[HoosierDaddy]

Werthead, on 24 September 2026 - 11:27 AM, said:

Bizarre story circulating that Russia planned to use drones launched from cargo ships to hit targets in Spain, Italy and France simultaneously. Apparently Lithuanian agents uncovered the plan and reported it to NATO members and the US, spurring direct US contact with Russia confirming its commitment to Article 5.

This plan sounds unhinged, at least the Narva or even Suwalki Gap ideas have some intelligence behind it, but this would have just resulted in every Russian ship outside its home waters being sunk and NATO forces likely hitting Russian forces in Ukraine very heavily. Completely barking mad.

Was it meant to try to be clandestine "we don't know what caused these explosions" with plausible deniability because they are kamikaze drones? At least then they could blame terrorists or something.

[Tiste Simeon]

 HoosierDaddy, on 24 September 2026 - 12:41 PM, said:

 Werthead, on 24 September 2026 - 11:27 AM, said:

Bizarre story circulating that Russia planned to use drones launched from cargo ships to hit targets in Spain, Italy and France simultaneously. Apparently Lithuanian agents uncovered the plan and reported it to NATO members and the US, spurring direct US contact with Russia confirming its commitment to Article 5.

This plan sounds unhinged, at least the Narva or even Suwalki Gap ideas have some intelligence behind it, but this would have just resulted in every Russian ship outside its home waters being sunk and NATO forces likely hitting Russian forces in Ukraine very heavily. Completely barking mad.

Was it meant to try to be clandestine "we don't know what caused these explosions" with plausible deniability because they are kamikaze drones? At least then they could blame terrorists or something.

Also known as "doing an Israel"

[Werthead]

Some claims that Ukraine has breached the Russian lines along the Zherebets in multiple places and has pushed recon and drones deep into the Russian positions there. Some excited claims of Russian forces falling back and others being effectively cut off from resupply, and some Russian forces calling for a withdrawal to the Kreminna–Krasnopopivka line. I'm highly doubtful about this, especially because Russia can probably use the forests west of Kreminna as a much more effective defensive line, as Ukraine did against Russia. Retreating to Kreminna means almost retreating to the twin cities, and that seems barking mad. It would also mean a huge salient for Ukrainian forces, easily cut off.

More likely, Ukraine will continue attacking Russian forces beyond the Zherebets but will not advance too far beyond it unless there is a general Russian collapse. The bulk of Russian forces and the main threat is to the south, it would make more sense for Ukraine to focus its efforts there.