Meet Switchblade.
The second offensive in Ukraine this year is going to be a complete bloodbath, if the Russians do as expected and double down on their most recent, failed offensive. The so-called Butcher of Aleppo, Aleksandr Dvornikov, who now commands Russian ground forces in Ukraine, will seek to maintain the initiative using the most brutal tactics, as well as instilling new levels of terror in the populace. More limited objectives have been set. Involving the Donbas and expanding the land corridor to Crimea. If achieved, then the Russians will pause for longer to re-equip.
However, the US, UK and EU are delivering roughly the equivalent of twenty C-17 aircraft a day, of military supplies to Eastern Poland, which is going straight across the border into Ukraine. Each aircraft can carry about eighty-five tons of supplies.
At the most sophisticated end of man-portable weapons is Switchblade. The larger version can kill Russian tanks, because its designed to strike from above, where their armour is weakest.
The weather is critical. There is a succession of storm fronts about a week apart rolling in from the US across South Eastern Europe. The Ukrainians are praying for terrible weather and especially huge amounts of rain between now and month end. If this happens, it will force Russian armour out of the vast flat farmland of Eastern Ukraine and force the Russians to move by road again. And we all saw what happened last time they tried that.
Putin badly needs this next offensive to succeed. For his own immediate future to be secure. Putin has promised Dvornikov promotion to Russia's equivalent of Chairman Of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, if he achieves his objectives.
I'd expect the gloves to come off, for this next offensive and anticipate the use of thermobaric, chemical and nerve weapons as necessary.
Finland and Sweden are actively discussing terms for joining NATO, with NATO officials in Brussels.
The sinking of the Russian cruiser in the Black Sea will have been the cause of particular pain to Putin as the Russian Navy has always been his most favoured military branch. If you believe Putin's official biography, his father served in the Russian submarine service during the 1930's. Hence his Naval bias.