch 220, which is active in the southern Damascus countryside.
The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the militants involved in attacks, especially bombings in Damascus, will not be allowed to stay in Kanakir. The militants will be deported to opposition-held areas later.
Kanakir’s agreement will improve security around Damascus and strengthen the reconciliation process, without military action or bloodshed.
MORE ON THIS TOPIC:
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-10-08--Military Situation In Syria On October 8, 2020 (Map Update)

Click to see the full-size image A brief overview of the recent developments in Syria : • Turkish-backed forces artillery @ @ @ @ @ Hamra village near al-Arim ; • Turkish-backed forces artillery shelled SAA positions in the village @ @ @ @ @ between Turkish-backed forces were reported near the city of Azaz ; • Turkish forces carried @ @ @ @ @ on the M4 highway ; • SAA artillery shelled Turkish-backed forces positions in the village @ @ @ @ @ Al-Assad : We can only have normal relations with Israel when we regain our land @ @ @ @ @ seen any official in the Israeli system willing to move one step towards peace ; @ @ @ @ @ people were wounded as a result of an explosive device explosion in the Al-Sabeel neighborhood @ @ @ @ @ ON THE TOPIC :

Support SouthFront
A brief overview of the recent developments in Syria:
Turkish-backed forces artillery shelled SDF positions in the Hamra village near al-Arim;
Turkish-backed forces artillery shelled SAA positions in the village of Dadikh;
Intra-clashes between Turkish-backed forces were reported near the city of Azaz;
Turkish forces carried out a separate military patrol on the M4 highway;
SAA artillery shelled Turkish-backed forces positions in the village of Ankawi;
Bashar Al-Assad: We can only have normal relations with Israel when we regain our land, but we have not seen any official in the Israeli system willing to move one step towards peace;
SAA announced that two people were wounded as a result of an explosive device explosion in the Al-Sabeel neighborhood of Daraa city.
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-10-08--Intelligence Gathering With Surface Drones Is Becoming Much More Commonplace

An unmanned surface vessel ( USV ) washed up on the Isle of Tiree in Scotland , near the UK ’ s nuclear submarine base .
This Isle of Tiree is about a hundred miles from HMNB Clyde , the operating base for for the UK ’ s fleet of nuclear submarines .
The local HM Coastguard Rescue Team shared photos on their Facebook page asking for information .
It turned out to be the surface element of a Wave Glider made by U.S. company Liquid Robotics .
A week has passed and nobody has yet claimed the vessel .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Wave Glider is one of a new generation of autonomous boats which stay at sea indefinitely and carry out missions lasting weeks or months .
It is powered by solar panels and it has an underwater , submarine element that moves it .
This will run aground and cease working in water less than about twenty feet deep .
The biggest users of Wave Gliders are the military , with the U.S. Navy in particular exploring their potential for intelligence gathering .
Wave Glider fitted with a complex antenna array was recently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be part of a secretive government project monitoring illicit activity in the area .
Britain ’ s Royal Navy has also experimented with Wave Gliders .
In 2016 four Wave Gliders carrying the Sensor Hosting Autonomous Remote Craft ( SHARC ) sonar package were deployed as part of the Royal Navy ’ s Unmanned Warrior demonstration .
It is a very low-speed unit , which is its biggest setback .
The rival Bluebottle unmanned surface vessel also has a sail and can make five knots and , according to maker Ocius Technology , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fast currents .
Due to its low speed it could get stuck in a current and wash ashore , as it is likely what happened .
Wave Gliders are able to travel long distances .
In 2012 , one completed a journey of more than 10,000 miles across the Pacific from San Francisco to Australia .
In theory , the one that landed in Scotland could have come from anywhere .
Wave Gliders have satellite communication and usually maintain regular contact with a shore-based operator .
With each unit costing an estimated $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other sensors , and some Wave Gliders carrying highly classified gear , it should not be left on a Scottish island and there may be serious questions about how this accident occurred .
It is believed that the US Navy operates this specific one , but there ’ s no confirmation .
• Endurance : Up to 1 year ( varies based on operating conditions and location ) The Wave Glider USV can operate individually or in fleets to deliver real-time data and act as a data communications relay for as long as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Glider instruments , working together , can provide fleets of networked wave-powered ocean robots for military , oil and gas , commercial , and science applications .
Key to the Wave Glider is its ’ ability to harvest energy from ocean waves to provide essentially limitless propulsion to provide persistent surveillance at sea .
Wave Gliders run on wave and solar energy for propulsion , communications , navigation , and computing .
This incident is evidence that these sorts of vessels are likely to become much more common , especially at their low @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it washed up ashore , nobody has claimed it and shown interest in it , rather than it becoming a sort of tourist attraction .
MORE ON THE TOPIC :

Support SouthFront
An unmanned surface vessel (USV) washed up on the Isle of Tiree in Scotland, near the UK’s nuclear submarine base.
This Isle of Tiree is about a hundred miles from HMNB Clyde, the operating base for for the UK’s fleet of nuclear submarines.
The local HM Coastguard Rescue Team shared photos on their Facebook page asking for information.
It turned out to be the surface element of a Wave Glider made by U.S. company Liquid Robotics.
A week has passed and nobody has yet claimed the vessel.
As Forbes’ David Hambling reports, the Wave Glider is one of a new generation of autonomous boats which stay at sea indefinitely and carry out missions lasting weeks or months.
It is powered by solar panels and it has an underwater, submarine element that moves it. This will run aground and cease working in water less than about twenty feet deep.
The biggest users of Wave Gliders are the military, with the U.S. Navy in particular exploring their potential for intelligence gathering.
Wave Glider fitted with a complex antenna array was recently spotting off Florida – this turned to be part of a secretive government project monitoring illicit activity in the area.
Britain’s Royal Navy has also experimented with Wave Gliders. In 2016 four Wave Gliders carrying the Sensor Hosting Autonomous Remote Craft (SHARC) sonar package were deployed as part of the Royal Navy’s Unmanned Warrior demonstration.
It is a very low-speed unit, which is its biggest setback. The rival Bluebottle unmanned surface vessel also has a sail and can make five knots and, according to maker Ocius Technology, can easily get in and out of fast currents.
Due to its low speed it could get stuck in a current and wash ashore, as it is likely what happened.
Wave Gliders are able to travel long distances. In 2012, one completed a journey of more than 10,000 miles across the Pacific from San Francisco to Australia.
In theory, the one that landed in Scotland could have come from anywhere.
Wave Gliders have satellite communication and usually maintain regular contact with a shore-based operator.
With each unit costing an estimated $250k-$300k excluding the sonar and other sensors, and some Wave Gliders carrying highly classified gear, it should not be left on a Scottish island and there may be serious questions about how this accident occurred.
It is believed that the US Navy operates this specific one, but there’s no confirmation.
“The Wave Glider is designed to support a wide range of sensors and payloads. The modular and adaptable payload design, coupled with a powerful solar energy system and on-board compute environment, allows our partners to develop and deliver unique solutions to customers. More importantly, it allows customers to scale a proven application across many Wave Gliders quickly,” Liquid Robotics describes.
Wave Glider Specifications
Water Speed: Typical 1.3kts
Endurance: Up to 1 year (varies based on operating conditions and location)
Operating Water Depth: > 15m
Station Keeping: 30m radius
Payload Capacity: 7 modular bays (93L)
Tow Capability: 500kg (drag dependent)
Average Continuous Power: 5W – 20W
Max Solar Collection: 192W (nominal)
Battery Capacity: 0.9kWh – 6.8kWh rechargeable
Communications: Satellite, Cell, Wi-Fi
The Wave Glider USV can operate individually or in fleets to deliver real-time data and act as a data communications relay for as long as one year with no fuel.
Wave Glider instruments, working together, can provide fleets of networked wave-powered ocean robots for military, oil and gas, commercial, and science applications.
Key to the Wave Glider is its’ ability to harvest energy from ocean waves to provide essentially limitless propulsion to provide persistent surveillance at sea. Wave Gliders run on wave and solar energy for propulsion, communications, navigation, and computing.
This incident is evidence that these sorts of vessels are likely to become much more common, especially at their low price, after all, days after it washed up ashore, nobody has claimed it and shown interest in it, rather than it becoming a sort of tourist attraction.
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-10-08--Azerbaijan Official Claims Armenian Suicide Drone Was Downed. It Is Actually Israeli-Made Drone Supp

Azerbaijan Official Claims Armenian Suicide Drone Was Downed. It Is Actually Israeli-Made Drone Supplied To Baku

On October 8th , an alleged Armenian suicide drone was destroyed by Azerbaijan ’ s air defense forces , according to Hikmet Hajiyev , Assistant of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan , Head of Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration .
That would all be well , except if the drone was not actually an Israeli-made Harop UAV , which Armenia has no access to .
Who has access to these drones , one might ask ?
Azerbaijan , it is constantly supplied with them as per a weapons procurement deal concluded in the past between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assistant to the Azerbaijani president simply published photographs of a destroyed Azerbaijani drone , saying it is an Armenian drone .
The tweet can be seen below , as well as a screenshot in case the post was suddenly “ misplaced.
” Hajiyev is also known for openly disclosing the presence of Turkish troops on the frontline .
He frequently publishes reports with various accusations towards Armenia , with very little evidence .
Very little here is a generous term used to describe none at all .
Turkish media reports the strikes on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t mention that there are Turkish F-16s deployed at the air base there .
Hajiyev and Azerbaijan ’ s Ministry of Defense also accused Armenia of indiscriminately shelling civilian areas , no evidence has been provided .
It is similar to the accusations against Azerbaijan for shelling civilians in Nagorno-Karabakh ’ s capital Stepanakert , however , there ’ s ample evidence in that case .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • A Closer Look At Azerbaijan And Armenia ’ s Claims Of Losses By The Adversary

Support SouthFront
On October 8th, an alleged Armenian suicide drone was destroyed by Azerbaijan’s air defense forces, according to Hikmet Hajiyev, Assistant of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Head of Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration.
That would all be well, except if the drone was not actually an Israeli-made Harop UAV, which Armenia has no access to.
Who has access to these drones, one might ask?
Azerbaijan, it is constantly supplied with them as per a weapons procurement deal concluded in the past between Tel’Aviv and Baku.
The assistant to the Azerbaijani president simply published photographs of a destroyed Azerbaijani drone, saying it is an Armenian drone.
The tweet can be seen below, as well as a screenshot in case the post was suddenly “misplaced.”
Armenia's kamikadze dron was successfully destroyed by Azerbaijan's air defence forces. Dron was whirling around civilian area. More civilian lives saved. Armenia's state terror continues. Peaceenforcement must continue to stop Armenia. pic.twitter.com/b7GpJQHPVX — Hikmet Hajiyev (@HikmetHajiyev) October 8, 2020
Hajiyev is also known for openly disclosing the presence of Turkish troops on the frontline.
He frequently publishes reports with various accusations towards Armenia, with very little evidence. Very little here is a generous term used to describe none at all.
Azerbaijani city of Ganja is the latest to come under Armenian missiles attack amid ongoing border clashes over occupied Karabakh pic.twitter.com/VWUHmYPXJ5 — TRT World (@trtworld) October 6, 2020
Turkish media reports the strikes on the city of Ganja, but doesn’t mention that there are Turkish F-16s deployed at the air base there.
Hajiyev and Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Defense also accused Armenia of indiscriminately shelling civilian areas, no evidence has been provided.
Armenia's delibarate and indiscriminate attacks with Smerch missiles and heavy artillery against Azerbaijani cities and civilians continues. Ganja, Barda, Tartar and other cities become targets of such irresponsible attacks. Peaceenforcement must be continued to stop Armenia. — Hikmet Hajiyev (@HikmetHajiyev) October 8, 2020
It is similar to the accusations against Azerbaijan for shelling civilians in Nagorno-Karabakh’s capital Stepanakert, however, there’s ample evidence in that case.
Grad missile launcher of #Armenia which attacked Azerbaijani cities of Barda and Tartar and attacked civilians was destroyed with precision guided missile. Lives of many innocent civilians saved and potential damage to civil infrastructure was prevented. #KarabakhisAzerbaijan pic.twitter.com/eBIqv4kZhg — Hikmet Hajiyev (@HikmetHajiyev) October 8, 2020
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-10-08--Syrian Militants Playing “Children’s Games” Waiting To Join The Fray In Nagorno-Karabakh

In order to simply provide evidence that Turkey ’ s deploying militants to fight on behalf of Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh , these same militants continue uploading videos of their adventures .
Islamists can be divided into those who were immediately thrown into battle , and those who are still enjoying doing nothing for Azerbaijani money .
A video of Arabs dressed in military uniforms appeared on social media .
While the other corrects him : “ We are in Libya , in Libya , ” the Syrian producer of the British BBC Riam Dalati decoded the video .
He clarified @ @ @ @ @ @ @ engaged in children ’ s games here , as they have nothing to do .
At the same time , the journalist of the German Bild Julian Repke found out with the help of geolocation the location of the Syrian militants who shot the video .
BBC Syrian producer Riam Dalati also published what is believed to be the earliest video of Syrian militants in Azerbaijan .
It was removed on September 25-26th , on the eve of the offensive .
On one of the mountain ranges , an unknown person put a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Syrian “ rebels ” is inserted .
There are no such mountains in Syria or Libya .
The video , filmed by a Syrian militant right on the battlefield , has already been published by the analyst of the American Center for Global Policy ( CGP ) Elizabeth Tsurkova .
The video shows how a young militant lies in a ditch , which has been adapted for defensive reinforcement , and brushes the earth from his hair after the shelling .
Several more videos from Azerbaijan have appeared in recent days in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In one of them , the author shows the bodies of the dead people in camouflage uniforms and says : “ Pigs of the Armenian army ” .
In another , a group of militants greets an attack helicopter , which is hovering over a field and launching missile strikes at an unknown target .
Meanwhile , on her page on the social network , the American analyst Elizabeth Tsurkova also published footage of the bodies of the first militants killed in Nagorno-Karabakh being brought to Syria .
On October 5th , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the preparation of the mass funeral of the militants who died in Azerbaijan .
According to the Syrian newspaper , by October 5 , about 80 Syrian fighters had been killed in Azerbaijan , and about a thousand more are now in Nagorno-Karabakh .
An unnamed source told Jisr that the Azerbaijanis want to advance 70-80 kilometers deep in Nagorno-Karabakh as quickly as possible , given the pressure exerted on the leaderships of Azerbaijan and Turkey to end hostilities and sit down at the negotiating table .
Therefore , the militants are not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hundred fighters have already asked to return to Syria , the source of Jisr said .
Earlier , the London-based non-governmental organization Syrian Observatory for Human Rights ( SOHR ) announced the sending of Syrian militants to Azerbaijan .
“ SOHR sources confirmed that one more group is being prepared to be sent to Azerbaijan .
This development of events is part of the Turkish policy of turning Syrian militants into mercenaries , ” the statement said .
SOHR clarified that it is about the transfer of more than 300 people from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kurdish canton of Afrin in the northwest of the Syrian province of Aleppo , captured by Turkish troops .
Next , the militants themselves told Reuters about their “ business trip ” to Azerbaijan .
Two of them reported that they were being hired to serve in coordination with Turkey .
Reuters notes that , according to two militants , the brigade commanders told them that they would earn about $ 1,500 a month .
A member of the Jaysh al-Nukba group said that they planned to send one thousand Syrians to Azerbaijan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ services have assessed that many Syrian mercenaries had already been deployed to Azerbaijan and that there ’ s likely more to come , both urge Turkey to not interfere and for a ceasefire to be reached .
MORE ON THE TOPIC :

Support SouthFront
In order to simply provide evidence that Turkey’s deploying militants to fight on behalf of Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh, these same militants continue uploading videos of their adventures.
Islamists can be divided into those who were immediately thrown into battle, and those who are still enjoying doing nothing for Azerbaijani money.
A video of Arabs dressed in military uniforms appeared on social media.
“The fighters who listen to the songs of the Sultan Murad group joke and talk. “We are at the crossing with Armenia,” one said.
While the other corrects him: “We are in Libya, in Libya,” the Syrian producer of the British BBC Riam Dalati decoded the video. He clarified that the militants say that they are engaged in children’s games here, as they have nothing to do.
At the same time, the journalist of the German Bild Julian Repke found out with the help of geolocation the location of the Syrian militants who shot the video.
“The worthy fighters of the Free Syrian Army are the best of the best. Erdogan decided to fight for a better world. Not in Syria,” the German journalist wrote sarcastically on Twitter. He cites geolocation that the shooting was carried out at the Azerbaijani base in Horadiz, on the border with Iran and six kilometers from the front with Nagorno-Karabakh.
Gotcha b*tches! Um, sorry. Noble fighters of the Free Syrian Army – the best of the best, reis Erdogan decided to fight for a better world.
Not in Syria, but why would they care?! … ok, sorry.#NewsMap
SNA mercenaries at an Azeri base in Horadiz, 6 km from the #Karabakh front. pic.twitter.com/YB9qoOZEF2 — Julian Röpcke (@JulianRoepcke) October 3, 2020
BBC Syrian producer Riam Dalati also published what is believed to be the earliest video of Syrian militants in Azerbaijan.
It was removed on September 25-26th, on the eve of the offensive.
On one of the mountain ranges, an unknown person put a backpack into which the flag of the Syrian “rebels” is inserted. There are no such mountains in Syria or Libya.
The video, filmed by a Syrian militant right on the battlefield, has already been published by the analyst of the American Center for Global Policy (CGP) Elizabeth Tsurkova.
“Video of a Syrian mercenary in Azerbaijan. He speaks of the heavy shelling by the Armenian forces. The fighter is 23-year-old Mustafa Kanti. Previously, he was recruited to Libya in the Hamza Division, a Turkish-controlled group, ”she wrote on Twitter.
The video shows how a young militant lies in a ditch, which has been adapted for defensive reinforcement, and brushes the earth from his hair after the shelling.
Video of a Syrian mercenary in Azerbaijan speaking about the heavy shelling carried out by Armenian forces. I reached his cousin. The fighter is Mustafa Qanti, 23-years-old. He was recruited to go to Libya by the Hamza Division, a Turkish-backed faction. pic.twitter.com/tHdzljm02X — Elizabeth Tsurkov (@Elizrael) October 3, 2020
Several more videos from Azerbaijan have appeared in recent days in a Syrian group on the WhatsApp messenger. In one of them, the author shows the bodies of the dead people in camouflage uniforms and says: “Pigs of the Armenian army”.
In another, a group of militants greets an attack helicopter, which is hovering over a field and launching missile strikes at an unknown target.
Another unverified footage, shot by the same narrator, shows a bunch of #Syria fighters cheering to what looks like an #Azerbaijan helicopter gunship attack in #NagornoKarabakh (2/2) pic.twitter.com/qK5gWyjupu — Riam Dalati (@Dalatrm) October 4, 2020
Meanwhile, on her page on the social network, the American analyst Elizabeth Tsurkova also published footage of the bodies of the first militants killed in Nagorno-Karabakh being brought to Syria.
“The body of Muhammad Khaled Ha-Shahn, which was brought from Azerbaijan to the Khivar Kilis border crossing, which connects Turkey and the zones under its control in Syria. He is one of 55 Syrians killed in Azerbaijan who were handed over last night, an eyewitness said,” said Elizabeth Tsurkova on 4 October.
The body of Muhammad Khaled a-Shahna arrived from Azerbaijan to the Hiwar Kilis crossing connecting Turkey to zones under its control in northern Syria. He is one of 55 corpses of Syrians killed in Azerbaijan that were handed over last night according to a witness of the handover pic.twitter.com/dHlzTJljkn — Elizabeth Tsurkov (@Elizrael) October 4, 2020
On October 5th, the Syrian Jisr newspaper published a video of the preparation of the mass funeral of the militants who died in Azerbaijan.
“Last night, four refrigerated trucks with bodies arrived at one of the border crossings in the northern countryside of Aleppo province. They were buried at night and in complete secrecy, in mass graves, in the presence of a clergyman and a limited number of comrades and relatives, “Jisr wrote.
According to the Syrian newspaper, by October 5, about 80 Syrian fighters had been killed in Azerbaijan, and about a thousand more are now in Nagorno-Karabakh.
An unnamed source told Jisr that the Azerbaijanis want to advance 70-80 kilometers deep in Nagorno-Karabakh as quickly as possible, given the pressure exerted on the leaderships of Azerbaijan and Turkey to end hostilities and sit down at the negotiating table. Therefore, the militants are not allowed to rest, and about three hundred fighters have already asked to return to Syria, the source of Jisr said.
Earlier, the London-based non-governmental organization Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) announced the sending of Syrian militants to Azerbaijan. “SOHR sources confirmed that one more group is being prepared to be sent to Azerbaijan. This development of events is part of the Turkish policy of turning Syrian militants into mercenaries, ”the statement said. SOHR clarified that it is about the transfer of more than 300 people from the Sultan Murad and Al-Amshat groups from the Kurdish canton of Afrin in the northwest of the Syrian province of Aleppo, captured by Turkish troops.
Next, the militants themselves told Reuters about their “business trip” to Azerbaijan. Two of them reported that they were being hired to serve in coordination with Turkey.
“I don’t want to go, but I have no money. Life is very tough and I’m poor,” said one militant.
Reuters notes that, according to two militants, the brigade commanders told them that they would earn about $1,500 a month. A member of the Jaysh al-Nukba group said that they planned to send one thousand Syrians to Azerbaijan.
Both France and the Russian Intelligence services have assessed that many Syrian mercenaries had already been deployed to Azerbaijan and that there’s likely more to come, both urge Turkey to not interfere and for a ceasefire to be reached.
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-10-08--Join Resistance. Support Independent Voice!

Unlike propaganda structures funded by the Euro-Atlantic establishment , SouthFront operates thanks to the audience ’ s donations .
We @ @ @ @ @ survive without your help .
Since October 1 , we ’ ve collected 549 USD @ @ @ @ @ % of the monthly budget needed to continue SouthFront work and further .
Donate via @ @ @ @ @ , Bitcoin and other options .
This systems accepts all types of cards , PayPal @ @ @ @ @ ( FAQ is under the main text , in P.S . )
You can subscribe @ @ @ @ @ $ 15 ( or any another amount ) OR make one time donation by clicking @ @

Support SouthFront
DEAR FRIENDS,
Unlike propaganda structures funded by the Euro-Atlantic establishment, SouthFront operates thanks to the audience’s donations. We will not be able to survive without your help.
Since October 1, we’ve collected 549 USD. This is about 11% of the monthly budget needed to continue SouthFront work and further.
SUPPORT SOUTHFRONT WORK:
PayPal
Account: southfront@list.ru
DonationAlerts
Donate via VISA, PayPal, Paysafecard, Bitcoin and other options.
Tinypass (Piano)
This systems accepts all types of cards, PayPal, Amazon Payments, bitcoin (FAQ is under the main text, in P.S.)
You can subscribe for a monthly donation of $15 (or any another amount) OR make one time donation by clicking buttons below
Patreon
Donate via SouthFront’s Patreon account (click here)
SouthFront: Analysis & Intelligence Team
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-10-08--A Closer Look At Azerbaijan And Armenia’s Claims Of Losses By The Adversary

Ever since the war broke out between Azerbaijan and Armenia on September 27th , both have voiced numerous claims of significant losses being dealt to the enemy forces .
Below is a brief overview of what either side has claimed has been destroyed , against the total numbers of equipment each side has .
As of October 8th , Azerbaijan has lost the following number of military equipment , as well as soldiers , according to Armenia ’ s claims : According to their claims , 17 warplanes have been downed .
As per Global Firepower ’ s 2020 report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jets , as well as 12 dedicated attack warplanes , and 1 transport .
In addition , it has 29 trainer aircraft .
It is the attacking side , and it is unlikely that it needs to use trainer aircraft , and it is unlikely that a transport plane was downed , that leaves 17 fighter jets and 12 dedicated attack aircraft to be downed .
That means 29 total , out of them , according to Armenia , 17 have been destroyed , that ’ s more than 50 % of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mind there ’ s really no evidence that Turkish warplanes are actively taking part and are being downed .
In the same vein , Azerbaijan has 88 helicopters in total , out of them 17 are attack helicopters .
Armenia claims that it has destroyed 16 .
If these are all attack helicopters , Baku is somehow left with just 1 .
If not , nearly 20 % of Azerbaijan ’ s helicopter fleet has been destroyed by Armenia .
Armenia has 145 UAVs , most of which are reportedly Turkish Bayraktar TB2 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ operates , and it is questionable if that man were destroyed .
In terms of ground forces , the situation is also similar .
It is unknown how many separate battle tanks and armored vehicles have been destroyed , in total the number sits at 496 allegedly destroyed .
Azerbaijan has 570 battle tanks , 1,451 armored vehicles , 187 self-propelled howitzers , and 227 towed artillery , as well as 162 rocket projectors .
The total sits at 2,435 .
That means according to Armenia ’ s claims , a total of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ power has been destroyed .
The deaths allegedly sit at 4,069 , which is 1 % out of Azerbaijan ’ s nearly 430,000 military personnel .
Finally – TOS-1 , Armenia has allegedly destroyed 4 , Azerbaijan has 36 in total , meaning it ’ s left with 32 Now , to look at Azerbaijan ’ s claims .
Azerbaijan , as of October 7th , has reportedly destroyed the following : • up to 250 tanks and other armored vehicles ( this number allegedly includes nearly 42 T-72 battle tanks ) ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ multiple launch rocket systems , and mortars ; After this summary , another report was published claiming that Azerbaijan strikes destroyed up to ten battle tanks , six D-20 guns-howitzer , one self-propelled artillery “ Akatsia ” , up to thirty vehicles , and a large number of enemy manpower were destroyed .
Additionally , Azerbaijan claims that it has captured dozens of tanks and other vehicles and artillery .
It hasn ’ t disclosed how many soldiers it has allegedly killed , but likely in the thousands .
Armenia has 110 battle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 42 of them ( and up to ten more destroyed allegedly later on October 7th ) , and captured some more , meaning that upwards 50 % of Yerevan ’ s tank force is allegedly gone .
With the number of tanks allegedly destroyed removed , Azerbaijan claims it has also destroyed approximately 210 more armored vehicles were destroyed .
Armenia ’ s total sits at 748 , which means that at least 1/3rd of Yerevan ’ s ground vehicles were allegedly destroyed , when one adds the captured ones as well .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ has is 38 , towed artillery sits at 150 , and 68 rocket projectors .
The total is thus 256 .
According to Azerbaijan ’ s report it has destroyed approximately 270 pieces , and destroyed 6 more D-20 howitzers , an Akatsiya self-propelled howitzers and more following the report .
Meaning that , not only is Armenia ’ s artillery allegedly entirely destroyed , but Azerbaijan also , somehow , found more artillery to destroy .
The destruction of the S-300 is also quite questionable , and it is likely to serve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ providing any tangible assistance to Armenia , since it would be unfavorable for Azerbaijan and Turkey , since it is unlikely that the upper hand can be achieved if Moscow were to step in and assist Yerevan .
MORE ON THE TOPIC :

Support SouthFront
DEAR FRIENDS. IF YOU LIKE THIS TYPE OF CONTENT, SUPPORT SOUTHFRONT WORK: PayPal: southfront@internet.ru Donation alerts: https://donationalerts.com/r/southfront Gumroad: https://gumroad.com/southfront Or via: http://southfront.org/donate/ or via: https://www.patreon.com/southfront, BTC: 3Gbs4rjcVUtQd8p3CiFUCxPLZwRqurezRZ, BCH ABC: qpf2cphc5dkuclkqur7lhj2yuqq9pk3hmukle77vhq, ETH: 0x9f4cda013e354b8fc285bf4b9a60460cee7f7ea9
Ever since the war broke out between Azerbaijan and Armenia on September 27th, both have voiced numerous claims of significant losses being dealt to the enemy forces.
Below is a brief overview of what either side has claimed has been destroyed, against the total numbers of equipment each side has.
As of October 8th, Azerbaijan has lost the following number of military equipment, as well as soldiers, according to Armenia’s claims:
According to their claims, 17 warplanes have been downed.
As per Global Firepower’s 2020 report, in total Azerbaijan has 17 fighter jets, as well as 12 dedicated attack warplanes, and 1 transport. In addition, it has 29 trainer aircraft.
It is the attacking side, and it is unlikely that it needs to use trainer aircraft, and it is unlikely that a transport plane was downed, that leaves 17 fighter jets and 12 dedicated attack aircraft to be downed.
That means 29 total, out of them, according to Armenia, 17 have been destroyed, that’s more than 50% of the country’s warplanes, keeping in mind there’s really no evidence that Turkish warplanes are actively taking part and are being downed.
In the same vein, Azerbaijan has 88 helicopters in total, out of them 17 are attack helicopters.
Armenia claims that it has destroyed 16. If these are all attack helicopters, Baku is somehow left with just 1.
If not, nearly 20% of Azerbaijan’s helicopter fleet has been destroyed by Armenia.
Armenia has 145 UAVs, most of which are reportedly Turkish Bayraktar TB2, it is unclear how many Azerbaijan operates, and it is questionable if that man were destroyed.
In terms of ground forces, the situation is also similar. It is unknown how many separate battle tanks and armored vehicles have been destroyed, in total the number sits at 496 allegedly destroyed.
Azerbaijan has 570 battle tanks, 1,451 armored vehicles, 187 self-propelled howitzers, and 227 towed artillery, as well as 162 rocket projectors.
The total sits at 2,435. That means according to Armenia’s claims, a total of 20% of Azerbaijan’s ground power has been destroyed.
The deaths allegedly sit at 4,069, which is 1% out of Azerbaijan’s nearly 430,000 military personnel.
Finally – TOS-1, Armenia has allegedly destroyed 4, Azerbaijan has 36 in total, meaning it’s left with 32
Now, to look at Azerbaijan’s claims.
Azerbaijan, as of October 7th, has reportedly destroyed the following:
up to 250 tanks and other armored vehicles (this number allegedly includes nearly 42 T-72 battle tanks);
up to 270 artillery pieces, multiple launch rocket systems, and mortars;
up to 60 Air Defense means;
11 command-control and command-observation posts;
8 ammunition depots;
up to 150 vehicles;
1 S-300 anti-aircraft missile system.
After this summary, another report was published claiming that Azerbaijan strikes destroyed up to ten battle tanks, six D-20 guns-howitzer, one self-propelled artillery “Akatsia”, up to thirty vehicles, and a large number of enemy manpower were destroyed.
Additionally, Azerbaijan claims that it has captured dozens of tanks and other vehicles and artillery.
It hasn’t disclosed how many soldiers it has allegedly killed, but likely in the thousands.
Armenia has 110 battle tanks in total, Azerbaijan reportedly destroyed 42 of them (and up to ten more destroyed allegedly later on October 7th), and captured some more, meaning that upwards 50% of Yerevan’s tank force is allegedly gone.
With the number of tanks allegedly destroyed removed, Azerbaijan claims it has also destroyed approximately 210 more armored vehicles were destroyed.
Armenia’s total sits at 748, which means that at least 1/3rd of Yerevan’s ground vehicles were allegedly destroyed, when one adds the captured ones as well.
The total number of self-propelled howitzers Armenia has is 38, towed artillery sits at 150, and 68 rocket projectors. The total is thus 256.
According to Azerbaijan’s report it has destroyed approximately 270 pieces, and destroyed 6 more D-20 howitzers, an Akatsiya self-propelled howitzers and more following the report.
Meaning that, not only is Armenia’s artillery allegedly entirely destroyed, but Azerbaijan also, somehow, found more artillery to destroy.
The destruction of the S-300 is also quite questionable, and it is likely to serve as a sort of deterrent to Russia providing any tangible assistance to Armenia, since it would be unfavorable for Azerbaijan and Turkey, since it is unlikely that the upper hand can be achieved if Moscow were to step in and assist Yerevan.
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-10-08--Gazprom Blasts $7.6BN Polish Antitrust Fine On NS2 Pipeline As Move To Kill It “By All Means”

“ Carrying out the project is tantamount to breaking the rules of law and of fair competition that will lead to an increased dependence of gas recipients on the internal market on one supplier – Gazprom , ” the Polish antitrust office said .
It charged that if allowed to go live it will result in “ serious consequences for Poland ’ s and the EU ’ s economy , ” by restricting the range of supplies while inevitably increasing gas prices for consumers .
But no doubt defenders of NS2 also see this as part of Washington ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has included past sanctions on executive heads of European companies involved , given recent deepening US military ties to Poland .
State-owned Gazprom , meanwhile has denounced the “ unprecendented fine ” as unlawful and unjustified .
The fine ’ s “ unprecedented amount evidences the decision to oppose implementation of the Nord Stream 2 project by all means , ” the statement said , according to TASS .
Gazprom said flatly the project “ did not breach anti-monopoly laws of Poland , ” while Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov separately underscored Gazprom would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to legally oppose the decision .
This will include counter-actions to get the Polish decision blocked , while the Kremlin warned this could have a lasting negative impact on Russian-Polish relations .
Of recently strained relations with Poland , “ Peskov noted that they can hardly be called thriving and it can hardly be assumed that something could spoil them even more , ” TASS reported .

“Carrying out the project is tantamount to breaking the rules of law and of fair competition that will lead to an increased dependence of gas recipients on the internal market on one supplier – Gazprom,” the Polish antitrust office said.
It charged that if allowed to go live it will result in “serious consequences for Poland’s and the EU’s economy,” by restricting the range of supplies while inevitably increasing gas prices for consumers.
But no doubt defenders of NS2 also see this as part of Washington’s broader war on the project, which has included past sanctions on executive heads of European companies involved, given recent deepening US military ties to Poland.
State-owned Gazprom, meanwhile has denounced the “unprecendented fine” as unlawful and unjustified. The fine’s “unprecedented amount evidences the decision to oppose implementation of the Nord Stream 2 project by all means,” the statement said, according to TASS.
Gazprom said flatly the project “did not breach anti-monopoly laws of Poland,” while Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov separately underscored Gazprom would “do everything that is possible” to legally oppose the decision.
This will include counter-actions to get the Polish decision blocked, while the Kremlin warned this could have a lasting negative impact on Russian-Polish relations. Of recently strained relations with Poland, “Peskov noted that they can hardly be called thriving and it can hardly be assumed that something could spoil them even more,” TASS reported.


southfront--2020-10-08--Who’s The COVID-19 Winner? Corporations. Who’s The Loser? Everybody Else

In the time of the COVID-19 pandemic , when an economic crisis is just gaining speed , and when hundreds of thousands are losing their lives , and many more are losing their livelihoods , it ’ s not all so grim .
Especially if one refers to transnational corporations , including ( but not limited to ) – Big Tech , Big Pharma , various large-scale social services , as well as companies that accumulate data and process it ( intelligence , in a way ) .
The global fortune of the world ’ s dollar billionaires rose 27.5 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 10.2 trillion at the end of July 2020 ( up from an estimate of $ 8 trillion in early April ) .
This is a new maximum that surpassed the previous record – $ 8.9 trillion at the end of 2017 , follows from the Billionaires Insights 2020 report prepared by UBS and PwC .
The standard cutoff point for assessing the size and wealth of UBS and PwC billionaires is April 7th , but this year the study decided to extend it to the end of July to cover the “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stock market recovery from the March flop .
As of April 7 , there were 2,058 billionaires in the world – 43 fewer than in 2019 .
Their total fortune was estimated at $ 8 trillion .
By the date of completion of the study , July 31st , the number of billionaires had risen to 2,189 , and their fortune reached $ 10.2 trillion .
In the first half of the year , the pandemic practically stopped part of the global economy , “ causing a storm in the stock markets.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and March , the fortune of billionaires decreased by 6.6 % compared to 2019 , by $ 564 billion .
However , by the end of July , their wealth exceeded last year ’ s level .
2019 , by contrast , was marked by the first decline in wealth in five years .
But overall , over the 2010-2020 decade , the fortune of billionaires has nearly tripled , from $ 2.8 trillion to $ 8 trillion , and their number has more than doubled from 969 at the end of 2009 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most billionaires .
Next comes China , then Russia , India and Germany in that order .
Sixth position comes for Hong Kong , it should be mentioned that even if Hong Kong was considered as part of China , their wealth wouldn ’ t be near that of the US ’ billionaires .
The situation in Russia was analyzed in a report by RBC , citing data from Forbes and other sources .
The combined fortunes of Russian dollar billionaires increased by 15.8 % , from $ 392 billion to $ 454 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ May , according to Forbes Real Time counter .
During this period , the main owner of Norilsk Nickel , Vladimir Potanin , who took the first place in the Russian part of the Forbes rating this year , became the most wealthy over this period .
During this period , his fortune increased by 32.4 % , from $ 19.7 billion to $ 26.1 billion .
However , subsequently , due to the accident near Norilsk with a fuel spill and claims brought against Norilsk Nickel , the businessman ’ s fortune @ @ @ @ @ @ @ global billionaires ’ philanthropic spending also hit a record , according to UBS and PwC .
They have committed more to the fight against the pandemic than ever before in history .
About 209 billionaires have publicly pledged to spend $ 7.2 billion on direct financial investments , the purchase of goods , equipment , etc .
Representatives of the United States donated the most ( almost $ 4.6 billion ) , followed by China ( $ 678.8 million ) .
The authors do not exclude that in reality the distribution may look @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , charity is a part of business culture and it is more often announced publicly than in Europe or Asia .
Philanthropists were divided into three camps : financial donors ( 175 billionaires , or 84 % ) donated $ 5.5 billion ; manufacturers ( 24 billionaires ) converted their factories to produce protective equipment ; entrepreneurs ( ten billionaires ) helped solve specific problems .
What field was the most profitable ?
For most of the past decade , the wealth of representatives of different industries grew in comparable volumes .
However @ @ @ @ @ @ @ representatives of technology and health have taken the lead , and the coronavirus has only widened the gap .
In terms of wealth growth , billionaires in technology ( up 41.1 % from April to July ) and healthcare ( up 36.3 % ) are noticeably ahead of the rest .
The quarantine has accelerated the growth of digital business , and the pandemic has boosted the wealth of equity holders in drug and medical device companies developing coronavirus vaccines , therapeutic drugs , and medical devices such as mechanical ventilators .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( 12.8 % ) and the real estate market ( 12.9 % ) .
At the same time , the fortune of billionaires has become less stable than at the beginning of the decade .
Of those whose fortune reached $ 2billion at the end of 2009 , 153 people have already lost this status .
Nearly half of them , 70 , have dropped out of the billionaire category in the past two years .
Europe , the Middle East and Africa suffered the most “ wealth erosion ” , followed by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020 was a pivotal year , accelerating the transition towards a more digital economy .
To assess the “ evolution of wealth ” , analysts developed the concept of “ innovators and revolutionaries.
” Based on financial statements and open data , they studied the business models of companies – how much they introduce high and new technologies in the development of products , services and business development .
Innovators include the majority of billionaires in technology ( 94 % ) and healthcare ( 71 % ) .
The innovators increased their fortune @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trillion , in the previous two years and the first seven months of this year .
At the same time , the wealth of traditional billionaires grew almost three times slower – by 6 % , to $ 3.7 trillion .
Some industries have shown their “ backwardness ” .
Analysts ranked as innovators only 37 % of billionaires in financial services and 17 % in real estate .
In addition , PwC interviewed 84 of its partners with billionaire clients .
Thus , the majority ( 66.3 % ) of the latter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ development – a slow recovery .
The top 5 worries of billionaires are as follows : recession ( 20.1 % ) , growing political polarization ( 18.1 % ) , market volatility ( 15.1 % ) , financial crisis due to the global recession ( 14.1 % ) , government restrictions ( 12.6 % ) .
Seeing the scale of state support , billionaires understand that states will look for ways to make up for budget losses .
55 % expect an increase in taxes on luxury , 46 % – an increase @ @ @ @ @ @ @ property , income ) , 36 % – an increase in transparency requirements , 33 % – an increase in indirect taxes ( VAT , excise ) , 28 % – an increase in control and supervision .
Wealthy families expect tax hikes , Yekaterina Lazorina , partner of PwC tax and legal practice , said : This is , indeed , partially worrisome for billionaires , but these issues appear much less significant than those of the general population , regardless , analysis such as these show who actually suffered the brunt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so .
Not that it was any secret .
MORE ON THE TOPIC :

Support SouthFront
In the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, when an economic crisis is just gaining speed, and when hundreds of thousands are losing their lives, and many more are losing their livelihoods, it’s not all so grim.
Especially if one refers to transnational corporations, including (but not limited to) – Big Tech, Big Pharma, various large-scale social services, as well as companies that accumulate data and process it (intelligence, in a way).
The global fortune of the world’s dollar billionaires rose 27.5% during the global pandemic, reaching $10.2 trillion at the end of July 2020 (up from an estimate of $ 8 trillion in early April).
This is a new maximum that surpassed the previous record – $ 8.9 trillion at the end of 2017, follows from the Billionaires Insights 2020 report prepared by UBS and PwC.
The standard cutoff point for assessing the size and wealth of UBS and PwC billionaires is April 7th, but this year the study decided to extend it to the end of July to cover the “transformative effect of COVID-19” and the stock market recovery from the March flop.
As of April 7, there were 2,058 billionaires in the world – 43 fewer than in 2019. Their total fortune was estimated at $8 trillion.
By the date of completion of the study, July 31st, the number of billionaires had risen to 2,189, and their fortune reached $10.2 trillion.
“The fortune of billionaires reached a new high thanks to the V-shaped jump in the stock market in April-July 2020,” the report outlined.
In the first half of the year, the pandemic practically stopped part of the global economy, “causing a storm in the stock markets.”
In just a few weeks in February and March, the fortune of billionaires decreased by 6.6% compared to 2019, by $564 billion. However, by the end of July, their wealth exceeded last year’s level.
2019, by contrast, was marked by the first decline in wealth in five years.
But overall, over the 2010-2020 decade, the fortune of billionaires has nearly tripled, from $2.8 trillion to $ 8 trillion, and their number has more than doubled from 969 at the end of 2009.
The US, expectedly has the most billionaires.
Next comes China, then Russia, India and Germany in that order. Sixth position comes for Hong Kong, it should be mentioned that even if Hong Kong was considered as part of China, their wealth wouldn’t be near that of the US’ billionaires.
The situation in Russia was analyzed in a report by RBC, citing data from Forbes and other sources.
The combined fortunes of Russian dollar billionaires increased by 15.8%, from $392 billion to $454 billion, from late March to late May, according to Forbes Real Time counter.
During this period, the main owner of Norilsk Nickel, Vladimir Potanin, who took the first place in the Russian part of the Forbes rating this year, became the most wealthy over this period.
During this period, his fortune increased by 32.4%, from $19.7 billion to $26.1 billion.
However, subsequently, due to the accident near Norilsk with a fuel spill and claims brought against Norilsk Nickel, the businessman’s fortune decreased by $3.6 billion.
The global billionaires’ philanthropic spending also hit a record, according to UBS and PwC. They have committed more to the fight against the pandemic than ever before in history.
About 209 billionaires have publicly pledged to spend $7.2 billion on direct financial investments, the purchase of goods, equipment, etc.
“Our research shows that this is the largest amount that billionaires have donated in a short period of time, even after adjusting for inflation,” the report says.
Representatives of the United States donated the most (almost $ 4.6 billion), followed by China ($ 678.8 million). The authors do not exclude that in reality the distribution may look different, because in the United States, charity is a part of business culture and it is more often announced publicly than in Europe or Asia.
Philanthropists were divided into three camps: financial donors (175 billionaires, or 84%) donated $5.5 billion; manufacturers (24 billionaires) converted their factories to produce protective equipment; entrepreneurs (ten billionaires) helped solve specific problems.
What field was the most profitable?
For most of the past decade, the wealth of representatives of different industries grew in comparable volumes. However, in the last two years, representatives of technology and health have taken the lead, and the coronavirus has only widened the gap.
In terms of wealth growth, billionaires in technology (up 41.1% from April to July) and healthcare (up 36.3%) are noticeably ahead of the rest.
The quarantine has accelerated the growth of digital business, and the pandemic has boosted the wealth of equity holders in drug and medical device companies developing coronavirus vaccines, therapeutic drugs, and medical devices such as mechanical ventilators.
The most modest growth was observed in finance (12.8%) and the real estate market (12.9%).
At the same time, the fortune of billionaires has become less stable than at the beginning of the decade.
Of those whose fortune reached $ 2billion at the end of 2009, 153 people have already lost this status. Nearly half of them, 70, have dropped out of the billionaire category in the past two years.
Europe, the Middle East and Africa suffered the most “wealth erosion”, followed by the Asia-Pacific region and the Americas.
2020 was a pivotal year, accelerating the transition towards a more digital economy.
To assess the “evolution of wealth”, analysts developed the concept of “innovators and revolutionaries.”
Based on financial statements and open data, they studied the business models of companies – how much they introduce high and new technologies in the development of products, services and business development.
Innovators include the majority of billionaires in technology (94%) and healthcare (71%).
The innovators increased their fortune by 17%, to $5.3 trillion, in the previous two years and the first seven months of this year.
At the same time, the wealth of traditional billionaires grew almost three times slower – by 6%, to $3.7 trillion.
Some industries have shown their “backwardness”. Analysts ranked as innovators only 37% of billionaires in financial services and 17% in real estate.
In addition, PwC interviewed 84 of its partners with billionaire clients.
Thus, the majority (66.3%) of the latter expect a U-shaped scenario of the crisis development – a slow recovery.
The top 5 worries of billionaires are as follows: recession (20.1%), growing political polarization (18.1%), market volatility (15.1%), financial crisis due to the global recession (14.1%), government restrictions (12.6%).
Seeing the scale of state support, billionaires understand that states will look for ways to make up for budget losses.
55% expect an increase in taxes on luxury, 46% – an increase in direct taxes (on profit, property, income), 36% – an increase in transparency requirements, 33% – an increase in indirect taxes (VAT, excise), 28% – an increase in control and supervision.
Wealthy families expect tax hikes, Yekaterina Lazorina, partner of PwC tax and legal practice, said:
“It is possible that countries will revise their approach to tax payments, stimulating investment in the economy and introducing a tax on luxury and windfall profits.”
This is, indeed, partially worrisome for billionaires, but these issues appear much less significant than those of the general population, regardless, analysis such as these show who actually suffered the brunt of the pandemic, and continues doing so.
Not that it was any secret.
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-10-08--Armenia Claims It’s Pushing Back Azerbaijan’s Forces, One Soldier Allegedly Destroyed 5 Battle Tanks

On the morning of October 8th , Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan vowed to continue the fight against Azerbaijan until it is won .
“ I and our government are doing everything to ensure that your work has not been done in vain .
We will not leave this problem ( the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict ) to our future generations , ” Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said during a telephone conversation with the military on the frontline .
On the previous day he gave an interview with Russian outlet RBC .
“ The foundation is being laid for the final victory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ Artsakh can not and will never be a part of Azerbaijan .
This is already 100 % out of the question .
And this is proved by the actions of Azerbaijan , ” he added .
“ If today ’ s operation ends the way it started , which I think is very likely .
Because after such a success , the Artsakh army will not just sit and wait for the regrouping of Azerbaijani forces .
And I think that if they succeed today , they will try to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are made by the Artsakh military leaders .
I assess the overall situation , ” Nikol Pashinyan claimed .
In the early hours of the day , Armenia claimed some success in repelling Azerbaijan attacks .
“ Early in the morning , at 08:30 , the enemy attempted an attack in the southern direction , but after losing 3 units of military equipment and about 20 soldiers , the enemy escaped from the battlefield near Jabrail , ” the representative of Armenia Ministry of Defense Artsrun Hovhannisyan said .
“ Fighting continues .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We have some good luck , but heavy fighting continues , ” he said .
According to him a massive number of Armenian citizens had volunteered to go on the frontline and fight .
“ In just 48 hours , tens of thousands of our citizens formed new units , rushed into battle , and thanks to them , our victories were won .
We have allies , but they are not on the battlefield , because they are not needed , we are fighting ourselves.
” An official of the Artsakh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to fight on the frontline has reportedly been killed .
Yerevand Hadjiyan , head of the Diaspora Department of the Artsakh foreign Ministry allegedly died in the clashes .
A video showed the alleged retreat of Azerbaijani units who are being shelled .
A video praising the Armenian artillery was also released by the Defense Ministry .
A video of the destruction of an Azerbaijan checkpoint was also shared .
Furthermore , Armenia is sharing photographs and/or names of soldiers who allegedly showed uncanny heroism in the clashes , such as a claim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enemy battle tanks , 1 BMP and 1 TOS .
At Gyandzha air base , satellite photos show that at least two F16 fighters of the Turkish air force were at the Azerbaijani air base on October 3rd .
The base was reportedly targeted by Armenian missiles , but it appears not to have been targeted .
Finally , two Azerbaijani UAVs were downed on the southern front .
As typical , the Azerbaijan side also released several videos claiming success against Armenian targets .
According to the Azerbaijan Ministry of Defense , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the morning hours off October 8thon the villages of the cities of Berde , Ağcabedi and the cities of Goranboy , Terter and Aghdam outside Nagorno-Karabakh .
It was reported that there were people killed and injured in the Armenian attacks .
It was stated that the Azerbaijani army took measures against the attacks of the Armenian armed forces .
In the attacks carried out by Armenia since September 27th , 30 Azerbaijani civilians lost their lives and 143 people were injured .
Azerbaijan ’ s foreign minister said , on October 7th @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with the co-chairs of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe ( OSCE ) Minsk Group .
Ceyhun Bayramov will pay a working visit Thursday as relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia , two former Soviet republics , have soured .
MORE ON THE TOPIC :

Support SouthFront
On the morning of October 8th, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan vowed to continue the fight against Azerbaijan until it is won.
“I and our government are doing everything to ensure that your work has not been done in vain. We will not leave this problem (the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict) to our future generations,” Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said during a telephone conversation with the military on the frontline.
On the previous day he gave an interview with Russian outlet RBC.
“The foundation is being laid for the final victory of the Armenian army,” Pashinyan said. “Artsakh cannot and will never be a part of Azerbaijan. This is already 100% out of the question. And this is proved by the actions of Azerbaijan,” he added. “If today’s operation ends the way it started, which I think is very likely. Because after such a success, the Artsakh army will not just sit and wait for the regrouping of Azerbaijani forces. And I think that if they succeed today, they will try to build on their success. These decisions are made by the Artsakh military leaders. I assess the overall situation,” Nikol Pashinyan claimed.
In the early hours of the day, Armenia claimed some success in repelling Azerbaijan attacks.
“Early in the morning, at 08:30, the enemy attempted an attack in the southern direction, but after losing 3 units of military equipment and about 20 soldiers, the enemy escaped from the battlefield near Jabrail,” the representative of Armenia Ministry of Defense Artsrun Hovhannisyan said. “Fighting continues. our troops are performing their tasks brilliantly. We have some good luck, but heavy fighting continues,” he said.
According to him a massive number of Armenian citizens had volunteered to go on the frontline and fight.
“In just 48 hours, tens of thousands of our citizens formed new units, rushed into battle, and thanks to them, our victories were won. We have allies, but they are not on the battlefield, because they are not needed, we are fighting ourselves.”
An official of the Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) Foreign Ministry who volunteered to fight on the frontline has reportedly been killed. Yerevand Hadjiyan, head of the Diaspora Department of the Artsakh foreign Ministry allegedly died in the clashes.
“When a new threat loomed over the Republic of Artsakh, Yervand did not hesitate to follow the example of his older brother Norayr, who barely reached a young age in 1992-94 participated in the first Artsakh war, and in 2016. – heroically fell in the April war.”
A video showed the alleged retreat of Azerbaijani units who are being shelled.
A video praising the Armenian artillery was also released by the Defense Ministry.
A video of the destruction of an Azerbaijan checkpoint was also shared.
Furthermore, Armenia is sharing photographs and/or names of soldiers who allegedly showed uncanny heroism in the clashes, such as a claim that a single soldier had destroyed 5 enemy battle tanks, 1 BMP and 1 TOS.
At Gyandzha air base, satellite photos show that at least two F16 fighters of the Turkish air force were at the Azerbaijani air base on October 3rd. The base was reportedly targeted by Armenian missiles, but it appears not to have been targeted.
Finally, two Azerbaijani UAVs were downed on the southern front.
As typical, the Azerbaijan side also released several videos claiming success against Armenian targets.
According to the Azerbaijan Ministry of Defense, the Armenian armed forces fired artillery in the morning hours off October 8thon the villages of the cities of Berde, Ağcabedi and the cities of Goranboy, Terter and Aghdam outside Nagorno-Karabakh.
It was reported that there were people killed and injured in the Armenian attacks.
It was stated that the Azerbaijani army took measures against the attacks of the Armenian armed forces.
In the attacks carried out by Armenia since September 27th, 30 Azerbaijani civilians lost their lives and 143 people were injured.
Azerbaijan’s foreign minister said, on October 7th, he will visit Switzerland to discuss the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with the co-chairs of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group.
Ceyhun Bayramov will pay a working visit Thursday as relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia, two former Soviet republics, have soured.
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
Support SouthFront