Russia reveals details of Shoigu – Austin Friday phone conversation
Fri 7:36 pm +01:00, 21 Oct 2022 3Russia reveals details of rare contact with US military chief
Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin discussed Ukraine in a phone call
Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu has had rare direct contact with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, the Russian military reported on Friday.
According to the short readout, the two top officials “discussed issues of international security, including the situation in Ukraine” over the phone.
The last phone call between Shoigu and Austin was reported in May, with both sides giving away few details about it. It was the first direct conversation between the officials since Russia sent troops into Ukraine in late February.
Sources cited by Reuters revealed at the time that the call lasted for about an hour and failed to solve any specific matter. The exchange was initiated by Washington, Russian media reported.
The Pentagon confirmed the contact with the Russian defense minister on Friday, stating that its chief had “emphasized the importance of maintaining lines of communication” amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Bilateral contacts between Russian and American officials have been on the decline for years and have become very rare since the Ukraine crisis, according to both governments.
Washington claims that Moscow’s military campaign was unprovoked and has pledged to help Kiev “for as long as it takes” to defeat the Russian troops. The administration of US President Joe Biden has declared Russia’s strategic defeat as a foreign policy goal.
Russia accused the US of escalating tensions over Ukraine to a point at which it had no option but military action. According to Moscow, NATO was conducting a clandestine expansion into Ukraine, compromising Russian national security, and repeatedly refused to address Moscow’s concerns.
The US has imposed numerous economic sanctions on Russia. It also has been arming and funding the Ukrainian government. In late September, the Biden administration announced the country would provide an additional $1.1 billion in military aid to Ukraine. The total value of assistance provided under Biden has hit nearly $17 billion.
Svetlana Kapanina, Sochi, Olympic Sky 2015 (11:21)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TMNQQVEVzU
She’s not only a great pilot but great looking to boot.
I’ve done aerobatics but nothing like that. I didn’t actually like being upside down that much and preferred the right way up.
The three most useless things in aviation: the runway behind you; the sky above you; the fuel in the bowser.
Svetlana can tingle my ding-a-ling anytime. What a gorgeous Russian lass who surely gives us all hope.
Chuck Berry – My Ding A Ling (1972)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4qTmwGAwnw (Live 7:10)
Svetlana has such spatial awareness that is hard to define. You’ve either got it or haven’t.
I remember on one demanding high altitude parachute descent from nearly 20,000 feet where the guy I was falling with had to almost wake me up and shake me back into reality.
We had ‘Height Finders’ or automatic openers on the parachute system which activated as we passed through 4,000 feet but you couldn’t rely on them.
I remember one tragic incident where a stupid reserve officer jumped out of the chopper thinking it was on the ground when it was actually 200 feet above.
The guys he tried to take with him knew better and lived.
5 eyes – Propaganda video
https://www.shephardmedia.com/news/digital-battlespace/a-five-eyes-connection-preparing-our-militaries-for-the-future-battlefield/