Ukraine attacked a rather unique Russian ship at the harbor in Sevastopol in Crimea. It is a double-hulled catamaran rescue and recovery vessel, but the unique thing about it is that it was laid in 1912 and commissioned in 1915 during the last years of the reign of Tsar Nicholas II.
The Kommuna is (or was) the world's oldest active naval vessel.
She was originally laid down in Saint Petersburg as Volkhov in 1912. Like a few other similar designs from the time her mission was to rescue stricken submarines. She did this at least twice in 1917, lifting sunken Russian boats. She also served as a submarine tender between rescues and salvages.
In design terms she lent heavily on the German rescue ship SMS Vulkan. She had two lifting frames between catamaran hulls so that a submarine or other objects could be lifted into it. The ends of the ship were joined to create a moon-pool affect.
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During World War Two she served in the siege of Leningrad (as Saint Petersburg had been renamed). She was used to salvage valuable tanks and vehicles which had fallen through ice. She was also valuable as a submarine tender.
Today she has moved from the Baltic to the Black Sea. In the meantime she has received major enhancements to get capabilities, although her main structure remains almost unchanged. She now acts as a host ship for deep-diving submersibles and ROVs (Remote operated vehicles).
US aid is set to head for Ukraine in a matter of days within the bill being signed by President Biden.
GOP Rep Victoria Spartz from Indiana has been getting a lot of attention from Ukrainian bloggers, none of it good. She voted against Ukraine aid despite being a native of Nosivka, Ukraine, which is near Kyiv.
While US aid will flow forth like an avalanche, but it still won’t be enough for Ukraine to launch offensive operations.
From repeated frank conversations with both analysts of American think tanks and lobbyists in the United States, I concluded that such a large aid package may be the last this year. Moreover, there is a fairly high probability that all subsequent aid packages for Ukraine will be much smaller in size. One such representative has said frankly (published with his permission) that we should no longer expect funding for major operations, as was the case in preparation for an offensive operation in 2023.
The United States will continue to develop production and supply Ukraine with 155 mm ammunition, GMLRS, as well as self-defense and air defense equipment. However, this is not enough to achieve military parity with Russia, not to mention successful army-level offensive operations, for which it is necessary to replenish dozens of brigades with both equipment and personnel. I want to repeat that this does not mean that the States will stop helping at all, but if you look at it frankly, such volumes will only be enough so that the front does not crumble.
Fix it up and send it back.
The new package of US aid should probably include thermal vision gear.
Gear like this.
Ukraine shouldn’t have to rely on crowdsourcing for stuff like this.
Lindsey Graham goes on Fox and gives Trump credit for helping to pass Ukraine aid.
Russia contributing more tanks to Ukraine’s soon-to-be thriving post-war salvage business.
Another 950 Russians off the battlefield.
Getting close to 100 colonels.
Why do you suppose a commander would send one lone armored vehicle across open terrain in an attack? Might as well put a big sign on it that says Blow Me Up.
When you have finally worn out your welcome.
Some good news from Belarus.
And some good news from Moldova.
Rest in peace.
Wake up! Time to blow up more Russian stuff.