ZirconBlue
Sole Survivor of L-Town
He'll have to check those; I don't think they'll fit in the overhead compartment.
- Status
He'll have to check those; I don't think they'll fit in the overhead compartment.
The plane was big enough for his balls.
If it’s not your special military operation getting bogged down it’s your aircraft carrier setting on fire: Ukraine-Russia news – live: Putin’s only aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov catches fire
Is it good for Russia that they probably don't need to look for sabotage or incredibly cunning Ukrainian action as it is almost certainly the Admiral Kuznetsov doing what it's done for well over a decade.
Aridas
Crazy Little Green Dragon
Looks like the estimated number of Russian military forces killed by Ukraine's has passed 100,000, now.
lobosrul5
Philosopher
100,000 in almost exactly 300 days of war. Been seeing a lot of daily 600+ KIA numbers lately. So they are losing twice the number of men as average.
I don't expect many of Russia's newest conscripts will be around to see spring.
ETA: for comparisons sake, the US averaged about 280 military deaths per day during WW2.
Last edited:
Doubt
Philosopher
- Joined
- Apr 25, 2002
- Messages
- 8,106
Looks like a suicide to me. Just like all the Russian buisnessmen that fell out of windows in the last year.
dudalb
Penultimate Amazing
Maybe Zelinsky should swipe a line from the Christmas movie clasisc "DIe Hard"
"Ho! Ho! Ho! Now I've got Patriot Missiles!".
"Ho! Ho! Ho! Now I've got Patriot Missiles!".
The reactions of some Republicans to Zelinsky visiting and his speech are "interesting" for all the wrong reasons. See National Memo https://www.nationalmemo.com/republicans-ukraine
Some of these clowns didn't show up for the speech quite deliberately. Others made known by their behavior that they were utterly contemptous of Zelinsky. Trump Jr. referred to Zelinsky has a "Welfare Queen" and other unamusing nonsense.
And of course Tucker Carlson condemned Republicans supporting Zelinsky and refferred to Zelinsky has "Anti-Christian". Great dog whistle Carlson. We know what you really mean - Zelinsky is Jewish and hence horrible.
All in all pathetic.
Some of these clowns didn't show up for the speech quite deliberately. Others made known by their behavior that they were utterly contemptous of Zelinsky. Trump Jr. referred to Zelinsky has a "Welfare Queen" and other unamusing nonsense.
And of course Tucker Carlson condemned Republicans supporting Zelinsky and refferred to Zelinsky has "Anti-Christian". Great dog whistle Carlson. We know what you really mean - Zelinsky is Jewish and hence horrible.
All in all pathetic.
Now is the time to fill Ukraine with weapons. European and US public support is high, and there's still time -- I Jesus hope so -- to train crews and deploy the systems to obliterate any Russian winter offensive.
Spend munitions, not lives!
Spend munitions, not lives!
100%
Mike!
Official Ponylandistanian National Treasure. Re
Craig4
Penultimate Amazing
It seems like we can stop worrying about escalation. Every time the orcs draw a line in the sand, we cautiously tip-toe up to it, gingerly step over it and nothing happens. Russia is a one-trick-pony now. They can't escalate. Give Ukraine what it needs and it will be generations before Russians can try military adventurism again.
theprestige
Penultimate Amazing
Russia still has some functional troops. Russia still has some functional tanks. Russia still has some functional aircraft, some functional cruise missiles. Still has some functional ships. Ukraine is still having to fight very hard for the gains it's making.
I think it's safe to assume that Russia still has some functional nukes, and could still escalate with those.
dudalb
Penultimate Amazing
I am not so sure of that, as long as Putin is around.
dudalb
Penultimate Amazing
To be fair, they are getting heat from some Republicans as well.
I am surpised they are sticking to this, is the hill you really want to die on?
a_unique_person
Director of Hatcheries and Conditioning
Tucker has excelled himself with that rant.
Last edited:
Oystein
Penultimate Amazing
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2009
- Messages
- 18,903
The latest from the Ruscist MOD is that they plan to expand the number of their core, profesional troups as well as their reserve, conscripted forces each by something like 40% or more. This of course has to be understood as implying that military equipment/production/procurement will increase by similar percentages. In fact, Putin said the other day that there is no limit to the amount of money he is willing to spend on this war (and the next, and the next).
The obvious problem with such "plans" is of course that Russia lacks the economic resources to sustain such expansions of the military-industrial complex: It lacked many resources before February 24th [*], and has lost huge resources since due to sanctions, brain drain, and the simple fact that too many young men are sent to fight instead of to be productive.
Which means the Russian population will come to feel hardships and poverty and loss of resources more and more in coming years. Which breaks the unwritten deal Putin has with his population - that he can rule forever and play czar in exchange for ordinary Russians enjoying a time of modest rise of wealth and being left alone by the traditionally oppressive state.
---
[*] Then, sheer money and the ability to procure were not much of a bottleneck thanks to high prices for fossil fuels and the subsequent ability to fill up a nice war chest; but technological and industrial know-how, a qualified and young/creative workforce, etc were already in short supply
The obvious problem with such "plans" is of course that Russia lacks the economic resources to sustain such expansions of the military-industrial complex: It lacked many resources before February 24th [*], and has lost huge resources since due to sanctions, brain drain, and the simple fact that too many young men are sent to fight instead of to be productive.
Which means the Russian population will come to feel hardships and poverty and loss of resources more and more in coming years. Which breaks the unwritten deal Putin has with his population - that he can rule forever and play czar in exchange for ordinary Russians enjoying a time of modest rise of wealth and being left alone by the traditionally oppressive state.
---
[*] Then, sheer money and the ability to procure were not much of a bottleneck thanks to high prices for fossil fuels and the subsequent ability to fill up a nice war chest; but technological and industrial know-how, a qualified and young/creative workforce, etc were already in short supply
Oystein is entirely right about Russia's material and social disadvantages. But Putin's regime possesses one distinct strength: utter ruthlessness. This is not the bestial, lunatic cruelty of the nazis. This is the cold determination of the Mongols, and as pointless.
A subservient nation like Russia will endure a great deal, even while being militarily defeated, before it rebels. This war is not as political as some, and it must be won on the battlefield.
That's why I believe in the magic of lock and load.
A subservient nation like Russia will endure a great deal, even while being militarily defeated, before it rebels. This war is not as political as some, and it must be won on the battlefield.
That's why I believe in the magic of lock and load.
dudalb
Penultimate Amazing
The Russians seem unable to get beyond the need for a authoratrain leader who will occasionnly give them the knout.
A nation can outgrow that, The Germans did . The Russians have a long way to go.
- Status