The Russian Invasion of the Ukraine.

[angrysoba]

Unfortunately there is loads of misinformation.

I am seeing a lot of stuff on social media of how garbage the Russian equipment is and how easily the Russian invasion is being smashed, captured and killed.

Obviously I hope all of it is true and Putin swings from a lamp-post.

In fact, if all of it is false but believed and Putin swings from a lamp-post then I would also be happy, so I guess just keep pushing that propaganda!

 

[Andy_Ross]

BRITAIN last week supplied a reported 2,000 short-range anti-tank missiles and sent British specialists to deliver training. It has also provided Saxon armoured vehicles.

75 Saxons were sold to Ukraine under a contract made in 2013.
The former chief commander of British land forces, General Sir Richard Dannatt, said that supplying the vehicles to Ukraine was "immoral" as they were "useless" in the type of high intensity warfare they were being deployed in.

They were acquired in 1983, to equip mechanised infantry battalions and use as a 'battle taxi' to transport infantry by road from the UK to the BAOR as reinforcements.
They are Bedford truck chassis with a lightly armoured body added. It is armoured against small-arms fire and shell splinters.
Better than walking but not a fighting vehicle.

Saxons in Ukraine service

 

[Ryokan]

Слава Україні! **** Putin!

There's something about this that is just strange.

They say a Ukrainian Su-27 shot down the Russian transport plane.

A second transport plane was also shot down, but it doesn't say by what.

It also says the Ukrainian Su-27s supported the ground forces in beating back the Russians.

Where is the Russian air force? Why wasn't the transport plane escorted? Why are Ukrainian fighter jets allowed to be in the air?

We saw the same at Antonov airport north of Kiev. Transport planes and helicopters, but unescorted by fighter jets.

Why don't the Russians have air superiority?

 

[BobTheCoward]

Well, it is obviously "unjustified" - I have seen some libertarians, well, tbh, a libertarian, claiming here that the obligation of parents to feed their children is tyranny. I largely kid you not, that was really the gist of the position.

Yes, this was a classic position taken by the notable (as libertarians go) Murray Rothbard. It wasn't a novel idea.

 

[Andy_Ross]

Huge Donations To Tory Party From Russia Aren't 'Damaging', According To Liz Truss
The foreign secretary said she was not "embarrassed" about being pictured with Russian donors either.

The Tories have also received almost £2 million in donations from people with links to Russia since Boris Johnson became prime minister in 2019.
This money benefitted deputy prime minister Dominic Raab and chancellor Rishi Sunak along with five other MPs who are attending cabinet.

"I think it's very important we don't conflate people with Russian heritage with people close to the Putin regime," says Liz Truss, just moments after being shown a photo of her standing beside a Tory donor whose husband is one of Putin's former ministers.
Chernukhin is the “biggest female donor in recent British political history” and has donated more than £1.8 million to the Tory Party over the years – her husband, a former Russian minister to Putin, has strong links to the Kremlin.

Pointing this out during their live interview, BBC Breakfast’s Dan Walker asked Truss: “How damaging is that for the government at the moment?”
She replied by claiming all donations have been declared, and that the government’s priority is sanctioning oligarchs close to Putin.

Asked if the donations from Russian oligarchs should be handed back, she replied: “Everyone who donates is on the British electoral register, they are fully vetted before making those donations.
“I think it’s very important we don’t conflate people with Russian heritage and Russian backgrounds with people who are close to the Putin regime.”

https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/en...z-truss-sanctions_uk_6215f2e5e4b03d0c8030ce8b

 

[Andy_Ross]

There's something about this that is just strange.

They say a Ukrainian Su-27 shot down the Russian transport plane.

A second transport plane was also shot down, but it doesn't say by what.

It also says the Ukrainian Su-27s supported the ground forces in beating back the Russians.

Where is the Russian air force? Why wasn't the transport plane escorted? Why are Ukrainian fighter jets allowed to be in the air?

We saw the same at Antonov airport north of Kiev. Transport planes and helicopters, but unescorted by fighter jets.

Why don't the Russians have air superiority?

Because they aren't very good?

 

[angrysoba]

There's something about this that is just strange.

They say a Ukrainian Su-27 shot down the Russian transport plane.

A second transport plane was also shot down, but it doesn't say by what.

It also says the Ukrainian Su-27s supported the ground forces in beating back the Russians.

Where is the Russian air force? Why wasn't the transport plane escorted? Why are Ukrainian fighter jets allowed to be in the air?

We saw the same at Antonov airport north of Kiev. Transport planes and helicopters, but unescorted by fighter jets.

Why don't the Russians have air superiority?

I have no idea. I really know nothing about military affairs. I have opinions, of course.

I do know that many of the reports that come out turn out to be different from how they are originally reported though. Sometimes the complete opposite.

It does seem strange if Russia has not got air superiority yet.

I am beginning to dare to believe that the Russian military is indeed a moth-eaten piece of crap.

 

[Wildy]

I just want to share this tweet I saw:

Just turned on Russian TV for a minute: it's all about how Russia is helping refugees from Donbass. And how the refugees are all traumatized from Nazi attacks and provocations.
Total parallel reality.

 

[Ryokan]

I do know that many of the reports that come out turn out to be different from how they are originally reported though. Sometimes the complete opposite.

Absolutely. I'm sure a lot of what we know now will turn out to be wrong.

But one thing isn't wrong, and that is that the Russians are not having much success at meeting their objectives. They have a lot of forces in Ukraine, but they haven't really achieved much.

The only thing we can compare such a massive modern military operation to are the operations we have seen in, as I mentioned before, Iraq, Bosnia, Serbia, Afghanistan and Iraq again, and in those the air superiority made it impossible for the enemy to fight back.

No way would it have been possible for outdated fighter jets to take part on the enemy side.

 

[sphenisc]

President Zelenskyy's address to the Russian people.

https://mobile.twitter.com/PMoelleken/status/1496941845812760577?t=Ue3-GHuHzWCg-PzgG3lDlg&s=04

 

[The Don]

I have no idea. I really know nothing about military affairs. I have opinions, of course.

I do know that many of the reports that come out turn out to be different from how they are originally reported though. Sometimes the complete opposite.

It does seem strange if Russia has not got air superiority yet.

I am beginning to dare to believe that the Russian military is indeed a moth-eaten piece of crap.

Given their low level of military spending, the large numbers in their military, the sheer area they have to cover and the wide range of missions they would have to support, it wouldn't shock me to find that they have a comparatively small number of elite units equipped with the latest and greatest equipment, that the rank and file have pretty substandard kit and that a lot of their equipment strength is notional.

They supposedly have close to 1,000 fighter aircraft, the RAF has under 200 and the military spending for the two countries is comparable.

 

[Darat]

Because they aren't very good?

This.

The Russian military is as corrupt as any other part of the Russian state, large numbers can look impressive but that doesn't mean they are efficient at making war.

 

[angrysoba]

Absolutely. I'm sure a lot of what we know now will turn out to be wrong.

But one thing isn't wrong, and that is that the Russians are not having much success at meeting their objectives. They have a lot of forces in Ukraine, but they haven't really achieved much.
The only thing we can compare such a massive modern military operation to are the operations we have seen in, as I mentioned before, Iraq, Bosnia, Serbia, Afghanistan and Iraq again, and in those the air superiority made it impossible for the enemy to fight back.

No way would it have been possible for outdated fighter jets to take part on the enemy side.

This is wonderful!

As I may have said, this completely puts the lie to Putin's claim that Ukraine is not a real country or it is topped by a bunch of kleptokrats.

The Ukrainians are willing to fight and die for their country, and people like Zelensky and Klitschko, who people may have expected to run away, have stayed to fight!

Now, I feel like going to the Russian consulate in Osaka and screaming at them.

 

[BobTheCoward]

Absolutely. I'm sure a lot of what we know now will turn out to be wrong.

But one thing isn't wrong, and that is that the Russians are not having much success at meeting their objectives. They have a lot of forces in Ukraine, but they haven't really achieved much.

The only thing we can compare such a massive modern military operation to are the operations we have seen in, as I mentioned before, Iraq, Bosnia, Serbia, Afghanistan and Iraq again, and in those the air superiority made it impossible for the enemy to fight back.

No way would it have been possible for outdated fighter jets to take part on the enemy side.

But those wars have a significantly greater disparity in force strength. I don't know how Russia is performing relative to the fundamentals of their forces.

 

[trustbutverify]

Ukraine claims to have killed 3500 Russian soldiers.
If that's true, or anywhere near true, that's insane.

In comparison, on the worst day of the Vietnam war, the Americans lost under 250 soldiers.

Link? Obviously, that's nonsense.

 

[trustbutverify]

Several videos of captured Russian soldiers, some seemed bewildered and claimed they were told, and thought it was an exercise. Some are clearly young conscripts.

Putin put ill-equipped, new conscripts with barely any training on the front lines as canon fodder. Not really soldiers in any meaningful way.

 

[Andy_Ross]

Zalensky

“When you attack us, You will see our faces, not our backs”

Response to an offer of evacuation

“I need ammunition, not a ride"

Are you watching Boris? This is what real leadership is about.

 

[Ryokan]

Link? Obviously, that's nonsense.

Many are reporting on the Ukrainian claims. A quick google will give you many reports on this claim.

Here's just one:

https://www.express.co.uk/news/worl...ukraine-invasion-war-humiliated-captured-kyiv

But yes, it's probably inflated and a number used as propaganda and to bolster Ukrainian morale.

We will see. I don't think there's any doubt the Russians have had casualties, and probably more than they expected.

 

[Andy_Ross]

Link? Obviously, that's nonsense.

Why is it nonsense?
The Russians are obviously having difficulties making any of their objectives and haven't taken anything major yet.

 

[BobTheCoward]

Zalensky

“When you attack us, You will see our faces, not our backs”

Response to an offer of evacuation

“I need ammunition, not a ride"

Are you watching Boris? This is what real leadership is about.

Real leadership is childish posturing I guess

eyeroll