Russian lawmakers authorize Putin to use military force outside the country, Part II

[Labster]

We're at Day 500, and likely in what will be the hardest phase of the war for Ukraine.  They're attacking dug-in Russian positions while the Russians still have enough war materiel to pose a real threat.

-- The United States will provide Ukraine with cluster bombs, which are really highly effective against trenches
-- Virgin EU countries complain about Chad America giving out these munitions, which tend to leave UXO behind for the next decade/century to find
-- Russia is already using these, and it seems like Ukraine is willing to take out this debt in lives to save more lives now
-- An area the size of Florida has been landmined by Russia in Ukraine.  Six Belgiums worth of territory has been mined, so there's going to be tons of UXO for generations anyway.
-- Cluster munitions can be used to clear minefields.  Just saying.
-- Drone footage of Bahkmut -- This is how livable a city is after Russia takes it.  Also you apparently can still fly drones behind enemy lines.
-- Tara Reade, who accused Biden of sexual assault, will apply for Russian citizenship
-- Russia doesn't have a backup plan when it runs out of artillery - a long military nerdish article on how Russia is running out of artillery
-- TL;DR they don't have enough shells/mortars of the most common sizes, they don't have enough uncommon models to make a difference, and they gave up their ability to make high-grade steel for barrels and can no longer import from Germany.
-- Moscow has lost at least 2,098 tanks during the invastion and for the first time, Kyiv could actually have more. 
-- ‘We couldn’t wait’: Ukrainian farmers improvise to clear their land of mines - what starts out as a "feel-good" story about ranchers inventing a minesweeper quickly turns into a moderately NSFL about mobiks abusing animals
-- Drone footage of the massive ammunition detonation in occupied Makiivka.  Wow does this explode.  Looks like a movie.  Includes before images of random ammo strewn about in classically Russian fashion.
-- Traffic backup at the Kerch Bridge continues, because Russia is screening all cars for explosives.  Roughly an hour wait seems pretty typical for a national border crossing, which it is.
-- Ukraine is pushing hard for NATO membership as the Vilnius summit begins. If they don't do it, it's like saying that your enemies can dictate who is allowed to be your friend.  If they do it, it's like saying that the US and Europe want to start World War Three.
-- Currently Turkey and the UK have come out in support of membership, and the US against.
-- Russians keep playing championship Tennis, since most sports are corrupt
-- Wagner forces are leaving the Central African Republic in a "rotation".  Theoretically others will replace them.
-- Zelenskyy mauls Bulgarian president over his opposition to arming Ukraine.  Photo op goes surprisingly poorly.  Bulgarian PM much more in favor of Ukraine.
-- Counteroffensive makes decent progress in the southern (Zaporizhzhia) front, but it's still a slog against fortified lines.
-- (Image) Map of minefields around and inside Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant