Scott Ritter was NOT shooting from the hip when he said Israel is finished!
One could be forgiven for thinking Ritter is solely an expert on Ukraine and Russia, because most of his interviews are focused on this subject. But there’s more to Scott than meets the eye.
Ritter was assigned to work with Israeli military, travelling to Israel from 1994 until 1998 and spending long hours working with Israeli officials.
Ritter is just as much – perhaps more – of an expert on Israel as on the Russian/Ukraine world.
Linked below is a longish account of what Ritter experienced in his extended stays in Israel and in his research on Israel’s recent history.
I have read this and have heard the below-linked interview and am convinced that Ritter knew what he was talking about when he said Israel is finished! Further, the latest anemic Israeli strike on Iran did little or no damage.
[Just a word on the missiles used. Alkhanadeq.com reported that the missiles would have been the hypersonic Radwan (or Radvan) missiles. I think, if I was hearing correctly, that Ritter said the Israeli base was hit by NON-hypersonic missiles. I may have misunderstood, but at any rate, alkhanadeq.com did show photos of apparently spent casings of the Radwan booster stages found by the Israelis. We will get to the bottom of this eventually. The bottom line is that Iran has missiles that Israel cannot shoot down! This lends credence to Ritter’s statement that Israel is done, at least militarily]
Dore and Ritter: The successful Iranian attack on Israeli air base
Ritter explains why Iron Dome couldn’t handle Iranian missiles
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Here’s your daily air strike update for April 20, 2024
Translation follows with my notes in bold and in [brackets]
Use the following map to locate the oblasts mentioned in the below texts.
https://vz.ru/news/2024/4/20/1264295.html?ysclid=lv8i1j907s496655777
20 Аpr, 2024
Russian troops attacked military targets in the Sumy region oblast
Denis Telmanov
The Russian armed forces attacked the airbase and the location of the 58th separate motorized infantry brigade in the city of Konotop, Sumy oblast, said the coordinator of the Nikolaev underground, Sergei Lebedev, citing his colleagues.
“Last night around 10 p.m., the city of Konotop, Sumy oblast, received at least two strikes. They call the local airbase the destination,” RIA Novosti reports Lebedev’s statement.
According to the underground, at the air base, located on Petlyura Street, there are hangars, barracks, a canteen, bases, and an aircraft repair plant.
“Local residents associate the second strike in Konotop with the location of the 58th separate motorized infantry brigade at 30 Turgenev Street,” said the underground worker.
According to local residents, after the attacks, doctors were called to work, which may indicate losses among Ukrainian military personnel.
The underground also recorded two arrivals in the city of Sumy. One of the attacks hit the location of the remnants of the 15th Territorial Defense Battalion.
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Translation follows with my notes in bold and in [brackets]
20.04.2024
Ivan Kozlov
Strikes on planes and S-300s became a nightmare for the Ukrainian Armed Forces. SVO summary for April 20
A helicopter base near Konotop was hit
The coordinator of the Nikolaev underground, Sergei Lebedev, said that the Russian Armed Forces attacked the air base and the location of the 58th separate motorized infantry brigade in Konotop (Sumy oblast).
“They call the destinations the local air base, where until recently helicopter arrivals were recorded. Hangars, barracks, and the base's canteen are located on Petlyura Street. There’s an aircraft repair plant nearby,” Lebedev said in a comment to RIA Novosti. Earlier, the underground coordinator reported a strike on an ammunition depot in Odessa.
A strong explosion occurred on Saturday morning in Odessa.
In Odessa, an ammunition depot of the Ukrainian Armed Forces was destroyed by a strike. SVO summary for the morning of April 20
Unmanned and manned aircraft shot down
As noted in the report of the Ministry of Defense, air defense systems shot down a Su-25 aircraft of the Ukrainian Air Force, 213 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as five Hammer guided bombs made in France.
Expert: Ukrainian MIG-29 and S-300 systems destroyed
The Russian army destroyed several MiG-29 and S-300 systems of Ukrainian forces. British expert Alexander Merkouris stated this on his YouTube blog, RIA Novosti reports.
“Ukrainian planes that carried out operations at the front took off from an airbase near Dnepropetrovsk. Most likely, four MiG-29s were destroyed,” said a British analyst.
In addition, according to him, from April 19 to 20, the Ukrainian military lost four S-300 air defense systems. “It was a terrible night for Kyiv,” he said.
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Translation follows with my notes in bold and in [brackets]
20 April 2024
The Russian army dealt a powerful blow to the Ukrainian military rear
Explosions occurred in the Kharkov, Dnepropetrovsk, Sumy and Odessa oblasts. So, in Konotop our goal was the Ukrainian airbase. Combat helicopters are based there, there is a repair plant, hangars where equipment is hidden, and barracks for militants. There are no details, but after our strike the area around was cordoned off, and only doctors were allowed inside.
In the Odessa oblast, for the second day they have not been able to extinguish the fire at a port plant where, according to some reports, naval drones could be stored.
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Let’s keep our eye on the chessboard. One Iran, 5 Iran-backed resistance fronts, and allies Russia and China
There’s little doubt that it was Israel that bombed the PMF (Popular mobilization Forces, or قوات الحشد الشعبي, romanized: Quwwāt al-Ḥashd ash-Shaʿbī) in Iraq. What you need to know to appreciate the following translated report:
The PMF did NOT bomb itself. It was bombed by its enemies, who are: the US and allies and Israel. Israel made a bad showing in its attack on Iran recently and needed to save face attacking what it considered a weaker one of the resistance fronts. (Though PMF is anything but weak. The real motive for attacking it may have been the fact that PMF is a thorn in the side of the illegal US occupation of Iraq).
What is the PMF?
Originally, PMF was a grassroots organization, but it was eventually recognized by the Iraqi government and is now part of that government. PMF was constituted of well trained and organized fighters that effectively fought ISIS, a terror group that the US pretended to fight (but supported behind the scenes) in order to justify its unjustified occupation of Iraq. Today, the US occupation has been “invited” to leave by both the Iraqi parliament and the PM. In fact, shortly after the brainless assassination of Iranian war hero Qassem Soleimani in Jan. 2020 on Iraqi soil by Donald Trump, the Iraqi parliament voted to oust all US troops, after which the US occupation became illegal. It has been so since.
So what is the source of the dispute between Iran and the other resistance fronts (Hezbollah in Lebanon, numerous pro-Assad militias in Syria, Hamas and the Yemeni Houthis)?
It boils down to the genocide in Gaza.
The US, Israel and allies support the heinous genocide while Iran and the Resistance are investing their own blood and treasure to stop it. It is as simple as that. The only real terrorist states in the Middle East are the US and allies and Israel.
The following is a translation from Arabic with my notes in bold and in [brackets]
بسبب فشلها في أصفهان: اعتداء إسرائيل على العراق؟ (alkhanadeq.org.lb)
Saturday, April 20, 2024 01:14
Because of its failure in Isfahan: Israel's aggression against Iraq?
The American-Israeli aggression forces, or at least one of them, launched an air attack against Iraq, targeting a base used by the Iraqi armed forces: the army, the Popular Mobilization Forces, and the federal police. The air attack led to a huge explosion in a command center at the base, which led to the death of a member of the Popular Mobilization Forces, while 8 others were injured.
According to a statement by the Iraqi army, the attack occurred at one o’clock before dawn today (04/20/2024), and the explosion was followed by a fire inside the base, which is located north of Babil Governorate on the international line. The army revealed that "a specialized higher technical committee from civil defense and other relevant groups has been formed to determine the causes of the explosion and fires at the site and surroundings of the accident area."
Therefore, all odds indicate that Israel is the party that will benefit most from this operation, as it will allow it somewhat to erase the effects of its failed retaliatory operation in Isfahan [Iran] (which took place at dawn on 04/19/2024). Because it is capable of carrying out such an attack without being detected by Iraqi air defense units, through the use of F-35 stealth aircraft or perhaps through drones.
The Chief of Staff of the Popular Mobilization Forces, Abdulaziz al-Muhammadawi, “Abu Fadak,” inspected the site of the explosion in Babylon in the first hours of the incident, as the pictures circulated of him showed, which also showed that the crater left by the explosion is very deep, which strengthens the hypothesis of Israeli aggression.
The Islamic resistance in Iraq responds
In response to what the Islamic Resistance in Iraq described in its statement as “the Zionist enemy’s violation of Iraqi sovereignty in its treacherous targeting of the Popular Mobilization Forces camps,” its mujahideen targeted, using drones, a vital target in Eilat in occupied Palestine [Israel]. In its statement, the Iraqi resistance affirmed its continuation of “destroying enemy strongholds in order to complete the second phase of operations to resist the occupation and support our people in Gaza.”
According to what was reported in media sources, the vital Israeli target in Eilat is the “Uvda” air base, which is more than 476 km away from Iraq, and where the 115th Squadron in the Israeli occupation army is stationed, which consists of F-16 fighter planes and helicopters.
Hamas statement
The Hamas movement condemned this attack in a statement, describing it as a “brute aggression,” which it considered an assault and violation of Iraq’s sovereignty and security, and an embodiment of Zionist barbarism, which is constantly expanding its aggression throughout the region.
The movement also held the administration of US President Biden responsible for the escalation in the region, through “its supply and support for the Nazi war of genocide against our Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, and we renew our affirmation that the region will not witness stability or peace except by ending the Zionist occupation of our occupied Palestinian and Arab lands.”
What is Kalso's rule?
Kalso Base is a military facility located in Babil Governorate, about 32 km from the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, and more than 833 km from occupied Palestine. Groups affiliated with the Popular Mobilization Forces (which uses the base as an operations headquarters in the region and stores weapons and equipment there), the army, and the federal police are stationed there. It was previously occupied by the American occupation forces (who called the area in which this base was located the Triangle of Death due to the large number of Iraqi resistance operations there at the time), before they withdrew from it on December 11, 2011, as part of their withdrawal from the country. [But they are still there illegally]
Writer:
Ali Nour El-Din
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Translation follows with my notes in bold and in [brackets]
US involved in attack on Crimea
APRIL 17, 2024
MILITARY EXPERT MATYUSHIN: "THE STRIKE ON DZHANKOY WAS AGREED WITH THE AMERICAN AUTHORITIES"
Military expert, reserve DPR officer Alexander Matyushin, in a conversation with Tsargrad, said: “The strike on Dzhankoy was coordinated with the American authorities.” He pointed out the circumstances that prove this.
Ukraine attacked Crimea with American ATACMS missiles. The strike hit the airfield in Dzhankoy in Crimea. There were two waves: during the first, seven ATACMS missiles carrying cluster munitions were fired at Dzhankoy. And during the second there were direct strike missiles.
At the same time, an American drone was on duty in the southern part of the Black Sea, south of Crimea. The strike on Dzhankoy was coordinated with the American authorities. [This makes US a participant in the war in Ukraine. Frankly, it could be but a matter of time before Washington receives an ultimatum from Moscow!] The presence of a UAV indicates that it was entirely under their control. The use of American missiles, the impact of which was controlled by an American reconnaissance drone, indicates the full involvement of the United States in the conflict with Ukraine, said military expert Alexander Matyushin in a conversation with Tsargrad.
The expert believes that this point should be condemned at the UN.
Let us remind you that early in the morning of April 17, reports appeared about a series of powerful explosions in the sky above the airfield in the Crimean Dzhankoy. Afterwards, the Internet talked about a fire that broke out at the scene of the emergency.
However, much more data appeared in local public pages. “Our morning did not start with coffee. According to Dzhankoy; preliminary, the first wave of ballistics, possibly ATACMS, the second wave is analogous to “Storm”, but the sound of the flight is different,” write the authors of the “Typical Dzhankoy” telegram channel.
Afterwards, they indicated that the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ attempt to attack the airfield in the Dzhankoy area was repulsed. “The night was fun, but everything is fine,” they wrote on the Internet. “In addition, in the morning the FSB has been holding events with “operators” and fans of filming air defense work. Three people so far.” Military experts point out that the publication of photographs of the work of Russian military personnel can be equated to treason [in Ukraine]. And the sentence for this is already up to 20 years in prison.
**
Russian strikes on gas storage impact European gas supply
Translation with my notes in bold and in [brackets]
April 20, 2024
STRIKES BY THE RUSSIAN AF ARE A "MESSAGE TO EUROPE": KINZHAL REMINDS US OF WHAT THE POLITICIANS HAVE NOT DONE" – EXPERTS
During the week, we saw at least two such strikes by the Russian Armed Forces, which experts simply call “a message to Europe.” Kinzhal [a Russian hypersonic missile] brings to fruition what politicians have not completed,” our sources say. And now in detail about what is happening...
Russia has carried out another successful attack on the energy complex and military infrastructure of Ukraine. One of the main targets this time was a gas storage facility near the city of Stryi in the Lviv oblast, which is of strategic importance. This is not only the main gas “tank” of Ukraine, but also the largest storage facility in Europe. That is why hypersonic Kinzhal missiles and Kh-101 missiles were used to destroy it.
Kinzhal has reached... Europe
The destruction of this facility caused damage not only to Ukraine. The largest underground gas storage facility (underground gas storage), the design capacity of which is 17.05 billion cubic meters, was also important for the Europeans. Since August 2023, it has been used by European countries that were unable to pump gas into the EU. Essentially, it was a strategic reserve that the Europeans were accumulating for the next winter season.
How are things going with gas in Ukraine? Last fall, the head of the board of Naftogaz, Alexei Chernyshov, confidently stated that the reserves of “blue fuel” stored in gas “bins” were more than enough to survive the winter without problems. At the same time, President Zelensky’s office warned that winter for the country “will be harder than the previous one” and called for “preparing heaters and other equipment.”
Now, after a successful attack on the Bilche-Volitsko-Uherskoye underground gas storage facility, not only Ukraine, but also Europe, which has been replenishing its reserves from this storage facility, will face big problems:
The Kinzhal brings to fruition what politicians have not completed, energy security expert Ivan Skorokhodov said in a conversation with us. - Everything suggests that a tough decision has been made, and Russia will not retreat. However, for now, targeted strikes by the Russian Armed Forces are only a message to Europe.
Political scientist Gennady Martynov also agrees with Skorokhodov:
Yes, indeed, everything suggests that they decided to back up the policy with force, since our opponents are not ready to engage in dialogue. Now, as you correctly put it, Kinzhal brings to fruition what politicians have not completed.
Considering the importance of the Bilche-Volitsko-Uherskoye UGS facility for the enemy, Russia attacked it with Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, which have enormous power - they are capable of penetrating through soil and concrete protection to a depth of up to fifty meters.
According to military expert Vladislav Shurygin, the missile strike was carefully prepared.
The Kinzhals approached the target from three directions, which not only reduced the risk of being noticed by Ukrainian air defense systems, but also made it possible to hit the underground storage facility from several sides for maximum effect, he said.
The expert also noted that Ukraine does not have air defense systems capable of resisting Russian hypersonic missiles. The maximum they are capable of is to detect Kinzhal launches.
And then - a new attack on gas infrastructure
A gas pipeline burned in the Kharkov oblast yesterday. According to preliminary information, the incident occurred in the Shabelinka area. Eyewitnesses sent photo and video evidence.
The Ukrainian authorities tried to pass off what was happening as a regular accident. However, sabotage occurred. This information is confirmed by the source of Tsargrad. The Russians also know how to commit sabotage - only when our people implement the plan, it happens precisely and accurately, without casualties among civilians and not against the civilian population itself. But Ukrainian saboteurs, on the contrary, without the opportunity to oppose anything to the Russian army, are trying in every possible way to terrorize and kill civilians.
The result of the so-called accident on the Kharkov gas pipeline looks terrifying.
Within a radius of 40 meters from the fire, asphalt melts, the flame column is about 70 meters high, the author of the TG channel “Partisan’s Eye” said, citing witnesses.
Another video shows a column of flame even higher than described. Judging by the footage, no one can come closer than 200-300 meters - rescuers, firefighters and special services were also not seen in the footage.
Kharkov gas line strike
According to Condottiero, the consumption of such a gas emission in monetary terms is about $100, or 4,000 hryvnia, per minute:
The gas meter in the Kharkov oblast is now spinning at breakneck speed. Consumption is approximately $100 per minute at these diameters.
In addition to the rolling blackouts in Kharkov [city] and the oblast, gas outages have been added, which creates a real collapse.
In Kharkov and the oblast, already plunged into energy chaos, panic began. There will now be gas outages along with electricity failure, writes Condottiero.
According to the TG channel "Geoenergy INFO", residents of Ukraine are advised to refrain from cleaning and washing in the evening in order to save energy. [You’d think Europe would negotiate, wouldn’t you?]
As a result of Russian attacks, DTEK lost 80% of its generating capacity, and hydroelectric power stations in Ukraine were also damaged. And although Ukrenergo does not expect a collapse in the energy sector, Ukraine’s purchases of electricity from its neighbors, in particular Romania, have increased in recent weeks. And in Europe, gas is becoming more expensive, and the increased demand for it from generation is one of the reasons, write the authors of the channel.
Kharkov will play an important role...
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov bluntly stated this week that Kharkov will play an important role in the creation of the demilitarized line that Russian President Vladimir Putin previously spoke about. That is, at the ministerial level, Russia makes it clear that we are ready to secure our borders, moving them further and further. [The Ukronazi terrorists have been using the Kharkov oblast as a bridgehead to attack Russian territory, notably Belgorod and Bryansk, with missiles, drones and artillery. Russia therefore seeks to gain full control of the Kharkov oblast to put an end to this sabotage.]
Well, by the way. Kharkov is a Russian city, and it has always been so. So the issue of liberation has long been resolved. And the enemy understands this. Obviously, this is why the Ukrainian special services organize “sleeping terrorist groups” in the Kharkov oblast, which intensify their criminal activities after Russia liberates strategically important settlements on this front line. The information was revealed in a conversation with RIA Novosti by former LPR lieutenant colonel Andrei Marochko.
According to a military expert, the SBU supervises radicals and nationalists, and local residents are also recruited into their groups. As Marochko noted, Kyiv needs a network of agents from the civilian population to receive intelligence information. People who resist the intelligence services face blackmail and threats.
The tasks of saboteurs include intelligence activities, as well as measures aimed at discrediting the Russian Armed Forces and the military-political leadership. Marochko also reported on the creation by the Ukrainian special services of small warehouses with weapons, ammunition and communications equipment in the territories of the Kharkov oblast they control.
It is noteworthy that on April 11, in the Kharkov oblast, a forced evacuation of civilians with children from 47 settlements was announced.
There is no doubt that our tricolor will again fly over Kharkov. This was stated by the once permanent leader of the Liberal Democrats, Vladimir Zhirinovsky, a dozen years ago. In addition, he noted that Nikolaev and Zhitomir would share the same fate.
What is fundamentally important is that it is unlikely that the million-strong city of Kharkov will be taken unceremoniously. Including taking into account the fact that in anticipation of advisers from NATO, they even built bunkers for them under the guise of underground schools.
So the blockade tactics - cutting off electricity, gas and water - seem to be the most reasonable from the point of view of saving the lives of our soldiers and those Kharkov residents who were unable to leave the city for various reasons. Otherwise, the enemy will again take advantage of the situation.
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Attack on Russian nuclear facility
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US Congress is occupied territory of Israel
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