Apparently, President Putin doesn't realize he's sitting at Ground Zero. Maybe he doesn't care. Playing Russian Roulette is a dangerous game. Just a few days ago, MEM invited Russia to take Canada's leader out. Now, there's some sound thinking.
Rams
Some say he* is not well, and not necessarily averse to going out in a blaze of glory.
Quite frankly, I don't really give a damn HOW he gets gone out of office, or who does it. So long as he aint bothering us anymore.
You might feel differently if that were to actually happen. Russia always installs a puppet government. Be careful what you wish for, you might just get it. Respond however you wish, this is thread has turned stupid.
Rams
[This message has been edited by blackrams (edited 02-27-2022).]
I can use Google maps to see my house and cars parked in the driveway from a stock shot. I've seen military satellite pictures in the past of more detailed photos (I read decades ago if a ruler was on the ground, they can see millimeters). With all the media coverage of the Zmiiniy Island/Snake Island incident, not much info afterwards, just words. Instantly promoted posthumously as hero's everywhere. I just want media honesty. Not speculation, even if the island was desolate with hardly any infrastructure. Surely there are photos of smoking craters where buildings stood. Or live video of bombardment. Not dissing the courage and defiance the border guards showed with the "go f**k yourselves" Brig. Gen. Anthony McAuliffe style "N U T S" moment CONSTANTLY being broadcasted, but instead left with a narrative and not knowing the actual outcome. There are now reports they are all/some alive and or taken prisoner.
It is baffling to me that the comm's are still up and power is still on. If this is a "war" that world governments are telling us/having us believe through the various News/Entertainment outlets, these would've been the first to be taken out.
Then we're told: "Putin wouldn't do that because the invading ruskies need working infrastructure when they roll in and take full control."
Why does Putin want the world to see what's going on? You'll be left with just satellite comms. in the end. Equipment not widely available to everyone there. Even if Elon Musk comes to the rescue, electrical power is everything.
Taking out a few outbound transmission lines from power substations would not take too much time to restore. Telecom CO's (central offices) or Headend/Hubsites or cell sites require power. All have generators and battery banks to last for a little while (at least the ones I've been in in the states). So communication infrastructure could remain intact.
Why is the media spinning it this way, this David vs. Goliath story? To force WWIII? Noone gave a crap about this before, especially the media. Energy energy energy, oil oil oil. It seems to me this is a push to cut off all oil usage and force global greenlyness so more money can flow to china. Domestic US production not gonna happen, it's currently being neutered. Now cut off Russia. OPEC not budging (on purpose?).
Or maybe I'm thinking olde fashionly.
W.O.P.R. World Order Population Reducer? For a greener future!
This is what happens when a country becomes energy dependent on another country. The Greenies of the US should be paying attention. Remind me again, how much energy (oil) do we buy from Russian sources while we have our own oil within the US and Canada?
Rams
Russia has TWO major exports that has supported it's creaky economy since 1991. Energy and wheat.
For 30 YEARS the Russian Federation has sat by quietly, and even encouraged it, while western Europe has been consumed by their "Greenies" and their continual push for dependence on wind and solar power to the extent that European nations now are incapable of generating enough baseline energy for themselves without imported Russian oil and natural gas.
[This message has been edited by randye (edited 02-27-2022).]
I guess that report was slightly exaggerated but, that's still a lot of wheat.
Rams
There isn't much doubt that Russia is the single largest exporter of wheat, but it's a long way from supplying half of all the world's wheat, by dollars sold or by tons.
Which brings us back to my original point about the Russian Federation's "creaky" economy based on only 2 major exports.
In terms of GDP, the Russian Federation ranks 11th in the world just below South Korea and only marginally above Brazil, so it's certainly no "economic super power" today.
[This message has been edited by randye (edited 02-27-2022).]
Farmer is allegedly making off with an abandoned Russian MT-LB tracked APC (armored personnel carrier) with what looks like a folded down radar, (possibly AAA), mounted on top of it.
[This message has been edited by randye (edited 03-05-2022).]
I've noticed on social media the high number of AWLFs who tend to adore men internationally, but abhor the same domestically. There must be something that explains this.
From what I read, you're right. It's been a good read for.the first 5th that I've read.
Now, do people have the courage to ID the people creating this narrative over and over, pushing further perversions on society? It's not enough to just call them 'liberals'.
WASHINGTON – Russian President Vladimir Putin faces a critical juncture in the week-old war he started in Ukraine.
Bad choices, of his own making, are all he has left, experts say.
Unleash the full fury of firepower he's amassed on Ukrainian cities, and Putin risks killing thousands of civilians and destroying homes, buildings and roads. Surround the population centers, choke off water, food and electricity, and Putin assembles the ingredients for a humanitarian catastrophe. Send in ground forces to take control, and Putin will invite a blood bath that kills Ukrainians and sends troops in body bags back to Russia.
A building burns after shelling in Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, March 3, 2022. Russian forces have escalated their attacks on crowded cities in what Ukraine leader called a blatant campaign of terror.
A building burns after shelling in Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, March 3, 2022. Russian forces have escalated their attacks on crowded cities in what Ukraine's leader called a blatant campaign of terror.
Putin's initial plan has unraveled, resting on the assumption that Ukrainian officials and troops would capitulate quickly. Instead, the spirited resistance from Ukrainians and poor performance by his own troops has left Putin and his military commanders frustrated and behind schedule, according to a senior Defense Department official.
The Pentagon and military experts expect Putin's forces to regroup, encircle cities and lay siege to them, shelling and bombing them until they surrender. The Russians will likely seize control of the cities. Deep, hardened resistance awaits them.
It won't be an easy fight, said Colin Smith, an expert on the Russian military at the RAND Corp. If Russia allows citizens to flee along the corridors they've agreed to establish, they'll leave behind well-armed fighters in cities like Kyiv.
"Then it's kind of a giant Alamo," Smith said. "It's an Alamo they can sustain for quite a long time if they've got the ammunition. They have the deepest subways in the world. It's their backyard. They could fight for a very, very long time."
There are also indications of poor morale among Russian troops, according to the Defense official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence findings. Food and fuel shortages along with poor training have contributed to morale problems. The main Russian force arrayed against Kyiv remains stuck about 15 miles from the city's center.
"There's enough evidence that there are Russian soldiers who do not want to fight and are not on board with killing Ukrainians," Smith said. "There's equipment that's been left behind, and they didn't just run out of gas. There's equipment that's been just left behind wholesale – perfectly working equipment – with no Russian soldiers in sight."
Even if Russian forces overrun Ukraine's major cities, the invasion force invasion force of 190,000 troops in and around Ukraine is not large enough to control a largely hostile population of more than 40 million Ukrainians, said Seth Jones, senior vice president and director of the international security program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
"It will likely be difficult for the Russian army to hold territory for long with such a small ratio of soldiers to local inhabitants," Jones said. "High numbers of troops are critical for establishing law and order."
Another problem for a Russian force spread too thin: Ukraine's open western border. U.S. and NATO allies have been funneling weapons, ammunition and supplies through western Ukraine. In the last week, as much as $240 million worth of arms, including anti-tank missiles, have crossed into western Ukraine, according to a second senior Defense Department official.
"Russian forces are unable to interdict the growing flow of anti-tank missile systems, surface-to-air missile systems, fighters, artillery, small arms, ammunition, and other material flowing into Ukraine," Jones said. "There is virtually no case since World War II of an occupying army successfully pacifying a local population when the insurgency has support from a great power."
Smith raised a darker possibility. Putin has no interest in occupying Ukraine. Instead, Smith said, he wants to crush its government and military, leaving behind a country incapable of aligning with or joining NATO, even though that is not an imminent possibility.
"I don't think Russia could ever control Ukraine," Smith said. "That was never their intent. I think they just honestly want Ukraine to be a buffer. Regardless of what government goes back into Ukraine, Ukraine has been left so decapitated it can’t field a viable military. It's not going to join NATO, or NATO decides against even considering it. You've created a wasteland buffer."
Putin will attempt to convince Russians that the war in Ukraine was waged to prevent NATO from threatening Russia. Hopefully, they aren't that gullible.
Putin will attempt to convince Russians that the war in Ukraine was waged to prevent NATO from threatening Russia.
"Can he sustain the spin to stay in power? That will be determined on how long this conflict goes on," Smith said. "Time is on Ukraine’s side. Every day that you can stand in his way is in their favor. But it's also another day that another building and hundreds of civilians are at risk. There's no good outcome at this point."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ukraine: Putin's war on Kyiv turning into long slog of death, despair
"Can he sustain the spin to stay in power? That will be determined on how long this conflict goes on," Smith said. "Time is on Ukraine’s side. Every day that you can stand in his way is in their favor. But it's also another day that another building and hundreds of civilians are at risk. There's no good outcome at this point."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ukraine: Putin's war on Kyiv turning into long slog of death, despair
Admittedly, I'm surprised at the Russian tactics, they never seemed to be able to establish air superiority and thier logistics obviously are well below par. They missed several opportunities to take advantage of an obviously ill prepared force but, with the support of NATO, I'm now fairly confident Putin's Red Army won't want to stay long. But they will eventually succeed in leaving Ukraine as a wasteland and unfortunately as a buffer as the article suggests. NATO should have acted sooner. Both the Ukraine and Russian people will pay a heavy price to bolster Putin's ego. NATO is a defensive organization and has never been an offensive threat.
Rams
[This message has been edited by blackrams (edited 03-05-2022).]
The last paragraph is your perspective? Yeah, I don't see that repeating the msm narrative is authoritative.
Just wait and see. The msm junk gets debunked regularly and major mouthers on TV are calling for assassination. That doesn't suggest a swift defeat of Ruaaia. It sounds like desperation.
[This message has been edited by sourmash (edited 03-05-2022).]
The last paragraph is your perspective? Yeah, I don't see that repeating the msm narrative is authoritative.
Just wait and see. The msm junk gets debunked regularly and major mouthers on TV are calling for assassination. That doesn't suggest a swift defeat of Ruaaia. It sounds like desperation.
Ruaaia? Hmm: Desperation, no. Justified, maybe. Personally, I'd rather see Putin put on trial as a war criminal with 12 Ukrainian jurors.
Rams
[This message has been edited by blackrams (edited 03-05-2022).]
Admittedly, I'm surprised at the Russian tactics, they never seemed to be able to establish air superiority and thier logistics obviously are well below par. They missed several opportunities to take advantage of an obviously ill prepared force but, with the support of NATO, I'm now fairly confident Putin's Red Army won't want to stay long. But they will eventually succeed in leaving Ukraine as a wasteland and unfortunately as a buffer as the article suggests. NATO should have acted sooner. Both the Ukraine and Russian people will pay a heavy price to bolster Putin's ego. NATO is a defensive organization and has never been an offensive threat.
Rams
I've always, (at least since my military days), been aware of the severe deficiencies in Russian logistics and C3, so none of that surprises me in the least.
What does surprise me a bit is the extent to which I'm increasingly seeing references to Russian conscript troops and "kontractniki", (contract soldiers, but not mercenaries).
Back in the late 1980's - early 1990's Mikhail Gorbachev's "glasnost" finally revealed to the Russian public the true, and vast, nature of the huge reliance of the Red Army on long term conscripts and the abuse they suffered.
The Russian military had well over 5 million men in uniform in 1985 and by the end of 1992 with the Soviet Union collapse that number had dwindled to much less than 1 million to approx. 750,000.
Now I'm a bit curious just how much the Russian Federation troop numbers have, (again?) swelled with conscripts and contract soldiers.
...
On a side note, and of interest to any "rotor heads" in the crowd, (yes I'm looking at you Ron), I'm also a bit astonished how the Russians apparently didn't learn any lessons from Afghanistan where their Mi-24 Hinds and Mi-8 Hips were routinely shot down by MANPADS.
If the reports from Ukraine are only 50% accurate, the Russians are losing helos at an alarming rate to a variety of western shoulder fired AA missiles.
They are also losing more than a few of their newer and highly touted Kamov-52 attack helicopters which were supposedly the Russian's answer to the US AH-64 Apache but are looking to be quite fragile by comparison.
I know that there aren't many, or any, military helos that will hold up well to a "stinger", (or it's Russian copy, the "Strela"), hit but it appears to me that the Russian's have still not been able to mitigate the weakness of their military helicopters presenting the IR signature of a Pittsburgh steel blast furnace under a July noonday sun....even their flare countermeasures don't seem to be working from some videos I've seen recently.
[This message has been edited by randye (edited 03-06-2022).]
Not sure if this belongs here or maybe in "The Other Mall" section of PFF but Misha Veksler in Ukraine has a "slightly used" Russian MTLB armored personnel carrier for sale for $500 USD
Misha doesn't say if he has a clear title for it and he says "it needs a little work".
I should also mention that the Russian army is actually using almost 60 year old equipment in their invasion of Ukraine.
[This message has been edited by randye (edited 03-06-2022).]
Scrap value maybe but getting it to the scrap yard won't be cheap.
It's a shame Putin has so little respect for his young conscripts and for the people of both Ukrainian and Russian people. Russians' economy has gone in the toilet and Ukraine is being destroyed. War criminals need to be captured and justice served. An egomanic's wet dream needs to be squashed.
Scrap value maybe but getting it to the scrap yard won't be cheap.
It's a shame Putin has so little respect for his young conscripts and for the people of both Ukrainian and Russian people. Russians' economy has gone in the toilet and Ukraine is being destroyed. War criminals need to be captured and justice served. An egomanic's wet dream needs to be squashed.
Rams
The egomaniacs occupying our government are the highest degree of chit bags needing retribution.
“Only professional military staff are participating” in the Russian operation in Ukraine, he said. “Not a single conscript is there, and we don’t plan” to change that. Every Russian soldier and officer in Ukraine made a choice to join the ranks, and they are fulfilling their duty there with honor, Putin said.
Staying on the issue of foreign military threats, Putin declared that an attempt to establish and enforce a no-fly zone over Ukraine by foreign powers would be treated as an act of joining the military conflict by whichever nation would attempt it.
Desperation, no. Justified, maybe. Personally, I'd rather see Putin put on trial as a war criminal with 12 Ukrainian jurors.
