Russian lawmakers authorize Putin to use military force outside the country

[Labster]

This is a pretty good summary of the overall position of the war over at The Drive: Ukraine Situation Report: Russians Cede Bridgehead Into Occupied Kherson.  In general, the Russian offensive has run out of steam, and Russian forces in Kherson are cut off from supply lines.  They are building a pontoon bridge to replace the damaged rail and vehicle bridges -- but they haven't been great at this, and the Dnipro river is a whole kilometer across this close to the Black Sea.

-- Video shows a Ukrainian POW being castrated by a Russian.  It's making the rounds online, but doesn't seem to have much "traditional" media coverage.  I haven't watched.
-- Internet has already tracked the perp down by his other propaganda and are preparing a special place for him at The Hague.
-- Speaking of balls, Russians are balls deep in Kherson, with no pull-out plan.
-- Kadyrovites are in the rear guard, allegedly shooting fellow orcs who try to retreat across the river.
-- For those who don't know who the Kadryovites are, just imagine a combination of the worst aspects of the Nazi SS and TikTok, and you're most of the way there.
-- Speaking of 1938, Russians have been putting up these charming billboards around Nova Kakhovka.  "Russians and Ukrainians are one people, one whole!" (pronounced Ein Volk) "Russia is here, forever!" (millennial Reich or something, but the Aryan girl is adorbs).
-- In bad news for the Anschluss, the United Russia Party politicians working on the vote for Kherson to join Russia have all fled Kherson.  It will be easier to conduct the vote back in Moscow, anyway, where you don't need to bother with all the Ukranians and the voting.
-- Ukrainian soldiers find an owlet for their affection
-- Ukraine turns down an offer for A-10 Warthogs from the US.  They want F-15s and F-16s instead.
-- When no one has air superiority, close air support is far less useful -- and more vulnerable to anti-air.  Things that can shoot down missiles and drones are more useful than air bombardment.
-- Baykar gives another free Bayraktar to Ukraine instead of taking crowdfunding -- which can now go to charity in Ukraine.  The free advertising alone, right?
-- Mouthbreather Victor Orbán says Moscow will be victorious
-- Montenegro Foreign Minister (ethnic Montenegrin) says they will begin seizing assets of Russians under EU sanctions.  The Economy Minister (ethnic Serb) says that will take a really long time to actually implement tho cuz banks are hard and stuff.
-- EU court upholds ban on all RT networks
-- Russian economy continues its long slide into oblivion.  The stats their economy ministry are still releasing still look really bad.  (Cars: -89%, Trucks: -40%, Washing machines: -58.4%, Fridges/freezers: -52.3%)
-- You probably all know about Russia cutting gas deliveries to Europe, because slowly easing people off is how you keep people addicted.  Wait, that's wrong, wtf is he doing?  Anyway, Gazprom is also in default on delivery of gas to neutral India.  They're five tanker ships behind.

I have just become aware of /r/RussianCircus, which collects comedy about the war. For instance:
-- Russian soldier demonstrates ability to not break bricks with martial arts
-- Belarusian Special Forces doing a recruitment video slash cheerleading routine
-- Russians patriotically attack crosswalk signs because they are blue and yellow.  One guy is in sandals, lol.
-- A Russian priest smacks a Ukrainian priest with a wooden cross