Kiev Is Burning

[Stuart Galbraith]

11 minutes ago, Doug said:

 

 

Wow, Putin's table really is long, isn't it?

 

[Roman Alymov]

Fresh from my Facebook  -paid advert "Immadiatelly take your money away from bank account"

I think Facebook is living its last days in Russia, since it is becoming unusable.

[Stuart Galbraith]

It's only now I'm beginning to grasp quite how arrogant, deranged  and dangerous Russia's political leadership is.

[glenn239]

4 hours ago, Stuart Galbraith said:

No, I don't think UVB76 is part of perimetr, if it exists, it's too localised and quirky. But why chance it? After all, you said all these months you didn't want to support Ukraine, because it might start a nuclear war. So why take the chance by meddling with something we don't understand?

Nuclear war was one reason.  The others were that I think NATO will emerge overall weaker than before, and that Ukraine benefiets from war not at all.  The dice have been rolled, and if any/all of these assumptions were wrong then I will acknowledge going forward.

On the cyber front, the specific thing I am worried about is that any time there is a cyber attack the quick blame is for Russia.  But, we are now in a situation where if someone other than Russia successfully blames Russia, things could go badly.  Are there 3rd party actors capable of making such a false flag attack?  I do not know.  

[wendist]

13 minutes ago, sunday said:

Finland? What Finland? All will be Sweden!

 

If any territorial changes ever happens up north it will be the creation of a independent Sami Republic where Sweden, Finland and Norway will all have to cede territory because we are all evil colonial powers. And I'm only part joking. Russia should be in there (giving back land) as well but that seems even less likely.

[Roman Alymov]

4 minutes ago, Stuart Galbraith said:

Wow, Putin's table really is long, isn't it?

I think i have allready posted this jole from Russian internet

 

 

[glenn239]

4 hours ago, Stuart Galbraith said:

Thanks, I will. I usually go for RC 1-16 scale ones these days. Just finished up the Chieftain and T55. 

My Dog is an rc tank enthusiast too..

Link the post to me when you do.  My brother is a very talented model maker.  He's currently working on an HMS Victory that's about 10" long.  I tell him that his basement is big enough that he can do both fleets at Trafalgar as Nelson was breaking the line, but for some reason he's not exactly enthusiastic.  :^)

[bojan]

59 minutes ago, Manic Moran said:

Were Poland, Bulgaria or Slovakia planning on replacing their MiG-29s any time soon? Their retirement may have been advanced.
https://mobile.twitter.com/AFP/status/1498029493033881601/photo/1

Bulgaria did, they have ordered F-16, but their 29s were already falling apart.

[bojan]

49 minutes ago, Yama said:

When are you going to return Norrbotten to Finland? 

Better not to start that otherwise we are all gonna end up under Italians.

[Yama]

6 minutes ago, wendist said:

If any territorial changes ever happens up north it will be the creation of a independent Sami Republic where Sweden, Finland and Norway will all have to cede territory because we are all evil colonial powers. And I'm only part joking. Russia should be in there (giving back land) as well but that seems even less likely.

Yes! Sápmi freedom now! 

[Helmutkohl]

5 hours ago, bojan said:

As do Leo 2 in Turkish use in Syria.

yup sure. there's an inherent problem with these designs in the way they store ammo. including both the Leopard and T-Tanks and I acknowledge that. Unlike you who resorts to personal attacks now.

[Laser Shark]

2 minutes ago, bojan said:

Better not to start that otherwise we are all gonna end up under Italians.

Norway reverts to a selection of petty kingdoms and I get to live in the richest of them all! 😎

[bojan]

 

2 minutes ago, Helmutkohl said:

yup sure. there's an inherent problem with these designs in the way they store ammo. including both the Leopard and T-Tanks and I acknowledge that.

So you agree that anyone who bought any tank other than M1 is a moron since only M1 has all ammo separated from crew? If you did not try to play old and stale card... response would have been that worse.

So tell us, did you really name yourself after politician or I should apologize to you?

Edited February 27, 2022 by bojan

[Stuart Galbraith]

29 minutes ago, Stuart Galbraith said:

It's only now I'm beginning to grasp quite how arrogant, deranged  and dangerous Russia's political leadership is.

yes it's a lot, but  please, apply yourself in this one.

 

A new world is being born before our eyes. Russia's military operation in Ukraine has ushered in a new era - and in three dimensions at once. And of course, in the fourth, internal Russian. Here begins a new period both in ideology and in the very model of our socio-economic system - but this is worth talking about separately a little later. Russia is restoring its unity - the tragedy of 1991, this terrible catastrophe in our history, its unnatural dislocation, has been overcome. Yes, at a great cost, yes, through the tragic events of a virtual civil war, because now brothers, separated by belonging to the Russian and Ukrainian armies, are still shooting at each other, but there will be no more Ukraine as anti-Russia. Russia is restoring its historical fullness, gathering the Russian world, the Russian people together - in its entirety of Great Russians, Belarusians and Little Russians. If we had abandoned this, if we had allowed the temporary division to take hold for centuries, then we would not only betray the memory of our ancestors, but would also be cursed by our descendants for allowing the disintegration of the Russian land.

 Nationalists in Ukraine are fighting on the recommendation of foreigners, Putin said. Vladimir Putin has assumed, without a drop of exaggeration, a historic responsibility by deciding not to leave the solution of the Ukrainian question to future generations. After all, the need to solve it would always remain the main problem for Russia - for two key reasons. And the issue of national security, that is, the creation of anti-Russia from Ukraine and an outpost for the West to put pressure on us, is only the second most important among them. The first would always be the complex of a divided people, the complex of national humiliation - when the Russian house first lost part of its foundation (Kiev), and then was forced to come to terms with the existence of two states, not one, but two peoples. That is, either to abandon their history, agreeing with the insane versions that "only Ukraine is the real Russia," or to gnash one's teeth helplessly, remembering the times when "we lost Ukraine." Returning Ukraine, that is, turning it back to Russia, would be more and more difficult with every decade - recoding, de-Russification of Russians and inciting Ukrainian Little Russians against Russians would gain momentum. And in the event of the consolidation of the full geopolitical and military control of the West over Ukraine, its return to Russia would become completely impossible - it would have to fight for it with the Atlantic bloc. 

Now this problem is gone - Ukraine has returned to Russia. This does not mean that its statehood will be liquidated, but it will be reorganized, re-established and returned to its natural state of part of the Russian world. Within what boundaries, in what form will the alliance with Russia be consolidated (through the CSTO and the Eurasian Union or the Union State of Russia and Belarus)? This will be decided after the end is put in the history of Ukraine as anti-Russia. In any case, the period of the split of the Russian people is coming to an end. And here begins the second dimension of the coming new era - it concerns Russia's relations with the West. Not even Russia, but the Russian world, that is, three states, Russia, Belarus and Ukraine, acting in geopolitical terms as a single whole. These relations have entered a new stage - the West sees the return of Russia to its historical borders in Europe. And he is loudly indignant at this, although in the depths of his soul he must admit to himself that it could not be otherwise.

Russia formed a delegation for negotiations with Ukraine Did someone in the old European capitals, in Paris and Berlin, seriously believe that Moscow would give up Kyiv? That the Russians will forever be a divided people? And at the same time when Europe is uniting, when the German and French elites are trying to seize control of European integration from the Anglo-Saxons and assemble a united Europe? Forgetting that the unification of Europe became possible only thanks to the unification of Germany, which took place according to the good Russian (albeit not very smart) will. To swipe after that also on Russian lands is not even the height of ingratitude, but of geopolitical stupidity. The West as a whole, and even more so Europe in particular, did not have the strength to keep Ukraine in its sphere of influence, and even more so to take Ukraine for itself. In order not to understand this, one had to be just geopolitical fools. More precisely, there was only one option: to bet on the further collapse of Russia, that is, the Russian Federation. But the fact that it did not work should have been clear twenty years ago. And already fifteen years ago, after Putin's Munich speech, even the deaf could hear - Russia is returning.

 Russia brought to Ukraine an agreement to organize negotiations, said Peskov Now the West is trying to punish Russia for the fact that it returned, for not justifying its plans to profit at its expense, for not allowing the expansion of the western space to the east. Seeking to punish us, the West thinks that relations with it are of vital importance to us. But this has not been the case for a long time - the world has changed, and this is well understood not only by Europeans, but also by the Anglo-Saxons who rule the West. No amount of Western pressure on Russia will lead to anything. There will be losses from the sublimation of confrontation on both sides, but Russia is ready for them morally and geopolitically. But for the West itself, an increase in the degree of confrontation incurs huge costs - and the main ones are not at all economic. Europe, as part of the West, wanted autonomy - the German project of European integration does not make strategic sense while maintaining the Anglo-Saxon ideological, military and geopolitical control over the Old World. Yes, and it cannot be successful, because the Anglo-Saxons need a controlled Europe. But Europe needs autonomy for another reason as well — in case the States go into self-isolation (as a result of growing internal conflicts and contradictions) or focus on the Pacific region, where the geopolitical center of gravity is moving.

Russia's rights in the Council of Europe suspended But the confrontation with Russia, into which the Anglo-Saxons are dragging Europe, deprives the Europeans of even the chances of independence - not to mention the fact that in the same way Europe is trying to impose a break with China. If now the Atlanticists are happy that the "Russian threat" will unite the Western bloc, then in Berlin and Paris they cannot fail to understand that, having lost hope for autonomy, the European project will simply collapse in the medium term. That is why independent-minded Europeans are now completely uninterested in building a new iron curtain on their eastern borders - realizing that it will turn into a corral for Europe. Whose century (more precisely, half a millennium) of global leadership is over in any case - but various options for its future are still possible. Because the construction of a new world order - and this is the third dimension of current events - is accelerating, and its contours are more and more clearly visible through the spreading cover of Anglo-Saxon globalization. A multipolar world has finally become a reality - the operation in Ukraine is not capable of rallying anyone but the West against Russia. Because the rest of the world sees and understands perfectly well - this is a conflict between Russia and the West, this is a response to the geopolitical expansion of the Atlanticists, this is Russia's return of its historical space and its place in the world.

No one in Europe wants to fight Russia,  China and India, Latin America and Africa, the Islamic world and Southeast Asia - no one believes that the West leads the world order, much less sets the rules of the game. Russia has not only challenged the West, it has shown that the era of Western global domination can be considered completely and finally over. The new world will be built by all civilizations and centers of power, naturally, together with the West (united or not) - but not on its terms and not according to its rules.

Aggravation of the situation in the DPR and LPR Authors Vladimir Putin Latin America Russia Africa Eurasian Union CSTO Recognition of the DPR and LPR in Russia Version 2018.1 Beta © 2022 MIA "Russia Today" The online edition of RIA Novosti was registered with the Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media (Roskomnadzor) on April 08, 2014. Registration certificate El No. ФС77-57640 Founder: Federal State Unitary Enterprise International Information Agency Rossiya Segodnya (MIA Rossiya Segodnya). Rules for the use of materials Privacy Policy Chief editor: Gavrilova A.V. Editorial email address: internet-group@ria.ru For press releases and advertising: sales@ria.ru Editorial phone: 7 (495) 645-6601 To contact the editors or report any errors you have noticed, use the feedback form.18+ Newsline 0 Newsline

 

Smacks to me of Alexander Dugins Eurasianism bollocks.

Edited February 27, 2022 by Stuart Galbraith

[Helmutkohl]

1 minute ago, bojan said:

Lol

So you agree that anyone who bought any tank other than M1 is a moron?

a discussion about the design of the T tanks and its flaws (if you believe it exists or not) would be more interesting than whataboutisms and personal attacks

[glenn239]

4 hours ago, Gromit said:

You don't seem to grasp geography, Russia would have to mobilise it's reserves to come close to occupying Ukraine!

 

This was supposed to be a lightning operation and it's all gone to hell, if they are running out of fuel now adding even more demand on the logistics trains is a sure fire way of creating your own disaster!

Gromit, all military operations are a shit show at all levels from start to finish.  This is the first major one in history in which everyone is posting the screwups on social media in real time.  Do not mistake a convoy running out of gas for more than it actually is.  The fact seems to be that the Russian air force is kicking the living shit out of Ukraine, that the Ukrainian air defenses are coming apart, and that  Western hand held weapons can inflict a price but not compensate for Russian firepower overall.  I see no evidence that the Ukrainian army is even capable of major road movement at even the battalion level.  An army that cannot maneuver or receive supply is defeated.  

 

 

 

[Yama]

7 hours ago, jaro said:

btw, that strategic readiness thing..   “ Russian nuclear alert just weakens their operational freedom. Now air, sea and tactical missile operations must be planned and executed in a way that NATO does not misinterpret those as nuclear launch.”

 

or they dont care now?

It's not particularly unusual. USA has gone to Defcon 4 or 3 during conventional conflicts, locally even Defcon 2 (for example, at the beginning of Desert Storm).

[bojan]

5 minutes ago, Helmutkohl said:

a discussion about the design of the T tanks and its flaws (if you believe it exists or not) would be more interesting than whataboutisms and personal attacks

That discussion already exists the AFV forum part of TN in more than one massive topic. Any tank w/o blow-out panels for all of it's ammo (and only M1 qualifies) is gonna end the same after fire or hit in the unprotected ammo storage. Only fact that they did not see any or much combat helped with Leo 2, Leclerc, K2. Type 90 & 10 and so on reputation.

Edited February 27, 2022 by bojan

[Roman Alymov]

Patrick Lancaster on move - note mix of pro-Russian militia and regular Russian Army vehicles

 

[bojan]

1 hour ago, John T said:

...More seriuosly, today Sweden crossed a line, selling arms to a country in war did not happen after the  armsdeals with Israel and Egypt in the fifties....

Oh, but they did, only they were smart to use intermediaries. Through IDK if prime minister was aware.

Think I will have to open "Cold war arms smuggling and shady deals" topic, only stuff where Yugoslavia participated or was intermediary will probably fill first page or two.

Edited February 27, 2022 by bojan

[rmgill]

42 minutes ago, sunday said:

Finland? What Finland? All will be Sweden!

 

[Roman Alymov]

Popular joke from Russian internet - "Putin have healed the world of CoVid-19 in one day"

[glenn239]

4 hours ago, Gromit said:

Or, the logistics trains are simply not getting to them, leaving them without ammo , food , water and fuel!

 

Which begs the question are Ukrainan infantry operating against the supply lines, a lot of the columns seen destroyed are REMF's

Pick a lane.  One post it's the Russians aren't advancing fast enough or in great enough numbers.  The next it's that their supply lines need to be consolidated.

 

[wendist]

37 minutes ago, John T said:

No problem, as part of Swedens eastern Duchery.

 

More seriuosly, today Sweden crossed a line, selling arms to a country in war did not happen after the  armsdeals with Israel and Egypt in the fifties.

(minor quantites of Carl-Gusafs and spares to 40mm, during the cold war but neither of those was officialy approved by the PM) 

Im pretty shure it would not have been possible without Russian pressure.

 

We'll join Nato in October.

 

Cheers

/John 

 

How's this for a hypothetical time-line?

1 Ukraine is defeated and absorbed by Russia. Belarus is also pulled further into Russia's sphere.

2 NATO strengthen defence in the Baltic countries to try to prevent further Russian aggression. Tension rises between the two sides.

3 Finland and Sweden both find the security situation so bad that there is now support both among the political elite and the public to apply for membership in NATO. NATO accepts both countries into the organisation and proceeds to strengthen their presence there as well.

4 15 years of renewed Cold War follows with increased economical warfare. Shit happens elsewhere but that is beyond the scope of this post.

5 Russia's economy tanks, everyone is miserable, we have a second "1991" and it's the end of history. Again.

6 NATO forces the creation of a independent Novgorod Republic that together with, once again free, Belarus and Ukraine form the USSTDTM (Union of Slavic States that don't trust Moscow).

 

OK so this is part joke/exaggeration (#6) but not entirely.

[Stuart Galbraith]

Glenn, you realise those two things are directly related, right? That they can't move unless they have a viable supply system?