Ursa Major Was Sunk ...

 ... and it was not a simple terrorist act--it was, likely, an attack by an unknown sub. 

МОСКВА, 25 дек — РИА Новости. Причиной крушения российского сухогруза "Урса Майор" в Средиземном море стал теракт, заявил РИА Новости судовладелец, группа компаний "Оборонлогистика". "Оборонлогистика" полагает, что 23 декабря 2024 года была совершена целенаправленная террористическая атака на судно "Урса Майор", принадлежащее компании. По показаниям членов экипажа судна, 23 декабря 2024-го, в 13:50 (по московскому времени), произошли три последовательных взрыва с правого борта, в районе кормовой части", — сказали в пресс-службе.

Translation: MOSCOW, December 25 — RIA Novosti. The cause of the sinking of the Russian dry cargo ship Ursa Mayor in the Mediterranean Sea was a terrorist attack, the ship owner, the Oboronlogistics group of companies, told RIA Novosti. "Oboronlogistics believes that on December 23, 2024, a targeted terrorist attack was carried out on the Ursa Mayor vessel, which belongs to the company. According to the testimony of the ship's crew, on December 23, 2024, at 13:50 (Moscow time), three successive explosions occurred on the starboard side, near the stern," the press service said.

It is too early to speculate on who could have done it, but Ursa Major is a large vessel and what is described sounds like torpedo attack at the screw-rudder group (винто-рулевая группа). We still have to wait for information though.

But here, there is no doubt that it was a terrorist act with Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer jet.

These are holes from the elements of the explosive device on board. These are not birds' impact holes. We all can easily arrive to the conclusion of who could be the "beneficiary" of these atrocities but still--let's wait for more detailed information.

Open Thread.

 Go at it. 

As Was Expected ...

 ... Trump's BS about Putin wanting to meet him was called by Russia. Time has come to start calling outright butt-hurt BS about serious operational matters. This time SEAD. SMO is the largest and most comprehensive SEAD operation in modern history which provides an astonishing combat record by Russian Air Force and stand-off weaponry in demolishing de facto NATO AD in 404, while providing 95% effectiveness of own AD. I give some historical introspective. 

I Pleased My Lord ...

 ... the so-called AI, LOL))) Went to check my numbers on Amazon and ran into this:

Customers find the writing style clear, intelligent, and thoughtful. They describe the book as readable and well worth reading. AI-generated from the text of customer reviews 

You see, I am a good good boy, computer loves me. Next step, make this thing write a new book for me and I will be set)). 

The Best Comment.

This is why I keep my comments 99% unmoderated except for some trolls and nutjobs. 

Nutcracker cancellation reignites heated debate in EU stat. The policy in Lithuania of “mental quarantine” from Russia has been questioned after a minister admitted to actually liking Tchaikovsky 

I happen to agree with Lithuania. I also suggest for EU in general to introduce "mental quarantine" from Russia.  While at it--as one commenter noted:

Russia should challenge them to remove all the math/statistics formulas by Markov, Kolmogorov, and Chebyshev from their textbooks.

Correct, they should also remove Mendeleev's Periodic Table (of course, most in the West nowadays do not even know who created it). Works of Basov or Landau should also go. Europe is being primed for "suicide by Russia" anyway and its propaganda inevitably will succeed overwhelmingly--the trend is highly pronounced--in convincing most of population that Russians are subhumans (CERN, as an example, already banned Russian scientists), so there is no reason to subject sensitive and enlightened minds of Europe to crude art and science of those who refuse to submit. Let Nutcracker die, nor should Russians performers (most of them banned in the West) expose combined West to Rachmaninoff,  Tolstoy, Dostoevsky or Russian painters. West loves Solzhenitsyn anyway--he fits profile well. So, let's do it...

S-500, Personally.

M=13+  77N6-N1--anti-satellite capable. 

Larry Is 100% Correct.

And agony exactly looks like this--terrorism as the only way. 

The recent spate of drone and ATACM and Storm Shadow missile attacks inside Russia on civilian targets — the latest in Kursk and Kazan — are a sign of Ukraine’s declining military capability and desperation. But these are not just Ukrainian attacks. The United States and the United Kingdom also are complicit. Ukraine could not have launched these attacks, including the drone hits in Kazan, without the US and the UK providing intelligence for targeting. The attacks in Russia this week, including the assassination of General Kirillov, do nothing to advance Ukraine’s strategic or tactical capabilities in its war against Russia. Attacking oil and gas pipelines, oil refineries or power stations, although civilian in nature, are legitimate military targets. Yet, Ukraine is avoiding those, probably because Zelensky and company realize that those sites are protected by robust air defense. 

Terrorism (state-sponsored by UK and the US) is a euphemism for throwing tantrum by the state. Watch also excellent round-table by Nima with Larry and Scott.