Here we go again-Ukraine once again

[Catfish]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PayXWLopgGQ

[Catfish]

In the news today, a video clip was shown from the West Jutland town of Esbjerg where the largest ship ever to call at Esbjerg harbour. On board were 300 different armoured vehicles. They are going to Poland. There were some tanks I have not seen before, among others I saw one with a short gun barrel and a big muzzle-I've tried to find a picture of it so I could write what it was. No luck
Markus
This?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6nJV37LCps

[mapuc]

In a way yes but the angle of the video was different on Danish tv. Maybe there has been more than one news agency in Esbjerg this day.

Well one day I may see this tanks with this short cannon barrel and a wider opening than a usual cannon-It made me think of these middle age cannon very short barrel and a huge opening(where the cannonball comes out)
I think they are called mourns cannon/Mortar cannon

It is also the possibility that I have misunderstod what I saw

Markus

[les green01]

In a way yes but the angle of the video was different on Danish tv. Maybe there has been more than one news agency in Esbjerg this day.

Well one day I may see this tanks with this short cannon barrel and a wider opening than a usual cannon-It made me think of these middle age cannon very short barrel and a huge opening(where the cannonball comes out)
I think they are called mourns cannon/Mortar cannon

It is also the possibility that I have misunderstod what I saw

Markus

Markus what you might have seen is mobile artillery or self propel during the American civil war very short barrel large open was call a mortar

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1c2Q3tVH-to

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZu_sSem8No

[Jimbuna]

Russia is believed to have reorganised its military leadership in Ukraine, with Gen Alexander Dvornikov given overall charge.

Western officials say the general has extensive experience of Russian operations in Syria.

Ukrainian officials say ten humanitarian corridors to evacuate people from regions being besieged by Russian forces have been agreed for today.

The proposed corridors include one for people to escape from the shattered port city of Mariupol.

Ukraine says at least 50 people died and dozens were wounded after rockets hit a train station in the city of Kramatorsk in eastern Ukraine on Friday.

US President Joe Biden pins the blame on Russia, calling it a "horrific atrocity", but Moscow denies involvement.

Russian forces are stepping up their offensive in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine after withdrawing from the north.

[Skybird]

FOCUS:

A look into the future: Putin is reaching for Europe, but Donald Trump is back in the White House, and Marine Le Pen has won in France. Must Germany withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty?

Two weeks ago, my colleague René Pfister set up a thought experiment in an editorial in "Der Spiegel." It goes as follows: It is winter 2025. Vladimir Putin has failed in his goal to occupy all of Ukraine. But he has succeeded in extorting a forced peace - surrender of the Donbas and Crimea in exchange for the withdrawal of Russian troops from the west of the country.

The majority of Russians continue to back the president. A tentative palace revolt has failed. Two generals were found poisoned in their apartment, so this adventure was also decided.

Now Putin stands with 150,000 troops on the border with Latvia. It looks like a repeat of the Ukraine war, with one difference: there is no longer Joe Biden in the White House, but Donald Trump again, who has secured a second term. And Trump has declared what he thinks of NATO. "I wasn't elected to have a nuclear bomb explode over Manhattan," he said during a state visit to Moscow in response to a reporter's question about what he thought of the alliance. After that, the tanks rolled toward the Baltic states.

Would we be prepared for an emergency? That is the question. And it is not as theoretical as it may sound. If the past weeks have taught us anything, it is that everything that seemed self-evident a moment ago can turn out to be an illusion tomorrow.

In a surprise coup, the German chancellor has committed his governing coalition to rearming the Bundeswehr to the point where it is fit for defense. Everything is now to be there: Fighter planes that fly; tanks that roll; weapons that shoot. To ensure that it doesn't stop at the announcement, Scholz has pulled the decision on the allocation of the money into the chancellor's office. He knows what to make of his defense minister. He'd rather have a look at rearmament himself.

But is that enough? Is 100 billion euros enough to protect us from Putin and his plans for conquest?

Just because Trump seems to be signed off right now doesn't mean he's done. Even in his first term, the Republican rabble-rouser was only barely kept from leaving the alliance. At the second attempt, there would be no one left to stop Trump short of doing dangerously foolish things.

What good is NATO? Trump sees the world as a business relationship.

The truth is: Germany owes its security to the nuclear umbrella the U.S. has stretched over us - not to its nonexistent divisions or our exemplary pacifist ethos. For 75 years, that was the deal: we tacitly rely on the Americans to provide deterrence - in return, we get to pretend that peace can be achieved without weapons.

It was a beneficial arrangement. Flap your lips without having to pay yourself - who's to say no? Unlike Biden, however, who comes from the Cold War era, Trump sees the world as a business relationship: "What do I get out of protecting them?" is the first question that comes to his mind. Anything based on commitments is quantité negligeable for him. In that respect, he thinks like Putin.

What is deterrence worth without nuclear weapons? Not much, I would say. The principle of deterrence is based on the fact that you can counter a threat with a counter-threat. And that the man in the Kremlin will exploit any weakness that presents itself to him, he has proven that enough.

There is still the Force de Frappe, the French nuclear submarines, that is true. But should Germany really rely on the French to stand by us when the going gets tough? Love of neighborly relations may not go that far after all. And we haven't even talked about Marine Le Pen, who has caught up with Macron in the presidential election polls. Trump in the White House and Le Pen in the Élysée Palace - then we're very much on our own.

So, alternative: we provide the bomb ourselves. We've had this discussion before, in the late 1950s. The defense minister's name was Franz Josef Strauß. It was one of the great political battles of the post-war period, which then ended not in Strauß' favor, with the active support of "Der Spiegel. It speaks well for today's editors-in-chief that they let the proposal of nuclear armament be discussed in an editorial without immediately rejecting it.

Acquisition would not be easy, no question. Germany would have to withdraw from the Two Plus Four Treaty and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. On the other hand, what are these treaties still worth if one of the contracting parties has declared them null and void anyway? For Putin, sovereignty means sovereignly deciding which signatures he feels bound by and which he does not. But this makes obsolete the whole security architecture into which Russia was integrated after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

A completely different question is whether the German public would be ready for the bomb. To this day, people on the left cling to the idea that the only peace that counts is peace without weapons. The invasion of Ukraine has not fundamentally changed this.

Does it really have to be 100 billion for the Bundeswehr, the first are now asking. "No to war! Preserve democracy and the welfare state - no high-armament in the Basic Law!" is the title of an appeal by 600 more or less prominent people from politics, the church and culture. At the Green Youth, they are thinking of putting part of the billions that the chancellor has promised the Bundeswehr into political education. The left of center is still convinced that there is something wrong with anyone who picks up a weapon.

I have never really understood the pacifist argument. That weapons do not make the world safer may be true as abstract wisdom. In concrete terms, the opposite is quickly proven.

Many things remind me of the examination of conscience I had to undergo as a conscientious objector. At the beginning of the 1980s, anyone who did not want to join the Bundeswehr was still being tested on the seriousness of their pacifist convictions. Typical question: "You are in a hospital. There are women and children in your care. Next to you is a machine gun. The enemy is approaching. What are you doing?" Even then, the answer that saved one from military service, namely that one leaves the weapon lying around as a matter of course, seemed absurd to me.

I think the real point is to stay out of it. Of course, that doesn't sound so sympathetic. Gaffers and bystanders do not have a good reputation. So they cite higher goals: conscience, which forbids the use of violence, concern for world peace. What sounds so trusting actually has something rather sinister about it.

There was once an SPD chancellor who had to endure a debate on rearmament. The chancellor's name was Helmut Schmidt. In the end, he had lost his party friends, but the rearmament came. Let's see how it turns out this time.

https://www.focus.de/politik/deutschland/die-focus-kolumne-von-jan-fleischhauer-brauchen-wir-die-bombe_id_80628355.html
Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (http://www.DeepL.com/Translator) (free version)

[mapuc]

Until now I have thought it was politics all of it..then I read a comment in a stream..it's about resources there are trillion Cubic meter gas in the Ukrainian underground-EU would love to get a good part of that.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_gas_in_Ukraine

Markus

[August]

FOCUS:

A look into the future:


I say we bomb Germany. It's the only way to be sure.

[Catfish]

^ but nuke it from orbit, otherwise you're screwed :O:

re Marcus
while this may sound as great reservoir it is not big enough, also just of all Germany wants to get away from burning fossil carbon, from coal to oil to gas.
I think it would be best to go with carbon for 5 to ten years while also using nuclear energy, but using the time to research tokamak reactors and fusion, AND tackle the challenge of nuclear waste storage.

[les green01]

Russia is believed to have reorganised its military leadership in Ukraine, with Gen Alexander Dvornikov given overall charge.

Western officials say the general has extensive experience of Russian operations in Syria.

Ukrainian officials say ten humanitarian corridors to evacuate people from regions being besieged by Russian forces have been agreed for today.

The proposed corridors include one for people to escape from the shattered port city of Mariupol.

Ukraine says at least 50 people died and dozens were wounded after rockets hit a train station in the city of Kramatorsk in eastern Ukraine on Friday.

US President Joe Biden pins the blame on Russia, calling it a "horrific atrocity", but Moscow denies involvement.

Russian forces are stepping up their offensive in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine after withdrawing from the north.
Ukraine getting another high up target

[Jimbuna]

Ukraine calls on civilians in the eastern region of Luhansk to flee immediately.

Its governor, Serhiy Gaidai, warns that Russia is "amassing forces for an offensive" there.

Russia is stepping up their offensive in eastern Ukraine after withdrawing from the north.

UK PM Boris Johnson is in Ukraine and has held a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv.

A No 10 spokesman said he was using the visit to set out a new package of financial and military aid.

[Jimbuna]

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has held talks in Kyiv with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky.

No 10 said the visit was a "show of solidarity" with the Ukrainian people.

Following the meeting, Downing Street said the UK would send 120 armoured vehicles and anti-ship missile systems to support Ukraine.

Senior officials in Mr Zelensky's team praised the UK for support during its conflict with Russia.

A No 10 spokesman said: "The prime minister has travelled to Ukraine to meet President Zelensky in person, in a show of solidarity with the Ukrainian people."

Mr Johnson's visit to Kyiv came the day after the UK announced £100m of weapons for the country.

Speaking at a Downing Street press conference on Friday, Mr Johnson said the UK will send additional military equipment including Starstreak anti-aircraft missiles and 800 anti-tank missiles.

It followed an appeal from Ukraine for more arms as it prepares for an expected Russian offensive in the east of the country, after Moscow pulled back its forces from around Kyiv.

[Skybird]

It gets reported over here that the defence ministry knew already at the beginning fo the war of over 200 older tanks Leopard1A5, Marder and Panzerhaubitzen that are no longe rin service and are simply parked. Although the Ukriane asked for wepaons, Germany delayed to establish a list of inventorxy, and then delayed again to hand it over to the Ukraine just five weeks later.

To me its clear since quite some time that the Germans under Scholz play a double game here.

The official recommendation now is that the Ukraine should place orders directly with the industry, whcih then will be - endlessly - cosndiered by Germna policy-makers, and if finally approved several weeks later will see Bundeswehr systems delivered, and the missing stocks then being replaced with factor-fresh systems from that Ukrainian order.

Think of that.

The contradictions in public communication of the chancellor and his defence granny, do not end meanwhile.

Something is very smelly here. I do not trust Scholz. He plays foul game there, some sort of. He always does, since always. Schleichtier, elendes.

Meanwhile sanctions on coal from August on have been announced, the embargo factually means the end of coal imports from Russia. That does not hurt any Western nation. Therefore it is so irrelevant that it will not hurt Russia either.

The Green minister of economics meanhwhile still absolutely rejects to consider extending the running time of the three remaining nuclear reactors being switched off this year. Not to mention reactivating those three that have just been switched off early this year, and can be reactivated (said their owner company at the beginning of the war, they coudl call back their staff, most they asked would be willing to come back). Instead he mulls the reactivation of brown coal powerplants for electricity production.

Am I really only surrounded by nutcases in Germany? Allein unter Spinnern und völlig Bekloppten?

Positive is that Finland looks as if it will file a request for NATO membership soon, and I expect in its wake Sweden will follow soon. Who would not have the Fins aboard in NATO...? NATO signalled that a Finnish request would be processed quickly, and almost certainly would be accepted.

[Dargo]

Sanctions as there are now will not help if Europe buys gas from Russia stop that will hurt Russia big because transport of gas is not so easy as coal or oil Russia needs pipelines for it those are mainly going to Europe one to China so that would not make up the loss if Europe stops Russian gas imports.

Russia has already committed three quarters of its available ground and airborne tactical units to Ukraine. It has only approximately 30-35 battalion tactical groups in reserve. What forces it commits in the next few weeks will be its strategic reserve. For the first time in the history of modern European warfare, Russia may run out of soldiers.

Russia may hold Ukrainian territory, almost entirely road-bound Russian forces only truly control the towns that they occupy, the roads they sit on, out to the range of their main tank guns. Russia’s next steps must either win this war, or it will soon have no good military alternatives.

The west can only supply Ukraine and does, so even we do not see it their forces with the needed arms and spring is there, so ground is becoming muddy vegetation grows all thing in favor of the Ukraine army.

[Dargo]

Germany is worried about its own defense and does not want to hand over old armored (personnel) carriers to Ukraine that have meanwhile been completely decommissioned. :har:

[mapuc]

Dargo wrote
"Russia’s next steps must either win this war, or it will soon have no good military alternatives."

You are correct, the alternatives is not what a general want to think on/about
Then I do not know the mentality of a Russian general, so maybe thinking of using weapon of mass destruction comes normal for him. Or maybe not.

Markus

[Dargo]

Dargo wrote
"Russia’s next steps must either win this war, or it will soon have no good military alternatives."

You are correct, the alternatives is not what a general want to think on/about
Then I do not know the mentality of a Russian general, so maybe thinking of using weapon of mass destruction comes normal for him. Or maybe not.

Markus

General, Aleksandr V. Dvornikov, is a veteran of the Syrian war so will have the same tactics with a pretty savage track record in Syria, is believed to be behind the horrific shelling of a railway station full of women and children in Donetsk on Friday.

[Otto Harkaman]

Understanding Vladimir Putin, the man who fooled the world

Vladimir Putin was annoyed – or maybe just bored. The Russian leader had been patiently fielding questions from a small group of international journalists in the restaurant of a modest hotel in Davos. Then one of the queries seemed to irritate him. He stared back at the questioner, an American, and said slowly, through an interpreter: “I’ll answer that question in a minute. But first let me ask you about the extraordinary ring you have on your finger.”

All heads in the room swivelled. “Why is the stone so large?” Putin continued. A few of the audience began to giggle and the journalist looked uncomfortable. Putin took on a tone of mock sympathy and continued: “You surely don’t mind me asking, because you wouldn’t be wearing something like that unless you were trying to draw attention to yourself?” There was more laughter. By now, the original question had been forgotten. It was a masterclass in distraction and bullying.https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/apr/09/understanding-vladimir-putin-the-man-who-fooled-the-world


Article by Vladimir Putin ”On the Historical Unity of Russians and Ukrainians“, 12.07.2021
https://www.rusemb.org.uk/article/708

[Otto Harkaman]

Part of the article listed above, very interesting

Putin points to the western powers’ 2011 intervention in Libya that resulted in the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi – something he believes they had promised they would not do.

That episode is a particularly sore spot for Putin, since it took place during the four years from 2008 to 2012 when he was serving in the lesser job of prime minister, having stepped aside as president in favour of his acolyte Dmitry Medvedev. As Putin’s supporters see it, a naive Medvedev was duped into supporting a UN resolution that allowed for a limited intervention, only for western powers to exceed their mandate in order to overthrow and kill Gaddafi. They have no time for the response that the Libyan intervention was made on human rights grounds, but that events then took on a life of their own, as the Libyan rebellion gained steam.

Medvedev’s alleged naivety in allowing the Libyan intervention proved useful for Putin, however: it established the idea that he was indispensable as Russia’s leader. Any substitute, even one chosen by Putin, would leave the country vulnerable to a scheming and ruthless west. In 2011, Putin announced that he intended to return as president, after the potential presidential term had been extended to two consecutive periods of six years. This announcement provoked rare public demonstrations in Moscow and other cities, which again fanned Putin’s fears about western schemes to undermine his power. I was in Moscow in January 2012 and witnessed the marches and banners, some of which carried pointed references to Gaddafi’s fate. Putin understood the parallels. He commented publicly about how disgusted he had been by the footage of Gaddafi’s murder – which perhaps reflected a certain concern about his own potential fate. The fact that Hillary Clinton, then America’s Secretary of State, expressed public support for the 2012 demonstrations was deeply resented by Putin and may have justified, in his mind, Russia’s efforts to undermine Clinton’s presidential campaign in 2016.

[tmccarthy]

Yes, Let's get back to the real deal,The Americans are gambling again, And NATO will follow like the sheep they are. So this time it's war again, You know America and it's Allies and that might be You! must fight..Democracy must have an Enemy or it will not survive. We have had the Chinese release a devastating virus on the World that has cost millions of lives.Yet here we are again looking the other way Why? Do your Politicians have so many secrets in Ukraine that they will take this World to Nuclear Destruction? Why do our Politicians want to fight the Russian people?

Look at it this way, would any one of your countries accept the same sanctions on your country and it"s people.Will your government set back and let you starve have your country's economic system collapse. What is the difference between bullets and sanctions. Years ago in our past it was called Blockade, starve them and they will surrender. That didn't work out so good. Why do the so called Smartest brains of the year 2022 think they are so much smarter?

This is regional conflict between Ukraine and Russia.And that's it. Example: USA vs Mexico another USA vs Canada..USA vs South America Who is coming to this fight? The UN would be really Funcked wouldn't they. Poland joined NATO 20 some years ago. Do you think now that they are the Spearhead and could be first recipients of real climate change. They must be overjoyed with their decision. It's time for the people the everyday people to stop the Elites and their Quest for Power and their New World Order. Their gambles amongst themselves could cost the death of the entire population of this planet. Common Sense bound with experience and intelligence is the future.Not the Elite's in their vision of the world where they are The Shepherds with the Staff who control a planet of sheep.

Well, put. :yep:

I'm still a long way from being able to express all my ideas and thoughts on this one, I'd be starting with the origins of the Cold War. So posting videos for consideration reflecting what I'm seeing, learning, and getting to seems way more productive. There is one idea expressed in your post I'd like to address:

Who are we fighting for?

Something I've come to see more clearly is Presidents come and go, political power in Washington changes hands and evolves but there are other powers that are let's say more constant and focused like the military-industrial complex, the mainstream media(less journalism and more a biased advocate), foreign special interest groups and neoconservatives who seem to have had a great deal of influence in both Republican and Democrat administrations since the end of the Cold War. And I believe none of them have your or my interests in mind.

Neoconservatism - Words of the World, Apr 12, 2013
https://youtu.be/S-Zb1MRGIYA

Russiagaters, NeoCons Push WORLD WAR 3 With Russia | Breaking Points with Krystal and Saagar , Feb 28, 2022
https://youtu.be/M1xLu4DvlzY





-Tim

[Gorpet]

Oh, a pointy tongue.

At 55, with the apparent onset of athrosis in my right knee, a nerve disease that will kill me soon enough, and 5 and 6 diopters in my eyes, it's a bit late to ask the German Air Force to teach me to fly a Eurofighter, don't you think...?
I did something better. In the middle of March I donated 500 Euros to an alliance of aid organizations taking care of the Ukrainian refugees arriving in Germany, and last week I donated the same amount to a local alliance here in Münster taking care of the Ukrainians arriving in my town.

Normally I don't donate so easily. I am forced to pay taxes, for plenty of bull I do not want to support at all, but must, thats why I usually do not additionally donate, but offset the donation against the compulsory taxes for purposes I object to. But this time its almost neighbours of ours, and in my living town, not some completely foreign people from a culture hostile to our Western world.

How much have you already done, wise guy?

Which leaves the question whether my argumentation is not liked by you because its me telling it, or whether you think its wrong by argument's content. In case of the latter, I'm listening, in case of the first, I dont care.

Holy ****, We here in America have been told, Europeans have the best socialist health care on this planet.Get here to the land of milk and honey, And as a tourist i can shoot you in leg and you can get all your medicials done now you can't get a better offer than that.

[Gorpet]

Russia removed from UN Human Rights Council after Ukraine atrocities



https://www.foxnews.com/world/un-suspends-russia-human-rights-council-ukraine-war

But nothing for the Chinese?

[Gorpet]

Dargo wrote
"Russia’s next steps must either win this war, or it will soon have no good military alternatives."

You are correct, the alternatives is not what a general want to think on/about
Then I do not know the mentality of a Russian general, so maybe thinking of using weapon of mass destruction comes normal for him. Or maybe not.

Markus

The American Government think Putin has lost his mind.On the other hand you have .The United Nations and all the the best minds of that Organization, The planet could not be in better hands.

[Gorpet]

Germany is worried about its own defense and does not want to hand over old armored (personnel) carriers to Ukraine that have meanwhile been completely decommissioned. :har:

Germany never expected Americas Democrat's to put their country in the line of fire.And neither did Poland,You want to crawl in bed with America's Politicians and run in the Elite World Order. It comes with a price and if your just a Politician your on the bottom rung of the ladder of true power. Mordor is real and it's located somewhere in the Alps of Europe.

[Gorpet]

[QUOTE=tmccarthy;2802878]Well, put. :yep:

I'm still a long way from being able to express all my ideas and thoughts on this one, I'd be starting with the origins of the Cold War. So posting videos for consideration reflecting what I'm seeing, learning, and getting to seems way more productive. There is one idea expressed in your post I'd like to address:

Who are we fighting for?

Something I've come to see more clearly is Presidents come and go, political power in Washington changes hands and evolves but there are other powers that are let's say more constant and focused like the military-industrial complex, the mainstream media(less journalism and more a biased advocate), foreign special interest groups and neoconservatives who seem to have had a great deal of influence in both Republican and Democrat administrations since the end of the Cold War. And I believe none of them have your or my interests in mind.

Tim, our government will never evolve.You want to know why ? When the Politicians cracked the Mafia in America.They inherited the knowledge of the spider web of how a family works. and hell they already had the power. Coupled with every Bank and Corporation at that time. And the people of this country have been on their rollercoaster ride since. These people want to keep their families in power that's all. Why do we have so many people that should have retired and spend time with their children and grandchildren. POWER

[Gorpet]

I was not in the US when these protests got out of hand, i was seeing this via tv, papers, internet.
We always hear that there is no racism, a thing of the past, we got over it... bullsh!t. It is everywhere, not only in the US, but there was a bit too much shooting at black people with video and internet evidence to ignore it. So yes in spirit BLM makes sense because this slogan reminds the people that there is racial bias, more black people killed in relation, wanting to remind the world that black lives ALSO MATTER. It never meant that ONLY black lives matter, as the usual suspects immediately perpetrated, but that they ALSO do.

Next are demonstrations with the usual rabble rousers walking along with the initially peaceful organisers, abusing them for hiding in the masses and create some action. How much demonstrations have we seen where the organisers tried to get rid of the aggressive idiots and looters and drive them out of their marching blocks. Never saw this on Breitbart and Fox? Too bad.

What certain people wanted was to condemn all the demonstrations, to divert from the real problem and re-install the usual propaganda in the people's minds of blacks and leftists looting.
What a ... will come to that later –

You are a silly person.You believe that these people haven't been given every opportunity to get an education and if they take advantage of having a teacher to teach them. Who the fkns cares if they are white,The rest of the world doesn't mind if white Professors at Harvard or Princeton teach their kids.And these people from these countries have some serious equality problems of their own. Where in the hell are the Catfishes in those countries? Nowhere, They only spout off against the countries they live in. And they damn sure will never leave. Like the young girl that now say's nothing when The real powers of the world aren't listen to her Blah,Blah. About climate change. Where the hell is Greta? Why isn't she telling us how the Russians and Ukraines are destroying mother earth. Damn just the fumes from their cordite and fires and the destruction from artillery shell's will kill the planet

Or is Greta and the rest of her rich family hunkering down and waiting.It will not matter, The countries of NATO led by the smartest minds in Washington DC. Well America and it' Allies have turned into the Borg, Resistance is futile and it's for the Russian people, But not the Chinese they are the hivemind.And they are the Phoenix that rose from the ashes.They are the only country that will not take emigrant's that will change their culture. I'm waiting. And don't come back with Island's that are smaller than Britain.

[Catfish]

You are a silly person. [...]
That.
Still i think there is a systemic problem that no one wants to tackle.


Meanwhile in Russia, the cultural propaganda war is in full swing :haha:

https://twitter.com/carlbildt/status/1512488818078887941

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4WEBwsuQf0

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SVYkCB-izw

[Jimbuna]

President Volodymyr Zelensky says in a late-night address that Russia's target is "the whole European project"

Ukraine is ready for a tough battle with Russian forces in the east, he says.

Ukraine's deputy prime minister says Kyiv has agreed nine humanitarian corridors to help people escape heavy fighting.

Iryna Vereshchuk says all the routes "in the Luhansk region will work as long as there is a ceasefire by the occupying Russian troops"

The region's governor Serhiy Gaidai says there will be nine trains on Sunday for residents to get out on.

Military officials in Britain say there's further evidence that Russian troops have a deliberate strategy of targeting civilians in Ukraine.

They say Moscow is recruiting soldiers discharged from military service up to 10 years ago in response to growing losses.

[Catfish]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4WEBwsuQf0
^ interesting, i fear this how it is. thanks for posting :up:

[mapuc]

I'm glad that we can have a decent level of discussion here in my thread about the war in Ukraine.

On FB user is blocking each others and call each other names if a person support the wrong side. Mostly it's Putin supporters who is hated.

Markus

[Dargo]

...

They say Moscow is recruiting soldiers discharged from military service up to 10 years ago in response to growing losses.

Russia is trying to strengthen its army with soldiers who have left military service since 2012. This is, according to the British Secret Service, pointing to the increasing losses of the Russian force.

Russia is also trying to recruit troops in Transnistria, a renegade region of Moldova where Russian troops are active.

[Gorpet]

That.
Still i think there is a systemic problem that no one wants to tackle.


Meanwhile in Russia, the cultural propaganda war is in full swing :haha:

https://twitter.com/carlbildt/status/1512488818078887941

Ok , twitter is for young twits, So you are insinuating that Russian cultural revolution is in full swing ? Well the Chinese were in full swing in Tiananmen Square 1989 and it didn't work out at all for the young Chinese Democrats.And the world hasn't heard a peep from them in over 30 years. So are you saying that the Russian people are Woke and any day now we will see The entire english alphabet over taking Moscow, ?

[Buddahaid]

Ok , twitter is for young twits, So you are insinuating that Russian cultural revolution is in full swing ? Well the Chinese were in full swing in Tiananmen Square 1989 and it didn't work out at all for the young Chinese Democrats.And the world hasn't heard a peep from them in over 30 years. So are you saying that the Russian people are Woke and any day now we will see The entire english alphabet over taking Moscow, ?

China has nothing to do with this war and is smart enough to let Russia bleed itself out.

[Catfish]

re Gorpet
Not only children are using "twitter", even childish grown-up politicians (ab)use it to spread their more or less useful thoughts, and propaganda. I don't know, there are so much other public platforms that i wonder why just of all this "twitter" is being used so much.

No, I was referring to this video I posted, with the obviously drunk russian anchorwoman complaining about "Ukrainians eating russian borshtsh while borshtsh was a cultural thing only belonging to Russia, and because of that Ukraine was xenophobic and wanted to destroy russian ethnicity and was burning books (cookbooks with borshtsh recipes), and Ukraine wanted to destroy russian culture" (or whatever she meant, hard to tell), "and this is why Ukraine has to be destroyed."
I wonder what russian propaganda makers think about the intelligencce of the russian or world audience, publishing such videos :hmmm:

Putin wants this "woke" stuff cancelled, kill the gays (as some of his closer friends publicly announced), women having any rights is "woke" for him, and while i do not think it really interests or threatens him he tries to get some positive reaction out of the russian people and their nostalgia for the good old days. Back to the good old russian time and culture where the kulaks could be killed without anyone complaining via some "internet".

China? Since the russian dictatorship is a bit like China's there is some sympathy between the two. Th west has to be destroyed because it challenges dictatorships and proposes other models for people to live in a society, and since some even might like this better, the west has to be destroyed. But let Russia do the dirty job and milk all as long as possible.

[Gorpet]

China has nothing to do with this war and is smart enough to let Russia bleed itself out.

Well, Hell i don't about your country, But i damn sure know about mine, We can't get toilet paper or Tampax for our women from China.With the influx of female immigrant's on our southern border. And Joey's head of transportation Pete Buttigieg taking off for 90 day's as soon as she took office on maternity leave. She let the Women of America and Discount Auto Parts And the Southern Border Patrol down.And It's getting rough on the east coast.We are running out of Socks and Tee shirts and Coffee filters. I guess this is what Joey meant by we all must sacrifice. Yes every woman but Jill Biden.

[Gorpet]

re Gorpet
Not only children are using "twitter", even childish grown-up politicians (ab)use it to spread their more or less useful thoughts, and propaganda. I don't know, there are so much other public platforms that i wonder why just of all this "twitter" is being used so much.

No, I was referring to this video I posted, with the obviously drunk russian anchorwoman complaining about "Ukrainians eating russian borshtsh while borshtsh was a cultural thing only belonging to Russia, and because of that Ukraine was xenophobic and wanted to destroy russian ethnicity and was burning books (cookbooks with borshtsh recipes), and Ukraine wanted to destroy russian culture" (or whatever she meant, hard to tell), "and this is why Ukraine has to be destroyed."
I wonder what russian propaganda makers think about the intelligencce of the russian or world audience, publishing such videos :hmmm:

Putin wants this "woke" stuff cancelled, kill the gays (as some of his closer friends publicly announced), women having any rights is "woke" for him, and while i do not think it really interests or threatens him he tries to get some positive reaction out of the russian people and their nostalgia for the good old days. Back to the good old russian time and culture where the kulaks could be killed without anyone complaining via some "internet".

China? Since the russian dictatorship is a bit like China's there is some sympathy between the two. Th west has to be destroyed because it challenges dictatorships and proposes other models for people to live in a society, and since some even might like this better, the west has to be destroyed. But let Russia do the dirty job and milk all as long as possible.

Have you thought for one moment that there are Countries on this Planet that don't want what America and It's Allies have to offer? What is wrong with these countries keeping their own culture they have had for hundreds of years. Maybe they don't want the new culture world order. All it brings is chaos :a state of utter confusion or disorder; a total lack of organization or order: We here in the United States live with this everyday. Why? We will let everybody have a say from an Ant to an Elephant and while these two are arguing The Politicians and all of their friends and actors and Heads of State are drinking Champagne and laughing their heads off.

[Commander Wallace]

But nothing for the Chinese?


I agree with you. China should be " painted " with the same brush as Russia. Russia to varying degrees avoids sanctions by essentially " laundering " it's currency thorough Chines banking institutions. China is helping to prop Russia up right now. " Birds of a feather ".....

[Aktungbby]

China has nothing to do with this war and is smart enough to let Russia bleed itself out. R U kidding!? China has everything to do with this war. Putin held off the attack till the Olympics were over. He removed his troops from the Sino-Russian boarder to attack in the west secure in the knowledge he had no security issues: ala their stated "Limitless Friendship"...and currently, fish imports into the US are in fact Russian products labelled as Chinese products thus skirting sanctions.:Kaleun_Salivating: Xi is closely watching events; solely with his 'second shoe' dropping on Taiwan in a two-front global conflict against Western US led democracies. The primary tenet of China's 50 year "Road and Belt" agenda is that their road extends while our Belt tightens. Elected democracies of the West, with rapid-turnover administrations, R not capable of sustained 50 year defenses against 1.5 billion Chinese...:hmmm: It's a bigger badder 1940's all over again.

[Buddahaid]

Well, Hell i don't about your country, But i damn sure know about mine, We can't get toilet paper or Tampax for our women from China.With the influx of female immigrant's on our southern border. And Joey's head of transportation Pete Buttigieg taking off for 90 day's as soon as she took office on maternity leave. She let the Women of America and Discount Auto Parts And the Southern Border Patrol down.And It's getting rough on the east coast.We are running out of Socks and Tee shirts and Coffee filters. I guess this is what Joey meant by we all must sacrifice. Yes every woman but Jill Biden.

My country is your country. Since you keep making out as if it isn't tells me you are one of those that think a revolution is in order. Very bad idea if you think that would make anything better.

[Jimbuna]

Ukrainian presidential advisor Mykhaylo Podolyak tells national TV that "Ukraine is ready for big battles" against Russia.

He says Ukraine must beat back Moscow's forces for more negotiating power before leaders can meet.

The bodies of more than 1,200 people have been found in the Kyiv region, says Ukraine's prosecutor general.

Iryna Venediktova says Russian forces were killing Ukrainians every day - but Russia denies targeting civilians.

There have been further Russian attacks in the east and south of Ukraine
The regional governor in Dnipro says the airport and surrounding infrastructure has been destroyed by Russian bombing.

Pope Francis calls for an Easter ceasefire to allow a push for peace during an open air mass in St Peter's Square.

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttUihKk-V10

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfPKpIYuWps

[mapuc]

^ Will Russia interpreter this as NATO is taking active part in the war, if they do send these offensive weapon to Ukraine ??

I say send them and send some more

Markus

[Jimbuna]

The above was more about Germany than NATO so I'll be surprised if and when they arrive.

[mapuc]

Yes you are correct it's more Germany however the question remains how will Russia interpreter this step ?

Markus

[Jimbuna]

I doubt Putin will be overly concerned knowing the poor state of the German military currently.

The time to worry will be if and when Putin attacks one of the Baltic states which currently have NATO member forces within their territory.

[Gorpet]

My country is your country. Since you keep making out as if it isn't tells me you are one of those that think a revolution is in order. Very bad idea if you think that would make anything better.

Buddahaid, Sorry now i got it .Thanks for letting me know we are living in the same country. North,South,East and West.I was a long haul truck driver for over for 5 years. And i must say if i headed north out of Florida or i went West my southern accent came with me.And the women i met above the 32nd parallel, They loved it and It was all about Daytona Beach from Mass. to Oregon, and in the Midwest and South West all the way to California it was back to Pensacola from the West....Aviator girls looking for lost pilots.

Girls from the bread basket hell they didn't care which direction. And if i had a 2 day layover. And called a cab it didn't matter wich steakhouse with a bar i had this cabbie drop me off at .They were all talking about revolution and it didn't matter who the President was.Today, revolution i hear out of the mouths of the young, no revolution as long as you are on board with them but it can go In any direction cause they have not lived enough life.When the Politicians are done with them and they end up being in their 60's and there is no Utopia. Just criminal records and beat down homeless bodies. They will find the truth.

[Skybird]

The above was more about Germany than NATO so I'll be surprised if and when they arrive.
If new and factory-delivered or refurbished at factory: word is by the end of the year. Serious, no kidding.


There are repeated reports in Germany now that the German chancellor knew form very early on what is avialable and couold be delivered, and that it is kmjore than is beign known in public. Its just that Scholz delays it. And delays it. And delays it.


The germans do not want to deliver it,k that simple it is. And Scholz is notoriously just moving, in all his political career since he was mayor in Hamburfg, if the pressure and reality leaves him absolutely no other way.



This chancellor. This defense granny. This economy minister allergic to considering to extend running time of the remaning three nuclear reactors beyond this year. And this agriculture minister who wants to 30% of the - delcining anyway - farmland in Germany beignt runed into BIO farmland this year, which means it can produce only 50% of the ammounts of grain than conventional farmland - it seems he has not been told that the ukraine and Russia will not deliver much this year and next years as well, most likely. Thsi government abuses the war to harshly enforce wanted ideological turnarounds. It goes as far as that meat should not be eaten anymore (the agriculure minister is a messianic vegetarian).


We are in the middle of Corona. Debnts. Euro crisis. Industrial deconstruction. War in the Ukraine. Russian challenge to Europe. We are in all this - with this "government". May a god help us, no matter which one, as long as it helps.

[mapuc]

Why is it that people think or are convinced Putin will go after one of the Baltic states or Poland after he has taken Ukraine.

There are other former vasal states who isn't a member of NATO he can take before he move his troops to the Polish/Baltic States border.

Markus

[Skybird]

He said pretty clear in words that he wants the Warsaw Pact satellites back and gives them no right to have their own will in this. Russia wants a belt of states that are dampening the influx of the hostile evil West that since always threatens Russia and wants to attack and destroy it. Serious. This Russian paranoia is older than the world wars. Its their eternal mental handicap.

[Catfish]

Have you thought for one moment that there are Countries on this Planet that don't want what America and It's Allies have to offer?
The Germany of 1933 comes to mind, or the Russia of (openly) 2022.
They had/have their own ideas and one part of this idea is to export their culture and ideas to other people and countries, if the latter want it or not.
So you say the US is the same.
I'd say there was a reason why America went in at those times, for real or perceived threats, sometimes even with the intention to help.
When people want to live like in medieval times, plague, torture and all it their decision, ok.
But if the people don't want that and only one sh!tty dictator wants it so, what then?
Maybe they don't want the new culture world order. All it brings is chaos :a state of utter confusion or disorder; a total lack of organization or order:
All it brings is "chaos"? I guess the idea of freedom, personal development and individuality, adding medicine, health care and retirement plans is something to be avoided at all costs?
We here in the United States live with this everyday. Why? We will let everybody have a say from an Ant to an Elephant and while these two are arguing The Politicians and all of their friends and actors and Heads of State are drinking Champagne and laughing their heads off.
My heart bleeds, you have it so bad in the US.

https://i.imgur.com/ejGVc0Yl.jpg

[mapuc]

He said pretty clear in words that he wants the Warsaw Pact satellites back and gives them no right to have their own will in this. Russia wants a belt of states that are dampening the influx of the hostile evil West that since always threatens Russia and wants to attack and destroy it. Serious. This Russian paranoia is older than the world wars. Its their eternal mental handicap.

I do not disagree with what you and Jim said to me.

I said - copied from my last comment -

"There are other former vasal states who isn't a member of NATO he can take before he move his troops to the Polish/Baltic States border."

Two of them is Moldova and Georgia.

Putin needs to get his army together they are very ineffective and his material such as tanks and other things doesn't work. He need to get these thing up and running before consider taking the Baltic states.

Markus

[Gorpet]

^ Will Russia interpreter this as NATO is taking active part in the war, if they do send these offensive weapon to Ukraine ??

I say send them and send some more

Markus

Hell ya, Who gives a shtt what the Russian people think. I just can't believe the west and its peoples wholeheartedly believe. What they see on Youtube and the BBC and anything that comes out of The United States. Look there are millions of people that call Russia home and Putin their President.Just like any other country on this Planet.
If you think just because Joe Biden and the United Nations and NATO wants to see his top military take him out. You need to shoot your own politicians. See how crazy that is and sounds.Is Volodymyr Zelensky and the Elites that were in charge of that country.Worth the price of a mushroom cloud?how come we can't see their destroyed mansions. Every time i see the elites on tv they have perfect hair, makeup nice clean clothes. But somebody's dying but it's not their sons and daughters is it.

The sooner we get NATO involved the quicker this backyard skirmish will be over Right?

[Rockstar]

… My heart bleeds, you have it so bad in the US.

And here I thought you didn’t care about me. :03: :)

[Buddahaid]

Re. Gorpet's comment. Why do you defend Putin? Ukraine did not start the war and would have been perfectly happy without it but Putin has grand plans and control over what media your average Ivan gets. Freedom of the press to confront and ridicule the state, while often being misused and abused, is still light years ahead of state controlled media.

I'll fix this for you.
Hell ya, who gives a shtt what the Ukrainian people think. I just can't believe Russia and its people wholeheartedly believe what they see on state controlled Russian media.

[Catfish]

https://youtu.be/3hZGeo-78Cg

[Rockstar]

Blame it on Sweden and The Great Heathen Army’s world tour

Interesting word history and their meanings. ‘Rus’ may have come from the old Swedish word for oarsman. Appears Ukraine history is much more different than Putin’s version.

https://youtu.be/PR2hK7CGa-g

[Aktungbby]

Whachu' mean "may" bro':Kaleun_Wink:...

[mapuc]

Whachu' mean "may" bro':Kaleun_Wink:...

A little lesson in Swedish
May well I guess you mean Min(My)
Bro Well I guess you mean Broder(Brother)

Markus

[August]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfPKpIYuWps


Not a single tank in that entire video. Armored fighting vehicles, self propelled artillery, no tanks though. :hmmm:

[Buddahaid]

Not a single tank in that entire video. Armored fighting vehicles, self propelled artillery, no tanks though. :hmmm:


If it's painted green and has tracks it just has to be tank right? :doh:

[Buddahaid]

Link to a pdf of the Primary Chronicle Rockstar posted about. Thanks for the post.

https://www.mgh-bibliothek.de/dokumente/a/a011458.pdf

[August]

If it's painted green and has tracks it just has to be tank right? :doh:


Ah right, civilian definition.

[Otto Harkaman]

If we want to get deep into history we can also add the Jewish Diaspora and the Jews of Ukraine.

The history of the Jews in Ukraine dates back over a thousand years; Jewish communities have existed in the territory of Ukraine from the time of the Kievan Rus' (late 9th to mid-13th century). Some of the most important Jewish religious and cultural movements, from Hasidism to Zionism, rose either fully or to an extensive degree in the territory of modern Ukraine. According to the World Jewish Congress, the Jewish community in Ukraine constitutes the third-largest in Europe and the fifth-largest in the world.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Jews_in_Ukraine

In the late Middle Ages, due to widespread persecution, the majority of the Ashkenazi population steadily shifted eastward, moving out of the Holy Roman Empire into the areas that later became part of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth; these areas today comprise parts of present-day Belarus, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Russia, Slovakia, and Ukraine
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashkenazi_Jews

By 1764 there were about 750,000 Jews in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. The worldwide Jewish population (comprising the Middle East and the rest of Europe) was estimated at 1.2 million.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_diaspora


https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Expulsion_judios-en.svg/1280px-Expulsion_judios-en.svg.png

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Jews_in_Europe

Just started to scratch the surface

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Jews_in_the_Roman_Empire

Bar Kokhba revolt (The Third Jewish-Roman War)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bar_Kokhba_revolt

Crimean Karaites

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crimean_Karaites

Krymchaks

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krymchaks

[tmccarthy]

“American neoconservatives: a history and overview” / Israel's Influence: Good or Bad for America?
https://youtu.be/Tioed5gpY_c

[mapuc]

BREAKING

Just read this


"12 minutes ago - 47°5′N 37°38′E Occupation authorities in parts of Donetsk region of Ukraine via Russian State media urge to use chemical weapons against Ukrainian troops in Mariupol"

Markus

[Catfish]

[...] Occupation authorities in parts of Donetsk region of Ukraine via Russian State media urge to use chemical weapons against Ukrainian troops in Mariupol" [...] Markus
This is very bad.


On the other hand russian media are somehow losing it ..

1. So Russia can't take Mariupol same as they could not take Kyiv?

2. How can "independent regions" like Donetsk or Luhansk can have russian occupation authorities, officially :rotfl2:

A real problem when you lied so often you forget your own propaganda strategy ..

[mapuc]

This is very bad.


On the other hand russian media are somehow losing it ..

1. So Russia can't take Mariupol same as they could not take Kyiv?

2. How can "independent regions" like Donetsk or Luhansk can have russian occupation authorities, officially :rotfl2:

A real problem when you lied so often you forget your own propaganda strategy ..

I didn't put any thoughts into it I just read it and knew I had to post it here in my thread...Because if Russia do take this in use it will be a gamechanger in the war and the question is will NATO just sit there...?

Markus

[Jimbuna]

President Zelensky says Russia is concentrating tens of thousands of soldiers for its next offensive in eastern Ukraine.

The coming period is crucial for Ukraine, Western officials say, as Russian forces re-equip, refurbish and redeploy.

It is likely that tens of thousands of people have died during Russia's bombardment of the port city of Mariupol, Zelensky says.

Mariupol's deputy mayor Serhiy Orlov says Ukrainian forces are holding out against Russia in the besieged southern city.

He also denies reports about a marine brigade in the city running out of ammunition and facing a "last battle"

Austria's chancellor has become the first EU leader to meet Vladimir Putin since the start of the war.

Karl Nehammer describes the talks at Putin’s residence outside Moscow as "direct, open and tough"

Indian PM Narendra Modi says he has repeatedly appealed to Putin and Zelensky to hold direct talks.

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qQE359XUU4

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_BK0fZXIXA

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xxpon_nHH3Y

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeAy0tLNctE

[mapuc]

Can't help laughing threaten Finland and Sweden. The Russian army have clearly shown how effective they are and how well their equipment is working................not.

Markus

[Jimbuna]

Russia has warned Finland and Sweden against joining Nato, arguing the move would not bring stability to Europe.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that "the alliance remains a tool geared towards confrontation".

It comes as US defence officials said Moscow's invasion of Ukraine has been a "massive strategic blunder" which is likely to bring Nato enlargement.

US officials expect the Nordic neighbours to bid for membership of the alliance, potentially as early as June.

Washington is believed to support the move which would see the Western alliance grow to 32 members. US State Department officials said last week that discussions had taken place between Nato leaders and foreign ministers from Helsinki and Stockholm.

Before it launched its invasion, Russia demanded that the alliance agree to halt any future enlargement, but the war has led to the deployment of more Nato troops on its eastern flank and a rise in public support for Swedish and Finnish membership.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-61066503

[Catfish]

It is always a better idea not to escalate too far, withdraw all channels of diplomacy and perpetrate too much atrocities, commit warcrimes, until it is too late and one is unable to look the adversary in the eye when it is all over.

Unless you win. Then all is forgotten ..

[mapuc]

Tried get a confirmation on following

Azov regiment says Russian troops used kind of chemical dropped from a drone, those impacted have respiratory failure, vestibulo-atactic syndrome

This should have happen in the outskirt of Kharkiv

Edit
It should have happened in Mariupol
Here what it says on liveuamap
"Azov regiment says Russian troops used kind of chemical dropped from a drone, those impacted have respiratory failure, vestibulo-atactic syndrome"
End edit

Markus

[Otto Harkaman]

It is always a better idea not to escalate too far, withdraw all channels of diplomacy and perpetrate too much atrocities, commit warcrimes, until it is too late and one is unable to look the adversary in the eye when it is all over.

Unless you win. Then all is forgotten ..

We would fight not for the political future of a distant city, rather for principles whose destruction would ruin the possibility of peace and security for the peoples of the earth.

Neville Chamberlain


:hmmm:

[Dargo]

Russia as result of his war in Ukraine will have more NATO at his border, threatening Finland and Sweden will only make their population go to NATO membership. Putin gamble has backfired, he lost this game at the moment he stepped over the border of Ukraine. Russia is weak military their economy will fall back decades losers can not even power regional it draws all troops from other regions where in good Russian tradition factions will try to seize power away from Russia if they can.

[Dargo]

Tried get a confirmation on following

Azov regiment says Russian troops used kind of chemical dropped from a drone, those impacted have respiratory failure, vestibulo-atactic syndrome

This should have happen in the outskirt of Kharkiv

Edit
It should have happened in Mariupol
Here what it says on liveuamap
"Azov regiment says Russian troops used kind of chemical dropped from a drone, those impacted have respiratory failure, vestibulo-atactic syndrome"
End edit

Markus

With this new general, no surprise he has done it in Syria

[August]

Russia warns Finland and Sweden against joining NATO



The Kremlin (https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/defense-national-security/russia-wont-pause-military-operations-in-ukraine-during-future-peace-talks) warned Sweden (https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/finland-and-sweden-consider-nato-membership-after-russian-invasion-of-ukraine) and Finland on Monday against joining NATO (https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/defense-national-security/finland-in-fast-lane-to-join-nato-as-war-in-ukraine-rages) as Russia continues to wage war in Ukraine.
"The alliance remains a tool geared towards confrontation," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, according to the BBC. (https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-61066503?xtor=AL-72-%5Bpartner%5D-%5Bbbc.news.twitter%5D-%5Bheadline%5D-%5Bnews%5D-%5Bbizdev%5D-%5Bisapi%5D&at_custom3=%40BBCWorld&at_medium=custom7&at_custom4=5DCA2DC2-B990-11EC-A61E-C0230EDC252D&at_custom2=twitter&at_custom1=%5Bpost+type%5D&at_campaign=64)
Finland is expected to turn in its application by the end of June. Members of Parliament anticipate a security report from intelligence officials this week, and Prime Minister Sanna Marin said the government is expected to finish consideration "before midsummer."
Sweden's ruling party has signaled it is warming up to the prospect of applying, a shift from its prior stance, amid the war in Ukraine.

Russia will "re-balance the situation" if both countries join, Peskov said. Maria Zakharova, Russia's Foreign Affairs Ministry spokeswoman, warned of "military and political consequences," according to the report.
The State Department said last week that there were talks between NATO leadership and envoys from Finland and Sweden. If they were to join the alliance, NATO would expand to 32 members. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said both Finland and Sweden would be welcome.



https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/defense-national-security/russia-warns-finland-and-sweden-against-joining-nato

[Dargo]

Fall Mariupol is coming hours/day, it has had a good fight and will still be dangerous to the occupier. The defenders will booby-trap anything they can. If you enter a destroyed house to entrench yourself, and you pull open a door or a closet, an explosive will go off. Trip wires are stretched everywhere you walk with a hand grenade pin at the end. If you don't pay attention for a moment, the hand grenade goes off. So for the attacking units, you have to be incredibly careful.

In addition, a large part of the Russian army is not very motivated; as a conscripted soldier, you have only one thing on your mind. How do I survive my military service?

[Dargo]

https://twitter.com/EuromaidanPress/status/1513614602512314369

It has not yet been officially confirmed that the substance used in Mariupol by the Russian troops was a chemical warfare agent. However, earlier Russian occupation authorities threatened to use chemical weapons against Ukrainian troops in Mariupol:

[mapuc]

https://twitter.com/EuromaidanPress/status/1513614602512314369

It has not yet been officially confirmed that the substance used in Mariupol by the Russian troops was a chemical warfare agent. However, earlier Russian occupation authorities threatened to use chemical weapons against Ukrainian troops in Mariupol:


Thank you Dargo
No wonder our news channel hasn't gone breaking since it's not confirmed yet.

Markus

[Skybird]

Gunnar Heinsohn writes:

Putin's second genocide

Putin is the first genocidal leader in history - in Chechnya from 1999 to 2009 - to launch his second genocide under the inherently noble pretext of stopping a supposed genocide - of Russians in eastern Ukraine.

Putin asks his lawyers if there is a legal reason for a war of aggression. They can only give him the UN Genocide Convention, whose signatory states - with Russia there are 147 - are obligated under Article 1 to prevent genocide, i.e. not just to punish it. Already for the prevention of, say, a conventional civil war, there is no right. Putin's absurd genocide accusation against Ukraine as well as his strict avoidance of the terms war or invasion can be explained by his search for a pretext to attack.

Genocide, like any murder, requires intent and planning. An unplanned massacre may kill 1,000 people, but is legally mass manslaughter. A planned genocide can be stopped after 100 deaths, and yet those 100 are genocide victims. They cannot take comfort in not being a massacre victim, but legally the difference is important.

Genocide exists even if only a portion of the affected group is to be killed. Rafael Lemkin, a Pole of Jewish origin, as the author of the Genocide Convention, deliberately wrote the "part" into the law because he personally experienced two examples. The murder - 22 months before the beginning of the Holocaust - of the Polish educated classes ("Intelligenzaktion") by Germans from September 1939 and the murder of Polish officers and officials by Russians in 1940 (Katyn). Both murder actions were intended to destroy the culture so that the remaining population could be enslaved or Germanized or Russified. As a result, the people disappeared. One of the signers of the Katyn murder order, Mikhail Kalinin, is honored by Russia to this day as the namesake of the once German Königsberg.

Why and how has Putin been committing genocide since the Second Chechen War? He wants to spare the Russian Empire the fate of the Western empires. Spaniards, Dutch, Belgians, French and British had also tried to maintain their empires by force, but lost all wars in the colonies after 1945. They also commit massacres and destroy cultural assets. In 1974, they were finished with the fall of the Portuguese empire.

Why these failed attempts to save the empire? The Europeans do not understand why they first subjugate 90 percent of the earth and why they now lose. By punishing birth control, they permanently have more people for 450 years at 6 to 8 children per woman than they lose conquering and settling on other continents. From the 1960s, however, they have only two children per woman, while the subjugated have 6 to 8. From 1970 - first in Germany - Europe falls below two children per woman's life.

Russia experiences the same fate and makes the same mistake in the 1st Chechen War (1994 to 1996). Yeltsin loses many soldiers and the war because Chechen women lose at least two in battle for every 3 or 4 sons, yet families can continue to live.

Yeltsin's successor Putin combines two genocidal methods from 1999. He continues to kill the Chechen educated classes and politicians, thus following the Soviet Russian model of exterminating Poles. At the same time, he learns from the Guerra sucia (Dirty War) of the Argentine junta of 1976-1983, which kidnaps and murders at least 9,000 activists of the leftist revolt. This ends the militant student movement.

Putin kidnaps about 5,000 Chechen youths who are not even fighting yet, murders them and hides the bodies. In terms of the population of Austria and Switzerland, that would be 40,000, and in terms of Germany, 400,000 youths. The birth advantage of the independence fighters is thus eliminated. Such a well thought-out and executed genocide is unique in the 21st century and makes Putin the first European victor in the wars of decolonization after 1945. His arguments of alleged NATO threat or Slavic brothers do not play any role. It is quite undisguisedly about the violent retention of tsarist conquests.

The genocidal double blow in the Caucasus brings the dictator in Moscow a race for his favor from almost all Western politicians of rank. The Russian national feeling of being not only invincible but also unpunishable reaches a new peak.

In Ukraine - like Russia a senescent nation - Putin's genocide - notwithstanding the massacres and rapes by his soldateska - targets mainly the educated classes. He is repeating the Hitler-Stalin variants of 1939 and 1940, so mayors and their families are being deported and killed. Again, the criterion for genocide is not the number of murdered, but the declared intention to eliminate the Ukrainian cultural bearers in order to be able to subjugate the rest of the people to a dictatorship and to russify, i.e. to exterminate them.



Gunnar Heinsohn (*1943; emer. Prof. Dr. phil. Dr. rer. pol.) founded the Rafael Lemkin Institute at the University of Bremen in 1993 as Europe's first institution for comparative genocide research and directed it until 2009.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (http://www.DeepL.com/Translator) (free version)


Heinsohn also taught Demographic Warfare at NATO Defence College in Rome and is author of the Youth Bulge theory and the War Index.

[les green01]

A girl I know in Ukraine sent me a picture not much left of a child and a short movie but it really graphic it phone not sure even if I can post it or mods here would even allow it

[tmccarthy]

I doubt Putin will be overly concerned knowing the poor state of the German military currently.

After a weekend news break, I saw that story this morning, I totally missed that one.

So I'm supposed to understand that after we have busted our butts for over 75 years preparing to fight the Soviets/Russians... in a war, the Russians have seen coming right at them for over 20 years... THE DAY arrives and people are seriously talking about war... Germany the richest country in the European military alliance, who should be one the most important allies by geography, experience, and natural talent announced on the day of the invasion, "sorry we aren't ready, not much we can do to help"!

What about the rest of'em... my god!:o

So Germany is not ready for that damn article 5 we've been waving in the Russian's faces all these years? Wants to send heavy weapons that will escalate a war. And just now starting a big rearmament programer ??!

That's a wrap for me :salute:, seems like now it's fate and
some luck. Glad to have stopped by,
Back to the cats and stuff:yeah:
-Tim

[Catfish]

Well you see already in cold war times Russians and east German military (then belonging to Russia) were always ready to fight, especially at the weekends, since they expected evil NATO to attack them at any time :D

After the re-unification of Germany there was a lot of talk about those bad old times, and the former east german soldiers were first completely pi$$ed off, and then had to laugh when they heard that NATO forces in Germany never thought of attacking East Germany and Russia, nor did they expect Russia to attack them.
Military staff usually stopped their service at friday at 1 p.m. and went home or in holidays to do whatever they had to in their free time over the weekend, just leaving a small crew for alert, if anything happened.

The NATO did not wave in Russia's faces, they were more interested in pursuing their own path to happiness and give a sh!t for fighting. There was no need felt intention to go back to the 19th or 20ieth century.
Some rude awakening now for sure ..

[Jimbuna]

Ukraine and Russia are building up their military forces in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donbas as Moscow switches the focus of its offensive.

The coming period is "crucial" for Ukraine, Western officials say.

President Zelensky says Russia is concentrating tens of thousands of soldiers as it prepares for its new assault.

In a rare public appearance, President Vladimir Putin has described the Russian military's goals in Ukraine as "noble"

The US and Britain say they are looking into reports that chemical weapons have been used by Russian forces attacking Mariupol.

Aidin Aslin, a British man fighting in Ukraine, has told friends and family his unit has been forced to surrender to Russian forces.

Some 4.8 million of Ukraine's 7.5 million children have been displaced since the start of the war, the UN says.

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHvPHW0lSYk

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RyhHptZmfA

[Skybird]

Deutsche Welle (German version) writes:

For the first time since Russia's attack on Ukraine, Russian companies have been unable to service their debts to international creditors. At the same time, Moscow announces that it will not issue any more bonds for the time being.

A failure to pay a bond issued by Russian Railways had been detected. This was announced on Monday by the committee of the International Swaps and Derivatives Association (ISDA) responsible for Europe, to which some of the world's largest investment banks belong.

According to the report, it is an interest payment on a 250 million Swiss franc loan maturing in 2026. Bank of America, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase are some of the committee members that see a default.

Western sanctions against Russia following the Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine have put pressure on the economy there. Since then, there has been speculation about whether companies and the government will still be able to meet their payment obligations and whether Western lenders could face large write-offs.

The railroad said it had tried to make interest payments due on March 14. But it was unable to do so because of "legal and regulatory obligations within the correspondent banking network," according to a statement released by the SIX Swiss Exchange.

The Kremlin said Russia has the necessary means to pay its debts. "There can only be a technical, man-made default," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. "There are no objective reasons for such a default. Russia has everything it needs to meet all its obligations."

The Russian explanation for a missed interest payment by Russia's Alrosa Group, one of the world's largest diamond producers, is similar. The company failed to settle a payment of $11.6 million (10.6 million euros), the AFP news agency reported Monday, citing Russia's Interfax agency. The reason for the default, it said, was the sanctions imposed on the company. The Russian state holds about 33 percent of Alrosa's shares.

Great Britain had already sanctioned Alrosa on March 24, followed last week by the U.S. Treasury Department. The impact of these sanctions made repayment of the debt "technically impossible," although the financial resources were available, Alrosa told Interfax. It initially remained unclear whether the group would make the interest payment on a loan due in 2024 in rubles or make no repayment at all.

The U.S. recently increased economic pressure on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. The Treasury Department last week prevented the Russian government from making due payments of more than $600 million to its creditors from foreign exchange reserves held at U.S. banks.

The reserves held by the Russian Central Bank were frozen after the war began, but Moscow has been allowed to draw on them for payments on dollar-denominated government bonds.

The blockade is intended to force the Kremlin to make a decision: To either use the dollars it can access domestically to make payments to its creditors or to use them for other purposes, such as financing the war.

Russia announced it would stop issuing government bonds for the time being in light of the sanctions. In an interview with the daily Izvestia published Monday night, Russian Economy Minister Anton Siluanov announced that no bonds will be placed for the rest of the year.

According to the minister, revenues from the sale of oil and gas, among other things, are sufficient to cover the state's current expenses. The minister referred to the high costs that would currently be associated with further borrowing for the Russian state. They "would be astronomical," so such a measure makes no sense. Siluanov was presumably referring to the high interest rates that the Russian state would currently have to offer. In addition, Russia is excluded from much of the financial world due to Western sanctions, which severely limits the pool of buyers.

Over the weekend, the U.S. rating agency Standard & Poor's (S&P) downgraded Russia's credit rating yet again, lowering its rating to "selective default." This marks a partial default. Previously, Russia, whose foreign exchange reserves are largely blocked due to Western sanctions, settled the repayment of two bonds in rubles and not in dollars as planned.


With the downgrade, S&P has also discontinued its rating of Russia's creditworthiness. The other two leading rating agencies, Moody's and Fitch, had already discontinued their ratings of the country. The background to this is sanctions imposed by the European Union, which prohibit the agencies from rating Russia's creditworthiness in the future.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (http://www.DeepL.com/Translator) (free version)


I only hope the frozen assets of several hundred billion never find their way back into Russia, but get used to pay reparations to Ukraine.

[August]

NATO forces in Germany never thought of attacking East Germany and Russia, nor did they expect Russia to attack them.
Military staff usually stopped their service at friday at 1 p.m. and went home or in holidays to do whatever they had to in their free time over the weekend, just leaving a small crew for alert, if anything happened.


The first part is true but back when I was stationed there we had practice alerts about once every other week so we weren't all that sure the Soviets wouldn't try something.

[August]

BTW Ther have been reports of the Ukrainian defenders beginning to surrender in Marpol. Has anyone ever heard of what is becoming of Ukrainian POW's? I wonder if the Swiss or Red Cross has been given access to them or if the Russians are shooting them ala the Katyn Forest.

[Bilge_Rat]

Deutsche Welle (German version) writes:

For the first time since Russia's attack on Ukraine, Russian companies have been unable to service their debts to international creditors. At the same time, Moscow announces that it will not issue any more bonds for the time being.





well as the Russians say it is a "technical" default. Russia has the cash both inside and outside Russia to make the interest payments on the Bonds, but the U.S. Treasury Department has been putting up more and more roadblocks to make it impossible for Russia to pay in USD.

The US wants Russia to default so they can say, see sanctions are working!

What Russia has been doing is offering to pay in Rubles which is almost back up to pre-war levels or offering to transfer the "frozen" cash assets in the West as payment. That way, they will have western investors on their side arguing that the assets be un-forzen so they can be paid.

[Bilge_Rat]

Russia removed from UN Human Rights Council after Ukraine atrocities



https://www.foxnews.com/world/un-suspends-russia-human-rights-council-ukraine-war

well that is a Pyrrhic victory of dubious propaganda value.

First, the UN Human Rights council has always been a bit of a joke. Its members include some of the worst human rights abuser of the world and the Council spends most of its time investigating and condemning Israel.

Second, they had to game the rules to get a victory. From the rules, it was not clear if you needed 2/3 of all members or 2/3 of all members voting. Since they only got a bare majority of all members, they had to rule that it was 2/3 of members voting without counting abstentions so they could declare victory.

Third, depite enormous US pressure and the fact that this was a symbolic gesture, you have a lot of major economic players and US allies who either voted no or abstained:

-Bahrain
-Brazil
-China
-Egypt
-India
-Indonesia
-Iraq
-Kuwait
-Mexico
-Nigeria
-Pakistan
-Qatar
-Saudi Arabia
-South Africa
-United Arab Emirates

Not sure why they went through with this. It makes for a good one day headline, but underlines more that the so-called "international coalition" against Russia is already falling apart.

[mapuc]

Was I totally wrong !?

Yesterday a FB friend posted an article about Putins new general in Ukraine.

"Putin has recruited a notorious Russian general, and is now going after all of Europe.

Putin has recruited a feared Russian general to lead Russia's invasion. He has stated that his goal now is the "whole Europe project". "

As a comment I wrote

"Conquer Europe -Haha allow me to laugh..They have shown that their army is incompetent and their equipment does not work- The soldiers seem to be poorly trained, so how are they going to take Europe ?? I am just asking."

The reply I got was "You watch to much mainstream tv. Another wrote
"It truly show how easy it is to brainwash people."

So all these short videoclip some of you have posted are nothing but propaganda and the Russian military is in perfect shape.

Markus

[Bilge_Rat]

For the first time in the history of modern European warfare, Russia may run out of soldiers.


well no, not really. The issue is that Russia is trying to fight on the cheap.

Russia has a hybrid system. They have a peactime force which they keep more or less fully staffed of around 125-150 BTGs. It looks like most of them have been fed in, but based on their tactics of using company size battle groups, it looks like the BTGs may not even be fully staffed, so not equivalent to 125-150 BTGs.

It also seems now that the Ukranians have fully mobilized, that the Ukrainians may/probably outnumber the Russians inside Ukraine which would explain why the Russians are increasingly using heavy artillery systems to compensate.

Now Russia does have a large manpower reserve composed of reservists who have done their military service. Russsia coud launch a full mobilization which would allow them to field another 150 or more BTGs. So far Putin has resisted that step but we are rapidly reaching a point where Russia will have to either go all in or negotiate some sort of peace deal.

[Catfish]

^ I fear you are right..
I wonder if the Ukrainian military could transfer forces to Mariupol, but this may be too late, if possible at all.
For this they would need air superiority, and while Russia may not have it, Ukraine is far from that as well.

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mip7acX_hnQ

[Skybird]

Ukraine has disinvited German President Steinmeier and declared him an undesirable person because of his role in making Germany's foreign policy Russia-friendly and his closeness to Lavrov and his role in pushing through Nordstream 2. Steinmeier's angry preceptor ego was unmistakable when he commented on this during a visit to Poland today. But the diplomatic affront to both Steinmeier and Germany is not undeserved.

The Greens, meanwhile, are increasingly making a front against Scholz because he refuses to allow any heavy weapons to be delivered, either German or Soviet-made, and does not want other NATO countries doing this either. The stupid thing is that more and more of these other countries do not ask the German masters for their permission. By the way, a relative majority of the German population is clearly in favor of such deliveries.


And the Neue Zürcher Zeitung comments on the plan that chancellor Bubble-Olf Scholz travels to Kyiv:


The question of how Steinmeier's party colleague Olaf Scholz will now react is exciting. In Berlin, voices have been raised in recent days calling for the chancellor to travel to Kiev, as the heads of government of Poland, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Great Britain and Austria have done. He would welcome a visit by the chancellor to Kiev, said Bijan Djir-Sarai, secretary general of the FDP, for example. The message to Ukraine would be, "We haven't forgotten you."

That's one way to look at it - if you believe that the Ukrainian people are still concerned with Western symbolic politics now, shortly before the feared large-scale Russian offensive. In truth, the interest in German weapons is probably greater.

The Düsseldorf-based arms manufacturer Rheinmetall has just announced the prospect of supplying dozens of old battle tanks, but only after a general technical overhaul and political export approval. The whole thing is to take six weeks, i.e. once again as long as this war has already lasted. Will Ukraine be recognizable by then?

If the German government could make a contribution to speeding up or at least not slowing down such arms deliveries, it would certainly be a more relevant "sign of solidarity" from the Ukrainian point of view than pictures of the German chancellor in Kiev.

Symbolic politics is not per se wrong. On the contrary, many historical landmarks have remained in the collective memory with their help, from Willy Brandt's genuflection in Warsaw to the handshake between François Mitterrand and Helmut Kohl over the graves of Verdun. But symbolic politics loses its value if someone merely imitates what others have done faster and more decisively before him. And without real political content, it remains PR theater. Steinmeier sends his regards.

Boris Johnson, undoubtedly a gifted political packaging artist, was able to credibly pose as Volodimir Selensky's ally during his walk through Kiev alongside him, because the kingdom had already supplied Ukraine with anti-tank missiles and intelligence information at a time when Berlin and elsewhere did not want to know anything about military support for the country. The prime minister, of whom public opinion in Germany likes to paint a distorted picture of a dubious airhead, had already delivered in the literal sense of the word at the time of his visit.

Chancellor Scholz, on the other hand, may have aroused the greatest expectations with his speech about a "turning point in the history of the Federal Republic," but he has since disappointed them time and again - above all through his overtaxed defense minister, who is not familiar with the subject. Germany will be "on the right side of history," he proclaimed. Under his leadership, the country would give a "clear answer" to the "new reality."

What Europe's new reality looks like is shown by the images of Russian war crimes in Butscha and Mariupol. And what the German response looks like is illustrated, among other things, by the dispute over the supply of heavy weapons to Ukraine. While the FDP and the Greens have long been in favor, the chancellor is putting on the brakes and warning against Germany "going it alone" - as if any European government would have a problem with Berlin sending tanks to Ukraine.

It is this discrepancy between pathetic talk and dithering action that would make a visit by Scholz to Kiev superfluous. As long as he has nothing in his luggage that will help Ukraine on the battlefield, he can forget about the trip just as much as his comrade in Bellevue Palace.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

[Catfish]

Steinmeier is Germany's secret wonder weapon to bore them all to death, including Putin.

[mapuc]

I say give the Ukrainian advanced weapon (System) so they can kick Putin out of Ukraine-give Ukraine advanced fighter jet(I know the Ukrainian fighter pilot is not trained for these plane) and other thing.

If Russia see this step as an intervention by NATO so be it-They were the one who invaded an innocent country.

Markus

[August]

What do you call a Russian Tank Brigade on it's way back from the Ukrainian front?






...an Infantry Platoon! :yep:

[Rockstar]

Slow moving targets?

[Skybird]

I say give the Ukrainian advanced weapon (System) so they can kick Putin out of Ukraine-give Ukraine advanced fighter jet(I know the Ukrainian fighter pilot is not trained for these plane) and other thing.

If Russia see this step as an intervention by NATO so be it-They were the one who invaded an innocent country.

Markus
We will now see in the coming days/weeks whether or not the Russians have learned from their many mistakes.
Their new supreme commander for the war is a brutal slaughterer with experience from Syria how to kill civilians carelessly and almost on the fly.

The logistics lines now are shorter, that of the Ukrainians are now longer.

The Russians seem to be aware n ow of the imprtnac eof contorlling the airspace better - last but not least to prevent movement on the ground setting up ambushes for advancing Russian columns.
The Russians will make use of long distance wepaons more, and play out their traditional strength: artillery, both barrel and missile.

If the Ukrainians do not get distance weapons and armoured mobility, the Russians can keep them at distance and hammer them from that.



Until here the Ukraine probably has seen - the easier part of the war.



Big question is what is left of the Russian formation cohesion and supply in vehicles.


The days and next weeks ahead likely will become even more brutal than the past weeks.



There is much speculation and little secured knowledge on the Russian army status right now, and their aiblity to resupply losses. Also, the date of May 9th is speculated again to be of importance for Putin. And what if not...?


What NATO can send in Sowjet-made tanks, IFVs and air units, artillery, ammunition and missiles - it must arrive NOW. Time is running out, the Russian onslaught will now rather sooner than later begin.

[Jimbuna]

Ukraine has disinvited German President Steinmeier and declared him an undesirable person because of his role in making Germany's foreign policy Russia-friendly and his closeness to Lavrov and his role in pushing through Nordstream 2.

With regard to the current conflict Germany is now little more than an embarrassment to NATO and the EU.

[Jimbuna]

Collecting the dead in Bucha

Warning: This article contains graphic images.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-61085810

[Jimbuna]

Russia claims 1,026 Ukrainian soldiers have surrendered in the besieged port city of Mariupol.

But a top adviser to Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky insists the city is still standing and some marines have joined another battalion.

The mayor of Mariupol says as many as 21,000 civilians have been killed in the southern city and 100,000 are still awaiting evacuation.

French President Emmanuel Macron warns against "an escalation of words" after US President Joe Biden accuses Russia of genocide in Ukraine.

Zelensky has praised Biden's remark as "true words of a true leader"

The presidents of Poland, Latvia and Estonia and visiting Ukraine's capital Kyiv to meet Zelensky.

But Germany's president has been told he is "not wanted" because of "close ties" to Russia in recent years.

[Jimbuna]

Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin says her country will decide whether to apply to join Nato "within weeks".

She said she saw no reason to delay the decision, at a joint news conference alongside Sweden's prime minister.

Her comments coincided with a report to the Finnish parliament that said membership of the bloc could result in "increased tensions on the border between Finland and Russia".

Moscow has warned Finland and Sweden against joining Nato in recent weeks.

Finland and Sweden are militarily non-aligned but Russia's invasion of Ukraine has prompted increasing public support to become members of the Western defensive alliance. Swedish leader Magdalena Andersson told reporters that the same "very serious analysis" was taking place as in Finland and she saw no point in delaying it.

Swedish newspaper Svenska Dagbladet reported on Wednesday that Ms Andersson was aiming to apply for membership in time for a Nato summit in late June.

Finland shares a 1,340km (830 miles) border with Russia, and Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has stressed that Moscow would have to "rebalance the situation" with its own measures if the Nato bid went ahead.

"I won't give any kind of timetable when we will make our decisions, but I think it will happen quite fast," said Ms Marin. She pointed out that Nato membership offered Finland the security guarantee of Article Five, whereby an attack on one member is viewed as an attack on all.

While the two leaders met in Stockholm, Finland's security review was being launched in Helsinki. Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto said Russia's war had changed the security environment in Europe and forced the review of Finnish defence policy.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-61093302

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPm5tOn3bj8

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=El66OeG96_g

[Dargo]

Prices have increased by 10.8 percent in Russia since the beginning of this year. In the same period last year, the price increase was 2.7 percent. Almost everything has become substantially more expensive since Russia's invasion of Ukraine: from vegetables and sugar to clothing and smartphones. It is a direct result of Western sanctions against Russia. Inflation in Russia this year could end up between 17 and 20 percent, the head of Russia's accounting body said. Other analysts have predicted, according to Reuters news agency, that inflation could even rise to 23.7 percent.

[Skybird]

Economists also say Russian economy is in decline, so far by 10-15%. In 6-7 weeks. Thats a nice Russian rollercoaster ride.



Putin reverses all the little economic growth there was in the past 30 years.



As General Patton once said: if you see your enemy making mistakes, dont disturb him.

[Aktungbby]

A bit of a double standard then?!! Apparently Vlad the Bastard can decide the puppet-rulers in Ukraine, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania...and Moldava as he seeks to restore the Iron Curtain? @ Reece: as I timorously pointed out in an earlier post, we can't asßaßinate the bugger! He's doing most of our work for us. As with cancellation of Operation Foxley, (sniping Hitler at his mountain retreat, it was decided his poor leadership was of greater benefit to the Allies)! Megalomaniac Putin, illegally deporting Ukrainan citizens to Russia, false-flag attacks, murder squads in disguise seeking Zelenski, Chechen and Syrian mercenaries, and total lies before the planet ala the neo-Nazis he purports to be eliminating, is more useful alive: I'd hate for the Russians to find someone competent! Plus, I'd prefer to see him wigglin' on a rope...after his trial at the Hague for war crimes.:shifty::roll::rock::dead:


As General Patton once said: if you see your enemy making mistakes, dont disturb him. PRECISELY!...I just hope his newly appointed commander isn't competent as I feared.:hmmm: Finland and/or Sweden joining NATO will most assuredly force Putin's bullying sabre-rattlin' 'monkey's fist' paw...causing more 'face-saving' errors?? I'm under no illusions though that when all is over this will be officially dubbed WWIII; and 'limitless friend' China will have dropped its territorial aggrandizing 'other shoe' on Taiwan...:hmmm:

[mapuc]

From liveuamap

"krainian military launched 2 Anti-ship missile Neptun at Russian navy Project 1164 Atlant cruiser Moskva near Zmeinii island, reportedly setting her on fire/causing damage - head of Odesa regional ad"

"46°48′N 32°16′E Another Russian Orlan-10 drone was shot down by the 28th Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Army "

Markus

[Skybird]

From liveuamap

"krainian military launched 2 Anti-ship missile Neptun at Russian navy Project 1164 Atlant cruiser Moskva near Zmeinii island, reportedly setting her on fire/causing damage - head of Odesa regional ad"

"46°48′N 32°16′E Another Russian Orlan-10 drone was shot down by the 28th Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Army "

Markus
Or in plain English: project1164 are Slava class missiles cruisers (CG). These specialise in firing cruise missiles with quite heavy warheads (1 ton) over several hundred kilometers (~600-700km, one ship modified to allow a distance of 1000km).



Snake Island is south of Odessa, and the Ukrainians probabaly did not like the Russians lurking around there to bomb the city. The island gained fame by that incident early in the war when a small group of Ukrainians soldiers there told a Russian warship demanding surrender to go where the sun does not shine. It later got sunk.



Odessa is of utmost importance for the ukraine, its its last remaining port, without it, it cannot efficiently export its wheat and grains again, crippling its economy even after the war. Ukraine must keep this region at all cost. In my book its more important now than Kyiv was. An artery to the world trade.

[mapuc]

I've tried to find confirmation on following.

Ukraine have send men to some NATO country, where they are trained in using more advanced weapon system.

Some posted this in a livestream.

I need more sources before I believe it.

Markus

[UglyMowgli]

Moskva confirmed destroyed. Ammo exploded, crew evacuated, on fire

https://t.co/hHQ6KJ0F4s

[Rockstar]

I've tried to find confirmation on following.

Ukraine have send men to some NATO country, where they are trained in using more advanced weapon system.

Some posted this in a livestream.

I need more sources before I believe it.

Markus

Believe it, all major powers train their partners in the art of war, use of weapons, and law enforcement, it’s nothing new. Hell even when I was in the USCG I held assignments training military and police officers from Lebanon , Jordan, Saudi, and from damn near every Caribbean island right here in Virginia and abroad.

[Rockstar]

Moskva confirmed destroyed. Ammo exploded, crew evacuated, on fire

https://t.co/hHQ6KJ0F4s

Welcome to hell. Though I really do hope all of the crew were evacuated.

[UglyMowgli]

There is a storm in the Black Sea. Water is around 8C, there will be casualties maybe a lot

[ET2SN]

If this is a true report:

From liveuamap

"krainian military launched 2 Anti-ship missile Neptun at Russian navy Project 1164 Atlant cruiser Moskva near Zmeinii island, reportedly setting her on fire/causing damage - head of Odesa regional ad"

Markus

Oh MAN, now its ON. :o
They're basically taunting Putin to step it up and get serious.

[em2nought]

Russia is seeming to be a bit of an Argentina. :hmmm:

[Buddahaid]

Russia is seeming to be a bit of an Argentina. :hmmm:

Yes and becoming about as valuable.

[ET2SN]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-BRW9Y2bhY


:lost:

Edit- I was just thinking, this must have been a tough day in the Kremlin.
And the world's greatest flipping of the middle digit.

"So, anything else to report?"
"Ahh, well, just a small report from the Black Sea.."
"Oh?"
"Yes, its.. the Moskva.."
"Did he break down again?"
"Break down? Yes.....YES! He broke down.."
"And when will it be fixed again?"
"Ahhhh......."

[Skybird]

The killing of the Moskva seems to illustrate, to me at least, why I am so sceptical about naval units' ability to defend themselves against missile attacks with all those sophisticated defence systems designed for this purpose. The Ukrainian reports say they fired only two missiles, but both hit, were not intercepted. This is not the feared "flooding" of defences with volleys of vampyres coming in in such quantities they they simply overhwhelm defences by their sheer numbers. And Russia knows by now it is at war, so the ship should have been in a heighted state of alert. Their defences should have been as prepared as they can get. And still: booom, booom.

I read the cruise missiles, Neptune, are a new Ukrainian design that got delivered just last year. They worked it out in reaction to the past years' experiences with Russian aggressions. Not a shabby way to advertise it on the market.

[Jimbuna]

As General Patton once said: if you see your enemy making mistakes, dont disturb him.

I prefer the one attributed to Napoleon Bonaparte. “Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake.”

[Jimbuna]

Reports stating she was struck by two Ukrainian Neptun cruise missiles and has now been re-classified as a 'submarine'

Ukraine ‘SINKS’ Russian Black Sea flagship as missile strike engulfs cruiser in flames https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xk6xHyjMvdU

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtoKkQqLwNI

[Jimbuna]

Russia's defence ministry says the flagship vessel of its Black Sea fleet is seriously damaged.

They say a fire caused ammunition on the Moskva to explode, but that it is still afloat.

The crew have been evacuated and the cruiser will be towed to port, officials say.

Ukraine says they hit the Moskva with two missiles and it began to sink, but this has not been confirmed.

The US is sending more artillery, armoured vehicles and helicopters to Ukraine.

In Mariupol, Russia says it has gained full control of the city.

Kyiv's defence ministry insists Ukrainian troops are holding out.

Russia would have to bolster its defences if Sweden and Finland joined Nato, Deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council Dmitry Medvedev says.

He adds that if the two countries joined the alliance, then there could be no more talk of a "nuclear free" Baltic, as "the balance must be restored".

"Until today, Russia has not taken such measures and was not going to," Medvedev says.

Both Finland and Sweden have expressed their eagerness to join Nato, and US officials have said the two countries could become part of the alliance as soon as summer.

[Commander Wallace]

Russia's defence ministry says the flagship vessel of its Black Sea fleet is seriously damaged.

They say a fire caused ammunition on the Moskva to explode, but that it is still afloat.

The crew have been evacuated and the cruiser will be towed to port, officials say.

Ukraine says they hit the Moskva with two missiles and it began to sink, but this has not been confirmed.

The US is sending more artillery, armoured vehicles and helicopters to

Ukraine.

In Mariupol, Russia says it has gained full control of the city.

Kyiv's defence ministry insists Ukrainian troops are holding out.

Russia would have to bolster its defences if Sweden and Finland joined Nato, Deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council Dmitry Medvedev says.

He adds that if the two countries joined the alliance, then there could be no more talk of a "nuclear free" Baltic, as "the balance must be restored".

"Until today, Russia has not taken such measures and was not going to," Medvedev says.

Both Finland and Sweden have expressed their eagerness to join Nato, and US officials have said the two countries could become part of the alliance as soon as summer.


The views expressed by Russia suggests that the desires of Finland and Sweden to join NATO have nothing to do with the aggressive stance taken by Russia Itself. All Russia did by it's disastrous conduct in the Ukraine is to unite NATO and other nations around the world against Russia. Russia has no one to blame but themselves. Russia stands as a pariah in the world and will for years to come.

By the way, if Moskva is still afloat and the Ukrainians have the missiles, She would get a few more of the The RK-360MC Neptun (Neptune) Ukrainian anti-ship missiles until she was sunk. :yep:

[mapuc]

More on Russia versus Finland and Sweden

From Sky news

Russia threatens nuclear escalation if Sweden and Finland join NATO

https://news.sky.com/story/russia-threatens-nuclear-escalation-if-sweden-and-finland-join-nato-12589823

Markus

[UglyMowgli]

Some countries also have nuke. If Putin want escalate, it will escalate on the other side also, is he ready to lose Leningrad for Kiev?.

[Jimbuna]

Some countries also have nuke. If Putin want escalate, it will escalate on the other side also, is he ready to lose Leningrad for Kiev?.

Wouldn't like to put it to the test.

[Aktungbby]

PRECISELY!...I just hope his newly appointed commander isn't competent as I feared.:hmmm: Finland and/or Sweden joining NATO will most assuredly force Putin's bullying sabre-rattlin' 'monkey's fist' paw...causing more 'face-saving' errors?? I'm under no illusions though that when all is over this will be officially dubbed WWIII; and 'limitless friend' China will have dropped its territorial aggrandizing 'other shoe' on Taiwan...:hmmm: Well my worries about a competent leader are done: After horrendous battlefield losses and failed objectives, Vladimir Putin is concentrating his efforts in Ukraine in the eastern provinces of the Donbas. Recognizing that neither his original plan for a blitzkrieg against Kyiv nor his plan for multiple operations in the north, south and east worked, Russia’s president seems ready now to embrace longstanding principles of war: simplicity, unity of effort and focused logistics. No more adventurous airborne operations against airfields. No more stymied convoys or simultaneous but separate attacks on Kharkiv, Mariupol and Sumy. No more disputes among commanders over logistical resupply. Rather, the Russians will pursue a single coordinated effort with, initially, more-limited aspirations in the Donbas. Unity of command has long been recognized as an indispensable prerequisite for victory. Battlefield directions will no longer emanate from the Kremlin or Moscow but from a field headquarters. Mr. Putin’s recent appointment of Gen. Aleksandr Dvornikovhttps://images.wsj.net/im-523821?width=860&size=1.5 to command all forces in Ukraine is consistent with the principle of unity of command. It’s also worrisome. Unlike Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, a politician-cum-general, and Gen. Valery Gerasimov, reputedly the designer of the original attack plan for Ukraine, Gen. Dvornikov is not a staff officer in Moscow. He is a seasoned combat veteran with previous responsibility for operations in Chechnya, Crimea and Armenia.

More significantly, Gen. Dvornikov was Mr. Putin’s choice in 2015 to command Russia operations in Syria. Sent in to prop up Bashar al-Assad at a time when Syrian government forces were near defeat, Gen. Dvornikov turned the tide of that conflict and kept Mr. Assad in power. His tactics were brutal, including dropping “dumb” bombs in population centers, using banned cluster munitions, and employing siege tactics like those seen in Mariupol. While the orders to use chemical weapons in Syria likely came from Mr. Assad, the United Nations’ Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic concluded that many of these operations were conducted by the Russian air force.
The Russians considered Syria a case study on how wars would be fought in the future. In a 2021 report published by the Institute for the Study of War, Mason Clark noted that Moscow’s primary lesson from Syria was that it needed to improve military command and control. The importance of “making better decisions faster than the opponent” may have led Gen. Gerasimov to believe a lightning strike on Kyiv would end the war quickly. But years of Western training, good intelligence, and a strong patriotic motivation allowed Ukrainian forces to blunt a poorly planned assault by inexperienced Russian troops. After 45 days of war, Mr. Putin and Gen. Dvornikov have a new appreciation of how to fight better in Ukraine. Assume Gen. Dvornikov was chosen for the job because he offered Mr. Putin a plan for victory. It’s reasonable to expect a new offensive operation in the Donbas soon. The Russian approach to such operations has relied on large armored formations and enormous concentrations of artillery, rockets and missiles. “Quantity has a quality of its own”, said Joseph Stalin. Because of poor planning and logistical incompetence, the quantity of indirect fire used on Mariupol, Kharkiv and Kyiv was paltry by historical standards. I expect Gen. Dvornikov totry to rectify that mistake.
Gen. Dvornikov is a ruthless commander with an established combat history. Don’t assume he will continue the poorly executed plans dreamed up by Gens. Shoigu and Gerosimov. To the contrary, expect his plans to be more consistent with the strategy of his patron, Mr. Putin, and his brutality to exceed even his reprehensible record in Syria. I imagine there'll be more rockets with "for the children " painted on them....:hmmm: https://i.insider.com/62503c09ee61990018ddbe87?width=1000&format=jpeg&auto=webp
Considering the 20th century War to end all Wars started around 1914 and ended(with a 20 year Armistice hiatus) in 1945; this one is cranking up in the 21st century... just about on schedule...:hmmm:

[mapuc]

Today is day 50 of the 3 days war.

Status so far
What have Russia won in these 50 days of the 3 days war ?

Markus

[Dargo]

The military had been re-engineered to make embezzlement easier, not to make it more effective against NATO. Contrary to the propaganda coming from the Kremlin, the Russian brass thought the odds of an invasion by NATO were pretty much zero. No need to have a military prepared to take on NATO, as it really was not considered an actual real-world threat. Just maintain enough readiness to prey on weak and defenseless opponents and feel free to steal the rest to pay for yachts, villas, mistresses, and palatial dachas. As to the soldiers under your command? Screw them, like the rest of the Russian populace, they are only useful as a means to fatten official’s wallets.

https://10ztalk.com/2022/04/14/putins-army-is-built-on-corruption-fear-brutality-and-ignorance-thats-why-it-sucks/

[Dargo]

Today is day 50 of the 3 days war.

Status so far
What have Russia won in these 50 days of the 3 days war ?

Markus

Putin is told on this 3day invasion it's going swell, a lot of equipment on route Donbas is already bombed :har:

[mapuc]

In our late night news the anchor use to show what some of our newspaper will write about.

The headline in one of these newspaper was:

NATO isn't fit for a fight against Russia on European ground.

I've tried to find this article online without any success

Markus

[Dargo]

The Ukrainian army has received help from the sky on the Eastern Front. Not in the form of fighter jets or helicopters, but in the form of heavy rains. The precipitation has hampered the Russian advance in the Donetsk and Lugansk regions in recent days. But the next few days will be drier and warmer.

The rains are causing wet ground, preventing heavy military equipment from leaving paved roads. As a result, the Russian military has to rely on the roads, where congestion of military vehicles occurs. Such a long column is an easy target.

The Ukrainian army claims to have destroyed thousands of Russian tanks and other military vehicles. Many were part of vulnerable convoys. Near Izhoum, southeast of Kharkov, another bridge was blown up today, frustrating the movement of military vehicles. Thanks to one attack, a convoy suddenly found itself at a dead end.

The marshy ground is one of the setbacks the Russian military has faced in recent weeks. The thaw came earlier than expected this year, making it quite marshy north of Kiev, for example. This is not the first time that a military advance around Kiev has been hampered by mud: In World War II, the Germans also got stuck there.

In the first few weeks, you have to investigate whether the terrain is in good shape. That's information you can get largely from open sources. This blunder has meant that Russian tank capacity could hardly be used until now.

If armored vehicles destroy a hard dirt road, then trucks can get stuck afterwards. Russia has few precision weapons. They mostly have "dumb bombs," which you have to aim with the eye. For that, you have to fly low, which is difficult with low-hanging clouds. Once the ground is dry enough, Russian troops can spread more easily across the Donbas in the fairly flat east of Ukraine, Russian tanks can maneuver better. A tank must be able to "saw": move somewhere, observe it briefly, and retreat to a covered position. For that, you need space and clear visibility. And dry spring weather.

[Dargo]

In our late night news the anchor use to show what some of our newspaper will write about.

The headline in one of these newspaper was:

NATO isn't fit for a fight against Russia on European ground.

I've tried to find this article online without any success

Markus

Russia is also not capable to fight on European ground attacker need ratio 3:1 both sides in Europe has no amount of forces to get that ratio as attacker.

[mapuc]

Dargo wrote:

"another bridge was blown up today, frustrating the movement of military vehicles. Thanks to one attack, a convoy suddenly found itself at a dead end."

Doesn't these engineers exist anymore ? They were used a lot during WWII.

Markus

[Dargo]

Dargo wrote:

"another bridge was blown up today, frustrating the movement of military vehicles. Thanks to one attack, a convoy suddenly found itself at a dead end."

Doesn't these engineers exist anymore ? They were used a lot during WWII.

Markus

If you read this you understand https://10ztalk.com/2022/04/14/putins-army-is-built-on-corruption-fear-brutality-and-ignorance-thats-why-it-sucks/ also this goes for the science that was great under soviet power it is gone If you do not pay and only steal money people leave. And they still not use basic military ratio of 3:1

[mapuc]

If you read this you understand https://10ztalk.com/2022/04/14/putins-army-is-built-on-corruption-fear-brutality-and-ignorance-thats-why-it-sucks/ also this goes for the science that was great under soviet power it is gone If you do not pay and only steal money people leave. And they still not use basic military ratio of 3:1

Could not read my virus went berserk and refused to open the homepage.

Markus

[Commander Wallace]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zhxl_uM47Yc

[Rockstar]

“You won’t be so cocky when your country is bankrupt and you’re stuck in a bunker. “

:har::har:

[Dargo]

Could not read my virus went berserk and refused to open the homepage.

Markus

Maybe this https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2022/4/12/2091520/-Putin-s-Army-is-Built-on-Corruption-Fear-Brutality-and-Ignorance-That-s-Why-it-Sucks will not alert virus defense

[mapuc]

Maybe this https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2022/4/12/2091520/-Putin-s-Army-is-Built-on-Corruption-Fear-Brutality-and-Ignorance-That-s-Why-it-Sucks will not alert virus defense

Thank you Dargo, now I could read it. There were to sentence I noticed more than the other thing written

"An army run by a criminal mafia. Food and housing that is worse than Russian prisons, ethnic gangs preying on fellow soldiers, officers running criminal enterprises, this is not the picture of an organization that would generate a lot of esprit de corps and trust among fellow soldiers"

And

" It turns out the army Putin created in his own image may be a great cash cow for embezzlers and criminals but it really sucks at being an army."

No wonder it isn't going to well for the Russian and why Putin changed strategy-Going from taking entire Ukraine to concentrating on the two enklave in eastern Ukraine.

Markus

[Commander Wallace]

“You won’t be so cocky when your country is bankrupt and you’re stuck in a bunker. “

:har::har:


I liked that line, too. :haha:

[Dargo]

Day 50 of my 3-day war. The Russian warship Moskva, that was told “go **** yourself”, has gone & ****ed itself and sunk.

I remain a master strategist,

Putin

[Von Due]

Day 50 of my 3-day war. The Russian warship Moskva, that was told “go **** yourself”, has gone & ****ed itself and sunk.

I remain a master strategist,

Putin

You can always trust them to do what they're told. Never mind who told them.

[mapuc]

^^ Thought he called himself Darth Putin.

Secondly it wasn't Moscow who demanded the soldier on the island to surrender-That ship was attacked and sunk a few days later.

Markus

[Dargo]

The Ministry of Defense announced that the cruiser "Moskva" sank during the storm.

https://ria-ru.translate.goog/20220414/kreyser-1783626130.html?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp

[Dargo]

The Russian warship Moskva reportedly sank during a storm. It tipped over due to damage to the hull, the Defense Ministry said.

[Skybird]

Technically that might even be correct. :haha:

[Dargo]

Technically that might even be correct. :haha:
Russian warship Moskva: We are sinking, we are sinking. Can you hear us?
Russian admiral of the fleet: We can hear you.
Moskva: We are sinking, we are sinking.
Admiral: Yes ... What are you sinking about?

[Dargo]

Technically that might even be correct. :haha:

Fun thing, the wind conditions in the Black Sea no storm in sight, not even close.

[Dargo]

Putin's invasion of Ukraine is setting new standards in the field of Russian military incompetence. The top three entries so far:


Losing your flagship to a country without a navy.
Digging trenches in the Chernobyl dead zone.
Having your tanks towed away by tractors.

[Rockstar]

Video touches base about national spending on personnel, equipment and equipment maintenance. And Lithuania’s assistance to training Ukrainian soldiers. Of which everyone in the world except the Putin lovin’ Germans concerned only with cheap gas approved.

https://youtu.be/T6XyfoZ5jHA

[Skybird]

https://edition.cnn.com/2022/04/14/europe/ukraine-war-russia-trucks-logistics-intl-hnk-ml/index.html



Think about modern warfare and it's likely images of soldiers, tanks and missiles will spring to mind. But arguably more important than any of these is something on which they all rely: the humble truck. Armies need trucks to transport their soldiers to the front lines, to supply those tanks with shells and to deliver those missiles. In short, any army that neglects its trucks does so at its peril.
(...)

Telenko describes one recent photo of tire damage on a multimillion-dollar mobile missile truck, a Pantsir S1,as the canary in the coal mine for Russia's logistical efforts.
As such an expensive piece of equipment, he would have expected its maintenance to be first-rate. Yet its tires were crumbling just a few weeks into the war -- what Telenko refers to as "a failure mode."
If trucks are not moved frequently the rubber in their tires becomes brittle and the tire walls vulnerable to cracks and tears. Telenko says the problem is common when tires are run with low inflation to cope with the sort of muddy conditions that Russian forces are facing in the Ukrainian spring.
For Telenko, who for more than a decade specialized in maintenance problems in the US military's truck fleet, the condition of the Pantsir S1 is a revealing mistake.
"If you're not doing (preventive maintenance) for something so important, then it's very clear the entire truck fleet was treated similarly," he says.

[Dargo]

https://edition.cnn.com/2022/04/14/europe/ukraine-war-russia-trucks-logistics-intl-hnk-ml/index.html

The Russians have always had this problem, it was also present under the soviets they never solved their supply problem that is why you see so much equipment left behind it is out of fuel and soldiers are starving and must loot to feed themselves

[Commander Wallace]

Putin's invasion of Ukraine is setting new standards in the field of Russian military incompetence. The top three entries so far:


Losing your flagship to a country without a navy.
Digging trenches in the Chernobyl dead zone.
Having your tanks towed away by tractors.






Truer words have never been spoken. :yep:

[mapuc]

Truer words have never been spoken. :yep:

I posted a similar text on a friends wall and the reply I got was:

I watch to much mainstream tv
I hav been brainwashed

Markus

[ET2SN]

I posted a similar text on a friends wall and the reply I got was:

I watch to much mainstream tv
I hav been brainwashed

Markus

Score one more for the FSB. :O:
Does your friend know who Vidkun Quisling was? :haha:

[Onkel Neal]

Reports stating she was struck by two Ukrainian Neptun cruise missiles and has now been re-classified as a 'submarine'


Submarine? Bah, all ships can dive, only subs can surface :arrgh!:

[Commander Wallace]

I posted a similar text on a friends wall and the reply I got was:

I watch to much mainstream tv
I hav been brainwashed

Markus


Maybe we all have been but I'm pretty sure you can read and have an understanding of things. :yep: The Russians handling of this war would be funny if it wasn't so pathetic.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimbuna https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/smartdark/viewpost.gif (https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?p=2803649#post2803649)
Reports stating she was struck by two Ukrainian Neptun cruise missiles and has now been re-classified as a 'submarine'

@ Neal-Submarine? Bah, all ships can dive, only subs can surface :arrgh!:


Now, that's funny. Both posts. :haha:

[mapuc]

A funny input
I got my some new friends on a livestream from the war in Ukraine.

We have been discussing ideas about taking a trip to Ukraine and skiing outside Kharkiv- There's a camera pointing down the slope.

Secondly will we eat a good meal at some restaurant in Maidan area.

I don't think it will happened though...
End of a funny input

Markus

[August]

https://i.imgur.com/fiCtKkl.jpg

[mapuc]

^ :har::har:

Markus

[August]

https://i.imgur.com/3afXWz2.jpg

[Commander Wallace]

https://i.imgur.com/3afXWz2.jpg




^ :har: That's priceless and epic.

[mapuc]

How reliable is this ?

A French journalist and senior international correspondent for mainstream publication Le Figaro, Georges Malbrunot, claims that Americans are “in charge” of the Ukrainian war effort on the ground.

https://www.rebelnews.com/french_journalist_claims_americans_are_in_charge_u kraine_i_found_myself_facing_the_pentagon

Markus

[Dargo]

How reliable is this ?



https://www.rebelnews.com/french_journalist_claims_americans_are_in_charge_u kraine_i_found_myself_facing_the_pentagon

Markus

Yes I hear this from other sources that UK, US special forces are in Ukraine British and American special forces units are operating long before this operation in Ukraine really not surprised this is a proxy war for US, UK from annexation of Crimea Ukraine revolt is also done with involvement by the western powers.

Georges Malbrunot is senior reporter for Le Figaro an established french newspaper

[Skybird]

While I am no surprised and have expected somehting like special commandos being on the ground (and while it is known that there have been advisers and trainers as well), I quesaiton the wisdom of making it public again to help Russian propaganda and just for the sake of the holy grail - "the story" - and the name of the reporter whom nobody ever heard of, and now have. Is a little bit of judgment really too much to ask when answering the question of whether or not you really should run a story? Or is this just the usual French antisentiment to les Americans again?

Russian propaganda says thank you monsieur.

[Rockstar]

How reliable is this ?



https://www.rebelnews.com/french_journalist_claims_americans_are_in_charge_u kraine_i_found_myself_facing_the_pentagon

Markus

Again, it’s nothing new, it’s not the first time we had ‘advisors’ in theatre or trained, and equipped fighters in other nations. We probably share a crap ton of ELINT too. Hell, the French helped us gain our independence.

[Dargo]

While I am no surprised and have expected somehting like special commandos being on the ground (and while it is known that there have been advisers and trainers as well), I quesaiton the wisdom of making it public again to help Russian propaganda and just for the sake of the holy grail - "the story" - and the name of the reporter whom nobody ever heard of, and now have. Is a little bit of judgment really too much to ask when answering the question of whether or not you really should run a story? Or is this just the usual French antisentiment to les Americans again?

Russian propaganda says thank you monsieur.

There are more things I find strange to make public, like the methods of fighting around Kiev for the French... yeah dunno moi and French government are not on speaking terms:) US, UK will deny this and any captured soldier will be in the international brigade same stuff happened during Cold War not even families know where their son, husband died

[mapuc]

I do not doubt that the are special forces in Ukraine-What I thought was they were there undercover/secretly to monitor how the Ruskies fight a modern war. I never thought they were there "Openly"

Yes having advisors in the country, to train them in using some of the weapon we have sent to them.

Denmark shipped 2700 man held antitank weapon and some advisor to train Ukrainian in using them-But they are not with special forces, like Frømandskorpset(=Navy Seal) eller Jægerkorpset(=Gren Barets)

Markus

[Rockstar]

Russia's special operation in Ukraine and Donbas is going to end soon, Andrey Klimov, a member of the Federation Council said, RIA Novosti reports.

https://english.pravda.ru/news/russia/151184-ukraine_operation/


After losing a cruiser, 20-30% of their invasion force and 15,000 dead and gained absolutely nothing from it. Who can blame them.

It will be interesting to see how far Ukraine is willing to take this, if they will drive out the invaders from the Donbass and even Crimea as well.

[Dargo]

I do not doubt that the are special forces in Ukraine-What I thought was they were there undercover/secretly to monitor how the Ruskies fight a modern war. I never thought they were there "Openly"

Yes having advisors in the country, to train them in using some of the weapon we have sent to them.

Denmark shipped 2700 man held antitank weapon and some advisor to train Ukrainian in using them-But they are not with special forces, like Frømandskorpset(=Navy Seal) eller Jægerkorpset(=Gren Barets)

Markus

For now but already heavy material is sent and with the latest American shipment it's clear for Russia they not fight Ukraine alone but against the whole western world

[mapuc]

For now but already heavy material is sent and with the latest American shipment it's clear for Russia they not fight Ukraine alone but against the whole western world

Exactly my thought as well-Will Russia see this step from USA as they are taking active side in the war, by sending heavy offensive weapon to Ukraine ?
So far, as I see it, Russia has interpreter the step the west have taken by sending defensive weapon, as passive help.

Markus

[Rockstar]

I do not doubt that the are special forces in Ukraine-What I thought was they were there undercover/secretly to monitor how the Ruskies fight a modern war. I never thought they were there "Openly"

Yes having advisors in the country, to train them in using some of the weapon we have sent to them.

Denmark shipped 2700 man held antitank weapon and some advisor to train Ukrainian in using them-But they are not with special forces, like Frømandskorpset(=Navy Seal) eller Jægerkorpset(=Gren Barets)

Markus


Though I’m sure we have advisors/operators in country assisting Ukraine. Ukraine isn’t the same as it was in 2014. They’ve come a long way, baby. When Russia annexed Crimea they had around 6 thousand combat ready troops which could defend Ukraine. Today they have close to 145,000 and have gone through many economic reforms to boost defense spending and received a lot of training to align themselves closer to a NATO command structure. Which was made possible in part by the 5.6 billion we have sent them since 2014.

I’d wager Ukraine’s 140th Special Operations Forces are probably doing most of the work of embarrassing Putin. Those fellas are a badass professional fighting force not to be messed with. They trained in Lithuania!

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/fe/26/ad/fe26adcb379155d7423284c0159eb202.jpg

Since 2014, the United States has committed more than $5.6 billion in total assistance to Ukraine, including security and non-security assistance. In 2021 alone we committed over $300 million in assistance to support Ukraine’s democratic and economic development, and over $650 million in security assistance. Since the start of 2022, we have committed $54 million in humanitarian assistance and an additional $350 million in security assistance, bringing the total security assistance in the last year to over $1 billion.

The U.S. Departments of State and Defense (DoD) have committed over $3 billion, in training and equipment to help Ukraine preserve its territorial integrity, secure its borders, and improve interoperability with NATO. This includes:

$350 million of additional security assistance announced on February 26 to address the armored, airborne, and other threats Ukraine is currently facing.
$721 million in State Department-funded Foreign Military Financing (FMF) and $1.35 billion under DoD’s Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative.
$20 million in IMET assistance between 2014 and 2021 to support military education.
$610 million worth of arms and equipment transferred from DoD stocks to Ukraine under Presidential Drawdown Authority.
$86 million in Nonproliferation, Anti-terrorism, Demining, and Related Programs assistance to Ukraine, including over $17 million to the State Border Guard Service’s Maritime Border Guard Detachment, and more than $48 million in Conventional Weapons Destruction (CWD) assistance.
Over $168 million in assistance to law enforcement reform and border security.


One thing we can’t do is no-fly zones. You must have total air superiority for that to happen and you can’t have that unless you go deep into Russia to take out SAM sites which would most likely start WWIII. Otherwise we’d just be dodging rockets all day.

[Dargo]

Exactly my thought as well-Will Russia see this step from USA as they are taking active side in the war, by sending heavy offensive weapon to Ukraine ?
So far, as I see it, Russia has interpreter the step the west have taken by sending defensive weapon, as passive help.

Markus

Not able taking Kiev is Russia's turning point of this war like Hitler failed to take Moscow, they will flatten Ukraine but never control it. Ukraine fought a partisan war against the soviets till 1950 (also in Poland). This partisan plan is already in place Russia will never control Ukraine they do not have an army to occupy.

[mapuc]

Some one wrote in a stream that Putin had warned the USA about helping Ukraine.

Of course they will put up a warning against USA step to send heavy weapon, But what can they do about it ? Start a war-Which they will lose-Start a war with Nukes-Which they will lose(Everyone will lose this type of war)

Close the pipeline with gas and oil ? I doubt it-This would mean they will lose money

Markus

[Dargo]

SAS troops have trained local forces in Kyiv for the first time since the war with Russia began, Ukrainian commanders have told The Times.

Officers from two battalions stationed in and around the capital said they had undergone military training from serving British special forces, one last week and the other the week before...

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/sas-troops-are-training-local-forces-in-ukraine-32vs5bjzb

[August]

It might not have sunk where they think it did. https://i.imgur.com/s4vPZri.jpg

[mapuc]

We haven't discuss the joker in this poker game.

China..Let see if I can get down my thoughts into writing

There are rumour that China is helping Russia with material. If Russia or China see that NATO/USA has taken an active part in the war they could become active on Russian side of the war and here I can come up with two scenarios.

1. China send both material and soldier to Ukraine
2. To pull USA away from Europe-China invade Taiwan
(Read somewhere once that USA can't fight to main war at the same time)

This would leave Europe alone against Russia.

Of course this is nothing but speculation and I'm not an expert.

Markus

[Dargo]

We haven't discuss the joker in this poker game.

China..Let see if I can get down my thoughts into writing

There are rumour that China is helping Russia with material. If Russia or China see that NATO/USA has taken an active part in the war they could become active on Russian side of the war and here I can come up with two scenarios.

1. China send both material and soldier to Ukraine
2. To pull USA away from Europe-China invade Taiwan
(Read somewhere once that USA can't fight to main war at the same time)

This would leave Europe alone against Russia.

Of course this is nothing but speculation and I'm not an expert.

Markus

China does Wu Wei – Doing Nothing that will solve this problem, china can not afford to lose the greatest markets of the world and is being forced in a position they do not like so do not expect much help towards Russia certainly no personnel. It would be a reason to invade Taiwan if Russia had not lost, but they see that Putin is a paper tiger so that plan is on hold

[Skybird]

Russia's special operation in Ukraine and Donbas is going to end soon, Andrey Klimov, a member of the Federation Council said, RIA Novosti reports.

https://english.pravda.ru/news/russia/151184-ukraine_operation/


After losing a cruiser, 20-30% of their invasion force and 15,000 dead and gained absolutely nothing from it. Who can blame them.

It will be interesting to see how far Ukraine is willing to take this, if they will drive out the invaders from the Donbass and even Crimea as well.
Head oof CIA meanwhile warns of tactical nukes being used if Putin does not get the military success he needs. For Putin its probably about his survival. He needs something he can sell as a victory.

[mapuc]

Head oof CIA meanwhile warns of tactical nukes being used if Putin does not get the military success he needs. For Putin its probably about his survival. He needs something he can sell as a victory.


It would not surprise me if Putin decide to use nukes on the battlefield=Tactical to win a victory he can use on Russia's most important day May 9th.

It doesn't scare me..somehow...what scares me is the response NATO will come up with.

Markus

[nikimcbee]

It might not have sunk where they think it did. https://i.imgur.com/s4vPZri.jpg


To quote Dr. Ian Malcom; " At some point, we're going to see submarines in this War, right? The Navy needs to find a way."


https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fthenewswheel.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2014%2F04%2Fian_malcolm_laughs .gif&f=1&nofb=1

[nikimcbee]

It would not surprise me if Putin decide to use nukes on the battlefield=Tactical to win a victory he can use on Russia's most important day May 9th.

It doesn't scare me..somehow...what scares me is the response NATO will come up with.

Markus


With the way the Russian Military forces are performing, maybe we should execute Order 66 and take out all of the Russian SSBNs in one move.:hmmm:

[les green01]

We haven't discuss the joker in this poker game.

China..Let see if I can get down my thoughts into writing

There are rumour that China is helping Russia with material. If Russia or China see that NATO/USA has taken an active part in the war they could become active on Russian side of the war and here I can come up with two scenarios.

1. China send both material and soldier to Ukraine
2. To pull USA away from Europe-China invade Taiwan
(Read somewhere once that USA can't fight to main war at the same time)

This would leave Europe alone against Russia.

Of course this is nothing but speculation and I'm not an expert.

Markus

I don't know Markus we fought a two front war in ww2 and did ok but we had better leaders then not the boneheads we have had since Bush sr

[nikimcbee]

I don't know Markus we fought a two front war in ww2 and did ok but we had better leaders then not the boneheads we have had since Bush sr


Truth:Kaleun_Salute:, I'd add, we are too politically divided to even function for more than a month. We had political divisions in WW2, but we were able to shelve those (for the most part) until the end of the War. I don't see us doing that now. If the Left is in power, it will be a noble cause and the Right will side with Facism. If the Right is in power, it will be "No war for borscht, and the violent protestors will come out in force. Really sick of US politics. Term limit the lot of them!

[Skybird]

BBC:

Russia has told the United States there will be "unpredictable consequences" if it refuses to stop sending weapons to Ukraine.

A diplomatic note was sent to the Biden administration, the Washington Post first reported.

The US recently announced that more sophisticated offensive weaponry would be sent to Ukraine as part of a $800m (£612m) package.

I love it when this fascist Kremlin scum first assaults another nation, then threatens retaliation if the victim dares to defend itself and may attack the attacker on his own soil, and now bullies others helping the victim to help itself. Thats were the ordinary everyday scumbags seperates themselves from the pro elite scumbag: the first does not care for the victim to struggle against him and just contnues doping what he is doing, but the latter even takes personal offence from being resisted to. Sick, sicker, Russian.

[mapuc]

Saw this in a Danish News Paper

bookmaker offers good odds on admiral Kuznetsov

If she is the next to be sunk you will not get much return for the 100 bucks you bet.

Markus

[Jimbuna]

New strikes hit the outskirts of the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, and explosions have been heard in the western city of Lviv.

One person has been killed and several wounded in the strikes, Kyiv's Mayor Vitali Klitschko says.

Russia's defence ministry says the missile strikes targeted a military plant in the capital Kyiv.

Russia has banned UK PM Boris Johnson and other senior ministers from entering Russia over the country's "hostile" stance on the war.

Moscow formally warns of "unpredictable consequences" if the US and allies keep supplying weapons to Ukraine.

President Volodymyr Zelensky says the world should be prepared for the possibility Russia will target Ukraine with a nuclear strike.

The Kremlin previously said it would only resort to nuclear weapons if faced with an "existential threat"

Kyiv's police chief says 900 civilians have been found dead in towns around the capital after Russian troops left.

[Jimbuna]

Russia's foreign ministry says it has imposed sanctions on US President Joe Biden and 12 other US officials.

The list includes Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, press secretary Jen Psaki and other members of the administration.

But it also includes two surprises: former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Mr Biden's son Hunter.

The measures block their entry into Russia and freeze any assets held in the country.

However, the ministry has said the sanctions will not impede necessary high-level contacts for the affected individuals.

Other names on the list are:

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan
Deputy National Security Adviser Daleep Singh
US Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Samantha Power
Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo
President of the Export-Import Bank of the US Reta Jo Lewis
The ministry has said it is applying sanctions "on the basis of reciprocity".

Russia is now the most sanctioned country in the world.

[Skybird]

US officials warn of a beginning pince attack of Russia in the East of the Ukraine. They are very alarmed about the fact that the Ukrainian forces need to spend ammo much faster there than new ammo can be brought into the Ukraine. That now the focus of battle is in the East of the country which shortens the Russian supply lines and lengthens the Ukrainian ones, and the Ukraine having lost a significant ammount of its artillery already, does not make it better. The US urges its allies to send much more artillery munition, at the current spendign rates the planned additional 48.000 rounds the US wants to deliver would be consumed in less than a week.



Thats a nightmare scenario: being isolated and surrounded from all sides - and then running out of ammo. The Ukraine has its most experienced troops in the Donbass-Luhansk region now, and the threat that they get compleetly encircled and then one by one annihilated is very real.



They need ammo, ammo, ammo.

[mapuc]

US officials warn of a beginning pince attack of Russia in the East of the Ukraine. They are very alarmed about the fact that the Ukrainian forces need to spend ammo much faster there than new ammo can be brought into the Ukraine. That now the focus of battle is in the East of the country which shortens the Russian supply lines and lengthens the Ukrainian ones, and the Ukraine having lost a significant ammount of its artillery already, does not make it better. The US urges its allies to send much more artillery munition, at the current spendign rates the planned additional 48.000 rounds the US wants to deliver would be consumed in less than a week.



Thats a nightmare scenario: being isolated and surrounded from all sides - and then running out of ammo. The Ukraine has its most experienced troops in the Donbass-Luhansk region now, and the threat that they get compleetly encircled and then one by one annihilated is very real.



They need ammo, ammo, ammo.

From what I understand by reading the news several shipment with ammo should be on its way..Then there's this logistical to get it to the front.

USA are sending 155mm artillery with 3000 ammo.

Edit
I was wrong it's 40.000 artillery rounds to these 155 mm howitzer

Kirby said the weapons are “reflective of the kind of fighting that the Ukrainians are expecting to be faced with here in this more confined geographic area” of Donbas, noting Ukraine specifically asked for artillery “fire support”.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/4/14/whats-in-the-latest-us-military-package-for-ukraine

End edit

Markus

[Catfish]

[...]
I love it when this fascist Kremlin scum first assaults another nation, then threatens retaliation if the victim dares to defend itself and may attack the attacker on his own soil, and now bullies others helping the victim to help itself. [...]
That.

[Skybird]

At the current expenditure rate those 40K artillery shots form the US will not even last one week. ;) And the Russian offenbsoive has not even started to roll, and losses of Ukrianian artillery and Russian interdiction strikes of ammo transports from the Polish border to Ukraine's East are not even counted in. And the Russians have satellites too - not just the US.



Several Wetsenr military anaylsts and forme rgewnrals all say more or less the same, that the Russian find it very difficult to learn form their mistakes and to adapt to a situation not forseen by their plan: nevertheless, in some areas they adapt - slowly, but noticably.



Many of thos eunits withdrawn form Kyiv that were estamiated to be incpabale to reneter the war some time later, meanwhile have entered the Ukraine once again into the Donbass and Luhansk. How their morale and efficiency is, however, is another question.



This new upcoming battle will be much more difficult for the ukrainians. Its possibly also the one that will decide this war.


They need more material, and ammo, and they need it NOW. Time's running out.



Scholz, thius sneaky gnome, again plays foul,a dn frees one billion for the Ukraine instead of sendign material form the Bundeswehgr, IFVs for exmaple. So the border for stuff is placed by the ukrioanbe, and then the fomailites for apporv ing the export must be run, and all that costs time, and the industry must produce it or get it somewhere else - AND ALL THIOS COSTS TIOME, MORE TIME, AND MORE TIME. An underhanded manouver by Scholz who wnats to give the impression that he is engaged while actually he tries desperately not to get engaged.



I hope this coaltion flies apart at all direcitons simeulateously, and soon. The biggest problem in it is the the three poarties and the many, many duds that were called up for mn9nster - the biggets progek m is the chancellor himself, and as I have said months it advance - this was forseeable since he behaves currently like he has behaved in all his political career, always dodging, always hesitating always avoiding, always sneaking aorund. And recentöly he even ha dth enerves ot tlel the Germans that he "leads" becasue he were not doing what is demanded from him!


He has his own private universe he draws his percpetions from. It is completely disconnected from the universe you and me live in. Forget that speech form some weeksd ago, its mostly meaningless. If only a tenth of the consequences promised in it would come true over the years, I already would be surprised.

[mapuc]

Of course Russia threaten that's the only thing they can do. When it comes to Western Support to Ukraine

I don't think they will use nukes, chemical perhaps and most likely at the front

Markus

[mapuc]

Read this on the liveuamap

Ukrainian Air Defense shot down 4 cruise missiles launched by Su-35 aircraft based at Baranovychy airfield

This airfield is not so far from the polish border..maybe Russia is starting to do something to the logistic on the Ukrainian side.

Markus

[Dargo]

Russians are hitting logistic more these last days. Russia in real scrape the barrel - we can see 9K55 Grad-1 MRLS on ZiL-131 on transport to fronts. This system's decommissioned decades ago.

[Skybird]

Russia is waiting for better weather, for less muddy ground. Could be the case by the middle of next week, the forecasts say. Troops and material are in place. They had launched their invasion at the wrong time of the year.


They have amassed plenty of artillery and missiles of all kinds they can get in the Donbass and Luhansk region. If they can keep that in logistical supply, all the firepower that previously was distributed amongst several splintered fronts now will be focussed on just one theatre of operation.



That slaughterer general from Syria they have put into command unfortunately seems to know a bit on what he is doing. No more risky experiments with air mobility spearheads and exotic tactics, just focussed, concentrated, proven, amassed brute force in overkill dosis.

[mapuc]

The weather forecast for East Ukraine next week is...rain...rain..and rain...(someone mentioned this in a stream) So I checked it

Donbass
https://www.worldweatheronline.com/novyy-donbass-weather/donetska-oblast/ua.aspx

Luhansk
https://weather.com/weather/tenday/l/Luhansk+Luhansk+Ukraine?canonicalCityId=6ea53f3137 88daf1a7d37662995d12883da507e424586f745297c60a34f9 3ac1

Markus

[Dargo]

The weather forecast for East Ukraine next week is...rain...rain..and rain...(someone mentioned this in a stream) So I checked it

Donbass
https://www.worldweatheronline.com/novyy-donbass-weather/donetska-oblast/ua.aspx

Luhansk
https://weather.com/weather/tenday/l/Luhansk+Luhansk+Ukraine?canonicalCityId=6ea53f3137 88daf1a7d37662995d12883da507e424586f745297c60a34f9 3ac1

Markus

New attack will come after weather clears up, so Ukraine have some time to get supplies to the fronts.:up:

[mapuc]

New attack will come after weather clears up, so Ukraine have some time to get supplies to the fronts.:up:


The Russian don't they have long range artillery and missiles they can use in bad weather ?

Markus

[Dargo]

The Russian don't they have long range artillery and missiles they can use in bad weather ?

Markus

Sure, but those only destroy, not occupy you need ground forces to gain terrain

[Dargo]

Russia has relatively few troops to call on, so Battalion Tactical Groups are a way of creating a fighting unit with lots of punch. They're designed to attack quickly with lots of firepower. However, they have very little protection in terms of infantry personnel to escort them and to retaliate if the armored column comes under attack.

That makes the Russian army like a boxer who has a great right hook and a glass jaw. A lack of Russian air patrols means Ukrainian troops have found it easy to get into positions to ambush Russian tank columns. That means Ukrainian troops have been able to get into good fire positions for ambushes, and they have been able to do a lot of damage this way.

What's worse, Russia severely overestimated its own capabilities. These included the effectiveness of its own air force, the required quantity and reliability of its standoff weaponry, the quality and resolve of its ground forces, and especially the logistics necessary to support them beyond a single opening blitz. Even the Russian military's ability to deploy realistic planning and effective command and control seemed to disintegrate just days into the invasion. There still appears to be little integration or deconfliction between various field commanders and no single commander leading the war effort.

Even if Russia achieves its military objectives in Ukraine, at great cost in blood and treasure, what comes next is a no-win situation. And once the Ukrainian populace largely blends in with the occupying force, all the artillery or combat aircraft in the world cannot pacify the enemy. They are both nowhere and everywhere at the same time.

While Russia still may win its war to conquer Ukraine's territory, it has already lost in pretty much every manner conceivable. There is no positive endgame here. Those losses will only grow deeper and more permanent with each passing day that this phony war that should never have happened in the first place grinds on.

[Gorpet]

The Germany of 1933 comes to mind, or the Russia of (openly) 2022.
They had/have their own ideas and one part of this idea is to export their culture and ideas to other people and countries, if the latter want it or not.
So you say the US is the same.
I'd say there was a reason why America went in at those times, for real or perceived threats, sometimes even with the intention to help.
When people want to live like in medieval times, plague, torture and all it their decision, ok.
But if the people don't want that and only one sh!tty dictator wants it so, what then?

All it brings is "chaos"? I guess the idea of freedom, personal development and individuality, adding medicine, health care and retirement plans is something to be avoided at all costs?

My heart bleeds, you have it so bad in the US.

https://i.imgur.com/ejGVc0Yl.jpg

Well you should hop on a plane and get here and see America for yourself.
Oh and this,"the idea of freedom, personal development and individuality, adding medicine, health care and retirement plans is something to be avoided at all costs" Yes this is exactly what our politician's just like yours want to avoid, War is a great distraction and it's doing a damn good job. Don't you agree? For as smart as you seem to be,you haven't figured it out Political Dynasties across this planet move at their own pace and that's why nothing changes. But now that the American Fascist, A new political philosophy, and party movement,that will require a two party merger that will emerge with a new One party above the individual and that party will stand for a centralized autocratic government that will require forcible suppression of all opposition.

[Gorpet]

The Germany of 1933 comes to mind, or the Russia of (openly) 2022.
They had/have their own ideas and one part of this idea is to export their culture and ideas to other people and countries, if the latter want it or not.
So you say the US is the same.
I'd say there was a reason why America went in at those times, for real or perceived threats, sometimes even with the intention to help.
When people want to live like in medieval times, plague, torture and all it their decision, ok.
But if the people don't want that and only one sh!tty dictator wants it so, what then?

All it brings is "chaos"? I guess the idea of freedom, personal development and individuality, adding medicine, health care and retirement plans is something to be avoided at all costs?

My heart bleeds, you have it so bad in the US.

https://i.imgur.com/ejGVc0Yl.jpg

Russia has relatively few troops to call on, so Battalion Tactical Groups are a way of creating a fighting unit with lots of punch. They're designed to attack quickly with lots of firepower. However, they have very little protection in terms of infantry personnel to escort them and to retaliate if the armored column comes under attack.

That makes the Russian army like a boxer who has a great right hook and a glass jaw. A lack of Russian air patrols means Ukrainian troops have found it easy to get into positions to ambush Russian tank columns. That means Ukrainian troops have been able to get into good fire positions for ambushes, and they have been able to do a lot of damage this way.

What's worse, Russia severely overestimated its own capabilities. These included the effectiveness of its own air force, the required quantity and reliability of its standoff weaponry, the quality and resolve of its ground forces, and especially the logistics necessary to support them beyond a single opening blitz. Even the Russian military's ability to deploy realistic planning and effective command and control seemed to disintegrate just days into the invasion. There still appears to be little integration or deconfliction between various field commanders and no single commander leading the war effort.

Even if Russia achieves its military objectives in Ukraine, at great cost in blood and treasure, what comes next is a no-win situation. And once the Ukrainian populace largely blends in with the occupying force, all the artillery or combat aircraft in the world cannot pacify the enemy. They are both nowhere and everywhere at the same time.

While Russia still may win its war to conquer Ukraine's territory, it has already lost in pretty much every manner conceivable. There is no positive endgame here. Those losses will only grow deeper and more permanent with each passing day that this phony war that should never have happened in the first place grinds on.

My friend, Here is a great example why citizens of every country should have term limits and financial investigations of their leaders and their family's.

[Gorpet]

Re. Gorpet's comment. Why do you defend Putin? Ukraine did not start the war and would have been perfectly happy without it but Putin has grand plans and control over what media your average Ivan gets. Freedom of the press to confront and ridicule the state, while often being misused and abused, is still light years ahead of state controlled media.

I'll fix this for you.
Hell ya, who gives a shtt what the Ukrainian people think. I just can't believe Russia and its people wholeheartedly believe what they see on state controlled Russian media.

Look this damn war would not have started if NATO would have made it clear to Ukraine it could not become a member.If they wanted to join the EU in trade agreement's fine. Russia does not want NATO on it's border.
The United States almost went to nuclear war in 1968 because Russia and the free Cuban government became friends. Now what the funk is the difference. If they don't want NATO in their backyard allowing American Warships into the Black Sea.
I'm sorry i don't see a difference. This is a European problem let European NATO deal with it. For one time let the world see Europe stand on it's own feet and deal with it's problems without American politician's getting involved. Nothing good for people around this planet happens when the American's get involved. That time has been long gone and over.

[Gorpet]

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/defense-national-security/russia-warns-finland-and-sweden-against-joining-nato

If we could just get Mongolia to join NATO,Wouldn't that be a surprise? i'm sure the Chinese would not mind. Hey we could bring our best weapons and park them right in their back door. And bring Freedom and Democracy and the Western World to the Mongolian desert. S*HT we could show the Ruling Families pictures of Las Vegas Nevada and how could they resist the Glamour and Glory of that?

[tmccarthy]

https://youtu.be/Mu19_rlwHgY

[tmccarthy]

18+ Mariupol Residents Expose War Crimes & Show Dead Ukraine Soldiers - Patrick Lancaster, Apr 14, 2022

https://youtu.be/5VrKFX7DmQE

[Gorpet]

My country is your country. Since you keep making out as if it isn't tells me you are one of those that think a revolution is in order. Very bad idea if you think that would make anything better.

I don't think a revolution will be anytime soon.When the 80 some million people who voted for Joey and the Democrat's feel it in their pockets they will already be down to the animal troughs to eat. It's coming and remember this not every ant will be chosen to serve or live.
Only the select soldier ant's and they were selected by the ballots they mailed home from the battle ground. And if your not one of them sworn.You asshat you are really going to find out what the future holds for you.
And it's not a trip to the Moon or Mars but a beautiful colored Mushroom. The reality is the people you have entrusted your life and the lives of your family to. Live in a reality you will never set foot in but you pay for it. And all of us across this planet we accept this it's the way it's been forever. And now to hold power the Elite families of Ukraine a country and its people must die. And only then will you see how the real world works.You see every Politician they are not getting concerned they act like they are not worried about a damn thing.

I don't know everything but believe this the, Dinosaurs and their family's must go and their family's must be Investigated and then we will see. If we have eyes to see with LOL.Did i not see Boris over in the battle zone in a suit and tie and Zlysinky in battle armour surrounded by his family in crisp battle armour Those family members really intimidated me and i was in the USA.The American President is to fragile to leave the country. But he looks good in those dark aviator sun glasses from Top Gun. And where in the hell is the President of the United Nations ? See what i mean, They say Putin is off his rocker well let's have Putin and Joe have a free-for-all in the English house of Commons.

[Gorpet]

I agree with you. China should be " painted " with the same brush as Russia. Russia to varying degrees avoids sanctions by essentially " laundering " it's currency thorough Chines banking institutions. China is helping to prop Russia up right now. " Birds of a feather ".....

Sorry for the late reply,The Birds are the Beautiful People who can JetSet. And it's a Global Pandemic they live in the clouds. And i have not heard of one of them or their families getting this Chinese lung virus. If you really want to look whos laundering money. Take a look at British Islands just East of the coast of the USA. Google i can't see a home on those Island's that doesn't have a swimming pool. And they have an Ocean around them. And they are Uglier looking than a coal miner.They have picked up Epstein's slack. And nothing slows down for the cloud riders.

[Buddahaid]

Look this damn war would not have started if NATO would have made it clear to Ukraine it could not become a member.If they wanted to join the EU in trade agreement's fine. Russia does not want NATO on it's border.
The United States almost went to nuclear war in 1968 because Russia and the free Cuban government became friends. Now what the funk is the difference. If they don't want NATO in their backyard allowing American Warships into the Black Sea.
I'm sorry i don't see a difference. This is a European problem let European NATO deal with it. For one time let the world see Europe stand on it's own feet and deal with it's problems without American politician's getting involved. Nothing good for people around this planet happens when the American's get involved. That time has been long gone and over.

Yes Putin doesn't want NATO in his backyard because he made it clear that he intended to bring all of the former Soviet states under Russian control again whether they like it or not. Those states then began seeking NATO membership to remain independent. Oops sorry Georgia too late, oh and sorry southeastern Ukraine too late. You call this western aggression but give the war criminals a free pass.

[Gorpet]

He said pretty clear in words that he wants the Warsaw Pact satellites back and gives them no right to have their own will in this. Russia wants a belt of states that are dampening the influx of the hostile evil West that since always threatens Russia and wants to attack and destroy it. Serious. This Russian paranoia is older than the world wars. Its their eternal mental handicap.

Here in America it's the mentally paranoid that's running the country right now. And what will happen to the planet when Two mentally handicap countries collide ? I think it will be the greatest firework show and the last the world will ever see. In my old age i think this planet needs a reset. Starting with sticks and stones again would be a good thing.Mother earth would get a different start but a fresh start.She would be better off without humans.Sea life then could have a chance.

[Jimbuna]

At the current expenditure rate those 40K artillery shots form the US will not even last one week. ;) And the Russian offenbsoive has not even started to roll, and losses of Ukrianian artillery and Russian interdiction strikes of ammo transports from the Polish border to Ukraine's East are not even counted in. And the Russians have satellites too - not just the US.




The EU and in particular Germany could and should be doing so much more.

Mind you, there is also a case for how much NATO members could and should also be doing.

[Jimbuna]

Russia says it will spare the lives of Ukrainian soldiers in Mariupol if they lay down their arms on Sunday.

Ukrainian MP Oleksiy Goncharenko tells the BBC that Ukrainian soldiers in Mariupol won't surrender to Russia.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky earlier said eliminating Ukrainian fighters in Mariupol would put an end to talks.

Russia is planning to restrict access to Mariupol from Monday, city officials say.

Men said to be crew members from the lost Russian warship Moskva are shown on parade in Sevastopol.

The mayor of Kyiv has warned residents to be wary of further Russian missile attacks.

Vitali Klitschko urges those who have fled the city not to return.

Russia has banned UK PM Boris Johnson and other senior ministers from entering Russia over the country's "hostile" stance on the war.

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=az6PsmVs5qc

[Jimbuna]

Ukrainian soldiers in Mariupol 'will not surrender', says Ukrainian MP
Ukrainian MP for Odesa Oleksiy Goncharenko tells the BBC that Ukrainian soldiers in Mariupol won't surrender to Russia.

"I spoke with them yesterday, and I know that they're going to fight until the end," he says.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said that eliminating Ukrainian fighters in Mariupol would put an end to peace talks to end the war.

Russia said it would guarantee the lives of Ukrainian soldiers who would surrender, with the Kremlin adding that the only Ukrainian soldiers left in the city were at a giant steelworks.

Goncharenko said the situation in Mariupol was "a real genocide" and estimated that about 100,000 civilians were in the city.

He added that it was considered "more than 20,000 people" have been killed in the besieged port city.

Another Russian general reported dead

The deputy commander of the 8th army of Russia's armed forces, Vladimir Petrovich Frolov, has died in the war in Ukraine, the Russian news agency TASS has reported.

The news was confirmed by St Petersburg governor Alexander Beglov. Beglov said: "Vladimir Petrovich Frolov died a heroic death in battle with Ukrainian nationalists."

The governor said Frolov "sacrificed his life so that children, women and the elderly in the Donbas would no longer hear bomb explosions. To stop waiting for death and leaving home, to say goodbye as if it were the last time".

But most of the shelling taking place in Ukraine is being carried out by Russia.

Throughout the war several Russian generals and high-ranking military personnel have been reported dead. It is unusual for such high-ranking officers to put themselves in danger by getting so close to the battlefield, and Western sources believe that they have done so in order to get some control over operations which have, in some areas, badly stalled.

[mapuc]

Sure, but those only destroy, not occupy you need ground forces to gain terrain

True. I was thinking...Ok they can't use their tanks due to muddy soil..but they can create havoc among the Ukrainian front by massive bombardment.

I would let it rain shells, rockets, missiles of many kind down on the Ukrainian soldiers and material.

So they are soften when I send my tanks and soldier to take land.

Markus

[Skybird]

Rule of thumbs values that are often given to describe the numerical advantage needed to go on the offensive, is 3:1 in favour of the attacker. In urban areas and house-to-house fighting even 5:1 to 6:1, and higher. Somehow I doubt the Russians can gain that. It got reported that during the attempted raid on/siege of Kyiv there probably were more Ukrainian defenders than Russian attacker in the areas in and around the city.



Two alternatives for the Russian I could imagine.

First, using groundforces to keep Ukrainian counterattacks away and shelling them from disaance, with long range weapons.

Second, conducting a highly mobile, fast and agile warfare to temporarily ensure numercial superiority in a place, winning the battle, and then quickly disperse, move away and to the next target and do the same somewhere else. - Some things speak against this. First, the war goal would need to be destroying the enemy in numbers, while the Russians want to occupy territory and thus need to hold ground, not moving away from it again. Socond, it woudl need good communication networks and routines, according tactical training, and a general doctrine calling for all this. - Their comms I cannot judge, they were bad in the past, but they may have learned from their initial mistakes, I dont know. The training is certainly not given, and the Russian/Sovjet military doctrine is not like that, too, so i would be surprised to see the Russians behaving like this. They tried several spearhead raid with their arimobile unisy whihc were considered to be their elite unites - THEY ALL FAILED and partially got shreddered to pieces.

[Dargo]

Rule of thumbs values that are often given to describe the numerical advantage needed to go on the offensive, is 3:1 in favour of the attacker. In urban areas and house-to-house fighting even 5:1 to 6:1, and higher. Somehow I doubt the Russians can gain that. It got reported that during the attempted raid on/siege of Kyiv there probably were more Ukrainian defenders than Russian attacker in the areas in and around the city.



Two alternatives for the Russian I could imagine.

First, using groundforces to keep Ukrainian counterattacks away and shelling them from disaance, with long range weapons.

Second, conducting a highly mobile, fast and agile warfare to temporarily ensure numercial superiority in a place, winning the battle, and then quickly disperse, move away and to the next target and do the same somewhere else. - Some things speak against this. First, the war goal would need to be destroying the enemy in numbers, while the Russians want to occupy territory and thus need to hold ground, not moving away from it again. Socond, it woudl need good communication networks and routines, according tactical training, and a general doctrine calling for all this. - Their comms I cannot judge, they were bad in the past, but they may have learned from their initial mistakes, I dont know. The training is certainly not given, and the Russian/Sovjet military doctrine is not like that, too, so i would be surprised to see the Russians behaving like this. They tried several spearhead raid with their arimobile unisy whihc were considered to be their elite unites - THEY ALL FAILED and partially got shreddered to pieces.

Problem is, Russia can not get enough trained personnel, Russians are running 2 man tank crews. Western tanks have 4 crew commander, gunner, loader, driver 4 sets of eyes. Russian tanks have 3 crew and an autoloader. In Ukraine, they seem to be operating with only 2 crew who are overworked and unable to maintain situational awareness, so sitting ducks. Rampant corruption is well documented (Stolen payroll for non-existent crew, etc.). If on paper, 100 fully crewed tanks are available, when war kicks off, you don’t suddenly become honest, you carry on with the lie. Easier than explaining why only 60 tanks deployed.

[Moonlight]

The Ukrainians are saying that their Neptune missiles caused the Moskva to sink.
The Russians deny that claim and are insisting that the Moskva suffered a fire and an explosion which eventually caused the ship to sink.
The Russians are also announcing that they bombed Kiev in retaliation, in retaliation for what?, for an onboard accidental fire that the Russians themselves have caused?, these are strange times.

Why does it appear that some of the crew look as if they've recently been dug up from a cemetery?, and why is it full summer in that same video they're showing?, hmmmm, the laws of physics must work differently in Russia than in the rest of the galaxy.

Bloody hell you muppets, the least you could do is get your story straight...

[Dargo]

True. I was thinking...Ok they can't use their tanks due to muddy soil..but they can create havoc among the Ukrainian front by massive bombardment.

I would let it rain shells, rockets, missiles of many kind down on the Ukrainian soldiers and material.

So they are soften when I send my tanks and soldier to take land.

Markus

would only work if the Ukraine army operates in open field that they avoided the entire war that is why they're winning

[Moonlight]

True. I was thinking...Ok they can't use their tanks due to muddy soil..but they can create havoc among the Ukrainian front by massive bombardment.

I would let it rain shells, rockets, missiles of many kind down on the Ukrainian soldiers and material.

So they are soften when I send my tanks and soldier to take land.

Markus

There are some cold war Nuclear Bunkers in Mariupol and those Ukrainian defenders will have control of them, the Russians will lose thousands of troops if they go into them and try to clear them out.
The Russians know that these bunkers are massive structures and lets be clear here, they have to take them. The Russians must be dreading going into them and that's why they are wanting the defenders to surrender.
The death rates of those Russian conscript soldiers will skyrocket as they don't have the know how to take them. If it happens and the Russians do go into them it will be the bloodiest and longest battle of the war. :o

[Dargo]

Sanctions work Russia can no longer buy components for anti-air missile systems BUK, tanks and similar. Production levels fall close to zero. Eventually this will reduce attacks on Ukraine.

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgrEV5z_szs

[mapuc]

From liveuamap

49°57′N 36°19′E Explosions in Nemyshlansky and Slobidsky districts of Kharkiv

50°2′N 36°28′E Ukrainian military in counter-offensive in Kharkiv region. Liberated Bazalievka, Lebyazhe, partially Kutuzivka

One step forward, and 1½-2 step back for the Russian it seems.

Markus

[Dargo]

Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, April 17
Key Takeaways

Russian forces likely captured the Port of Mariupol on April 16 despite Ukrainian General Staff denials.
Russian forces likely seek to force the remaining defenders of the Azovstal factory to capitulate through overwhelming firepower to avoid costly clearing operations, but remaining Ukrainian defenders appear intent on staging a final stand.
Evgeny Prigozhin, financier of the Wagner Group, is likely active on the ground in eastern Ukraine to coordinate Wagner Group recruitment and funding.
Russian forces continued their build up around Izyum but did not conduct any offensive operations.

https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-april-17

[Rockstar]

A few days ago I was wondering if Ukraine would eventually take back Crimea if they managed to boot Russia out of mainland Ukraine.

If the bridge really is doomed to fail then the Crimea would be severely cut-off from Russia again. Might be the best reason why Putin decided that in order to save face from *engineering blunders he would sacrifice 20,000 soldiers killed and counting in attempt to establish that land corridor from Mariupol to Crimea.

Putin's Bridge to Crimea Is Doomed to Collapse

https://www.newsweek.com/putin-bridge-crimea-doomed-collapse-541578

* Criticism comes from Russia as well. Russian construction engineer Yury Sevenard expressed identical concerns about the geology, seismic activity and extreme weather conditions. And in December 2016, Yury Medovar from Russia's Academy of Sciences said that the bridge is being built without a proper design, since nobody wants to take responsibility for it. The bridge cannot be built, he said, and God help us if it is, since it can't last.

[Kapitan]

Pictures have emerged of the Moskva I don't know who the source is, looking at it the 8 double missile tubes forward defiantly show its a Slava class and as the Moskva is the only operational Slava in the Black sea I am certain its her yet await conformation. (trust yet verify)

[tmccarthy]

https://youtu.be/7LrT7OrLufA

[tmccarthy]

Russian Soldiers Evacuate Children from Dangerous Areas of Mariupol

https://youtu.be/jdfTEgC4kIw

[Andreas86]

Pictures have emerged of the Moskva I don't know who the source is, looking at it the 8 double missile tubes forward defiantly show its a Slava class and as the Moskva is the only operational Slava in the Black sea I am certain its her yet await conformation. (trust yet verify)

Just read the same here:

https://censor-net.translate.goog/ua/news/3334827/kreyiser_moskva_pislya_urajennya_ukrayinskoyu_rake toyu_fotoreportaj?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=no&_x_tr_pto=wapp

There were two pics there:

https://translate.google.com/website?sl=auto&tl=en&hl=no&client=webapp&u=https://storage1a.censor.net/images/3/b/c/f/3bcf202e05a9e5d7a39640f07f18b0ca/original.jpg


https://translate.google.com/website?sl=auto&tl=en&hl=no&client=webapp&u=https://storage1b.censor.net/images/7/1/2/8/7128ad7567117a425cb6223351f40942/original.jpg

Btw, I was by chance watching a wannabe-serious channel "WION" news clip about the sinking where they actually showed this picture below, with the disclaimer "We cannot confirm the authenticity of this image" (or something like that). Not kidding. When talking about the latest shipment of weapons from the US they also managed to say "ISS-MM" howitzers, instead of "155mm" Howitzers..

https://i.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/mobile/000/040/171/moskvasinkingmeme.jpg

[Skybird]

FOCUS writes:


China and India are playing a dangerous game: neither wants to leave Russia to the other as a partner. But at the same time, neither of them can afford to fall out with their Western trading partners. Russia, on the other hand, has been threatening to become a vassal of China since the start of the Ukraine war. A tricky situation.

China and India are rivals. Both states are the size of a continent, with China three times the size of India, each have a population of about 1.4 billion, maintain large armies and are nuclear-armed. Both states are major economic powers, with China seven times the size of India, whose economic power is equal to that of France. They compete for dominance in Southeast Asia and engage in territorial disputes in the Himalayas.

China is currently far ahead in the competition for global political influence, but sees India as a rival for regional hegemony. India is therefore by no means unjustified in seeing itself encircled by the projects on China's New Silk Road. India fears, again for good reasons, that China would like to severely limit its foreign policy and economic room for maneuver in order to keep a rival in Asia small.

It is all the more astonishing that the Global Times, the mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist Party, has not tired for weeks of praising Indian independence to the skies. According to the Chinese, this independence is expressed in the fact that India does not allow itself to be pushed into an anti-Russia coalition by the United States, unlike the "European vassal states. The independence of India's foreign policy is expressed in not condemning Russia's war of aggression, buying cheap Russian oil and not supporting Western sanctions.

This, in turn, is surprising because India - in order to protect itself from China and balance China's rise in the region in terms of power politics - has joined forces with the U.S., Australia and Japan in the Quad alliance. The Quad's anti-China intent cannot be overlooked.

This may have led the U.S. to believe that India supports Western policy toward Russia. However, because India has heavily equipped its military with Russian weapons, since it was allied with the Soviet Union in the East-West conflict, and is dependent on spare parts, and because it does not want to drive Russia completely into China's arms, since it values cheap energy after all, this expectation has not worked out.

Thus, it adds to the complexity of international relations that rivals China and India are both in closer proximity to Russia and continue to maintain relations. China, in order not to lose Russia as the most important partner in a global policy directed against the United States. India, so as not to lose Russia entirely as an ally to China.

Yet both states have the same problem with Russia: The more isolated Russia is politically and the more its economy suffers from the sanctions, and the more wicked Russia's international image becomes and the more Russia lags behind technology-driven progress processes in the future, the more the country becomes a burden.

This is because relations with the U.S., Europe, Asian countries and many others in Latin America and Africa are many times more important than those with Russia. This is already a difficult balancing act, and both states are anxious just to avoid falling into the gravitational field of Western sanctions. Neither China nor India will risk secondary sanctions.

Nor will they face them at the state level at present. The U.S., which imposes secondary sanctions on those states that undermine or counteract original sanctions, has no interest in entering into a conflict with India or China at this time.

Washington is well aware of the limits of its own ability to act and the limitations on the ability of its allies to act. In the societies of these states, however, this may turn out differently in the further course of the war in Ukraine.

For with regard to Russia, it was a lesson that will have been registered in China in particular that state sanctions are one thing, socio-economic disengagement is another. They are interrelated, but the socio-media forces have developed their own dynamics.

The exodus of Western companies from Russia, the removal of Russian products from markets and bars, has very quickly developed a momentum that no state regulation alone could have brought about in that time.

This is why China is so keen not to be seen as the ultimate ally of a country that purposefully murders civilians, lays waste to cities and obviously commits war crimes and, in Mariupol, alleged genocide. Away from the international legal process, the assessment of such events in the public opinion of the Western world has a high, albeit volatile, sensitivity for this.

What if a dynamic trend begins to boycott products from states that support a regime that commits war crimes (public opinion usually omits this, presumably). This danger is certainly being considered for Chinese trade, as well as for the issue of future investment, which, unlike the phase of geopolitical negligence, will have to take far greater account of political conditions in the future.

China and India illustrate that not only can the enemy of my enemy be my friend, but also the friend of my enemy - so as not to become the enemy. The question is whether this variance will hold true in the future bipolar world order. For it is certain that the international order will know only two dominant states: the USA and China.

Europe will have less autonomous room for maneuver than before in view of the threat posed by Russia for some time to come. Russia's threat of nuclear weapons will echo in European memory for even longer. Russia, in turn, has lost an independent position in world politics and almost all autonomous room for maneuver as a result of the war.

With his aggression against Ukraine, President Putin has realized the Chinese interest in transforming Russia into a tributary state of China. In the future, he may be able to copy Stalin internally by producing an enormously repressive state, but not externally. In sixty years, the balance has turned 180 degrees. China is a superpower, Russia a follower.

Russia's neo-imperialist ambitions, which were aimed at leading it into an independent role as a world power, are shattering in the Sinocentric zone of influence, where everything revolves around China.

The country that wanted to establish its own sphere of influence with the war against Ukraine is now placed in the sphere of influence of a stronger power. There is only one way out of this constellation for Russia, the very long road to the West. Germany has taken this path after two devastating wars and singular crimes.
-------------------------------------

Prof. Dr. Thomas Jäger has held the Chair of International Politics and Foreign Policy at the University of Cologne since 1999. His research focuses on international relations as well as American and German foreign policy.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

[Skybird]

Pictures have emerged of the Moskva I don't know who the source is, looking at it the 8 double missile tubes forward defiantly show its a Slava class and as the Moskva is the only operational Slava in the Black sea I am certain its her yet await conformation. (trust yet verify)
Impressive, scaring high waves! Thats really a gale of horror. No wonder that she sunk in that storm as the Russians claimed. Mother Nature really showed her grim face that day.

[Subnuts]

Those ARE pretty rough seas...for a Schwimmwagen.

[Aktungbby]

The first rule of Chines politics is... there is no politics. There is only obedience to the Party by 1.5+- billion peasants and its doctrines as Road and Belt adherents, such as the Solomons and African mineral-rich nations will discover to their chagrin. Example: even Premier Xi's "limitless friendship" with Vlad the pillaging, raping, murdering war criminal has its 'limits'. Japan started empire building in 1931 in Manchuria; Italy tried to restablish Roman glory in Ethiopia, and the Kaiser(Namibia) and Hitler sought "Germany's place in the sun" with follow-on atrocities in Poland 1939. Putin's sole objective is the restoration of Stalin's Soviet Iron Curtain buffer; and China seeks to restore a global dynasty after its "century of shame" at the hands of the West and Japan. The blood price of oppressed resisting slaughtered colonials is always high in the pursuit of empire. The lesson of history is: appeasement of empire builders is not an option: Hitler's Czechoslovakia(1939), China's Tibet(1959)and Putin's Crimea (2014) were unmet by oppostion...and a high price was and will be the result.

[Dargo]

Russia appears to have begun its expected new offensive in eastern Ukraine, Ukrainian forces report. Russian troops reportedly tried to break through Ukrainian defense lines in the regions of Kharkov, Lugansk and Donetsk today.

According to the Ukrainian Security Council, the shelling and fighting was more intense than in previous days. The Ukrainian military can stop this attack in the Donbas region, the government body states. Fighting is also said to continue around the port city of Mariupol.

The US states that there are now 76 tactical battalions of Russia in southeastern Ukraine. That is eleven more than a few days ago.

[Dargo]

Parents of Moskva crew members have told that their sons onboard the ship were conscripts and not professional soldiers on contract

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/apr/18/moskva-warship-need-answers-relatives-missing-crew-russia