Russia is using conscripts,which by Russian law cannot be sent into combat,oops. Something that has been bothering me.Russia seems to be doing alot of night time fighting,but I've yet to see any night vision optics.Attacking a fortified position at night without night vision is suicidal.
at least so far, the way Putin has designed the military is completely top heavy. Seems he forgot that you don't gain strength without a solid foundation. i'm sure he's has some all out warfare weapons at his disposal. Kinda hard to use that when you can't be anywhere near that aggressive if you're trying to occupy. and with his economy now collapsed, no matter how engaged you must be in the invasion, but you still have to have plans for the future. and i cant imagine he planned for a scenario where he would occupy ukraine with a collapsed and isolation economy. most of russia's reserves are now frozen, so how will he afford the occupation in the long term?
meanwhile the US has clearly taught the ukrainians all the guerilla warfare techniques they learned from fighting in the middle east, as well as enhancing them with modern equipment and weapons. from a military standpoint, i like how well the ukrainian military is defending. you can't really get any better than this in an urban environment. the only weakness they have is a numbers problem. but the russian military clearly doesn't know how to take a city, nor do they have urban combat training and experience amongst enough soldiers overall. everything about the ground forces says they've only trained for WW2 style combat. Thats really sad, because he was so ahead of the world when it came to cyber warfare, but forgot to give his REAL soldiers a software update.
this is just a complete failure of planning. if his plan was really just to try and run threw ukraine by going through the front door with brute force, than he should be criminally charged with negligence and deregulation of duty. he basically tossed his soldiers away with no regard for their lives. still using WW2 tactics in a modern world is just....it would make Putin a fraud.
Originally Posted by FATE
Early in this invasion, a poster here said "I don't need to see this"... because of something posted here... all I could think is "better be careful where you click then".
Everybody needs to see this. You said it early on and I nodded my head in agreement.
While I am shocked, your emotions were already re-calibrated years ago, by the sacrifice you made for your country. Unfortunately, they were fighting for a madman. Don't feel much because there wasn't (isn't) much I can do. I'm much more emotional watching a father say goodbye to his daughter.
The scenery bothers me more than anything else. Ruins... ruined lives whether they survive or not.
yep. people need to see it. this isn't the movies or TV shows. they'll never get close to how crazy it looks in reality. people need to see this video because they a trip down their own mortality. this is what real bombs and bullets look like.
Originally Posted by archbolddawg
I watched it. I didn't feel much either. I don't know what that means though.
who knows, but go down the rabbit hole.
Originally Posted by EveDawg
It bothered me at first. But I got over it. I've seen worse things on the internet. Watching that guy get beheaded is the worst thing I have ever seen and took me a long time to get over. I had huge regret about watching that video.
yea and there's gotta be a limit. nobody needs to see live combat, or an execution, murder, etc. however, i'm perfectly fine with showing the aftermath. one thing i liked about german news over american news is that they didnt block out anything. they would really show the bodies on the ground in the news, the blood, etc. they didn't censor that. we dont really get that in America. it will really make people constantly think about mortality and the importance of life. we get the pg-13 stuff, so we still think about killing like a game or movie because we dont emphasize the value of human life that well.
“To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public.”
It was me that posted a comment about videos - I disagree that everyone "has to see" ... it is a choice. My original comment was because there was essentially a snuff clip of a tank driving over and killing people in a car, without any warning. If a video shows people being killed or dead bodies - it should come with a disclaimer.
The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.
As for Russia not attributing the volunteers to Nato? C'mon ... it's Putin's Russia. Today or yesterday they made the claim that it was the West that escalated the the talk about Nuclear arms. They just flat out lie about anything and everything and try to leverage anything and everything. I think what Biden did - warning the world that there was going to be a fake pretense for Russian attack is the right way to go, keep telling the world what the lie is going to be before it gets uttered by the Ruskies.
The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.
I’m starting to think that their plan is to completely reduce the country to rubble and try to reclaim it from the ground up.
The protests and outrage from citizens all across the world will create enormous political pressure for other countries to intervene as that plays out on social media.
I thought this was interesting. I wonder if this is what Biden is hearing?
Six Ways to Help Ukraine Survive Right Now
Ukraine has shown remarkable resolve, resilience, and military capacity as it defends itself against Russia’s unprovoked and massive attacks.
By contrast, Russian forces have performed poorly, with failures in planning, execution, and logistics. They have suffered far greater losses of equipment and personnel than expected and have bogged down in what they clearly thought would be a war of a few days.
Despite Ukraine’s early successes, however, there is no guarantee this situation will remain this way. Russia is regrouping its forces and bringing in fresh, additional Russian (and perhaps Belarussian) units. It is massing them around major cities and preparing for major sieges, especially of the capital, Kyiv. Russia is preparing to use missiles, airpower, and shelling to attempt to subdue the city and its defenses. It has already caused over 2,000 civilian deaths, but the upcoming attacks will produce far more.
President Biden has drawn a clear line that the United States will not engage in direct fighting against Russia to help defend Ukraine, but will provide substantial amounts of equipment to help the country defend itself. The total amount committed this year now reaches $1bn.
Even so, US military assistance provided thus far is inadequate to the magnitude of the challenge Ukraine faces. There must be more aid, delivered far more quickly, to help Ukraine survive for the next week. Here are six specific ideas to implement within 24 hours.
Ensure a full flow of real-time US intelligence information to Ukraine about Russian military capabilities, positions and intentions. Legal arguments that such sharing may implicate the US as a belligerent must be overcome immediately, for example, by fully embedding Ukrainian officers in our intelligence processing so they can report directly, rather than position the United States as “sharing.”
US assistance already includes Stinger surface-to-air missiles, for low altitude air defense, but should also include systems to give a medium- and high-altitude capability. Ukrainian ground forces can hold their own against Russian ground forces, but we must not allow Russia to gain air superiority over Ukraine.
Support the transfer by NATO allies of Soviet-made MiG-29 aircraft to Ukraine, with financing as necessary by the European Union. These allies are willing to share the equipment, Ukrainians know how to use it already, and desperately need the additional air capacity.
Provide US A-10 ground-attack aircraft – currently scheduled to be mothballed – to Ukraine as Excess Defense Articles. Thanks to prior military exchange programs, Ukraine already has a small number of pilots trained to fly the A-10. If spare parts and maintenance are required, use part of the US $1bn funding to allow Ukraine to hire private contractors, rather than involving US personnel directly.
Work with other NATO Allies to establish a secure corridor to safely and swiftly transport military supplies from Polish territory into Ukraine, for where the Ukrainian military can take possession. There are no Russian forces in this area now, so there would be no hostilities.
As a humanitarian action, put in place a no-fly zone for protection of the civilian population against Russian aerial bombardment. The exclusion zone should cover Kyiv and western Ukraine — but not extend further east to avoid coming close to Russian borders. The no-fly zone would require clear communication to make clear it serves humanitarian purposes only, and that no US or NATO aircraft or drones would engage in any hostilities against Russian ground forces, except in self-defense if fired upon. Neither would they engage any Russian aircraft provided those aircraft remain outside the declared exclusion zone. Russian air force leaders will understand the lines.
Russia has already launched an unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine. Frustrated by his initial failures, Vladimir Putin is now about to unleash new, unspeakable atrocities on the people of Ukraine. Yet the Ukrainian people remain determined and prepared to fight for their country.
We must not wait for horrific images of more civilian casualties to flood our television screens before we decide on further action. The people of Ukraine deserve our urgent support — we must act now. Helping Ukraine survive for the next week will give sanctions more time to take a toll on Russia’s military effort, and more time for patriotic and level-headed Russian military, intelligence, and business leaders to comprehend the damage Vladimir Putin is doing to their homeland.
Philip Breedlove is retired General of the United States Air Force. He was Supreme Allied Commander of NATO from 2013-2016. During 39 years of service, he was also Commander of US European Command; Commander, US Air Forces Europe, and Air Forces Africa; Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force; and Assistant Chief of Staff for Air Operations, Plans and Requirements.
Ambassador Kurt Volker is a Distinguished Fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis. A leading expert in US foreign and national security policy, he served as US Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations from 2017-2019, and as US Ambassador to NATO from 2008-2009.
I watched it. Twice. That soldier hanging headfirst off that armored vehicle was about as raw as I needed, to get at least a rudimentary understanding.
I actually backed the vid up, and froze that image because it went by so quickly the first time. "Wait- what was that???". So I went back. On purpose. I've seen staged images like this in war movies, but this was different. Very different. That grainy images was brutal, awkward, and unnatural in its ugliness.
Then I remembered that news article about the texts a young Russian soldier had with his mother just before he died on foreign soil, and I started to see how costly this whole stupid thing is for everyone. Everywhere in Russia, mothers are screaming in grief.
Putin killed their sons along with countless Ukrainians- citizens of an independent sovereign state. He lied to his soldiers, and sent them into battle under false pretenses. He fng lied to his soldiers.
Madness of this degree needs to be displayed for all to see. Let the world judge. This is truly Good v. Evil. My hope is that the people of Russia finally see through the veil, rise up, and 'Marie Antoinette' his entire regime. Hard reset/we've had enough. If these images we're seeing have somehow also gotten to Russia's citizenry, we could be looking at the germ of a social revolution in real time.
This is Putin's last joint. He's gone and pssd off/inconvenienced too many World Players to survive this. Big Money/Big Power is inconvenienced. Only one question still begs an answer: how will his last days be written? Will he enjoy a cool, refreshing vanilla/polonium milkshake? Will he send a .45 to his right temple? Will he make cities on his own continent glow green as he goes down in a MCU-type epic? Any of these is possible. Dude's been stone crazy for decades [insert shirtless horse rider pic here].
________________
Damn, Swish- I have mad respect for you, and what you've borne in service to your fellow citizens. I wish that you'd never experienced things like this- they represent the absolute worst of what our species can be, and no person should ever be witness to anything like this. I can't imagine how you lived through it, or how you live with it now.
Tonight, we began our Masterworks concert with a playing of the Ukrainian national anthem. We will repeat the tribute tomorrow night. I'm told that other orchestras are doing the same, on every continent.
The Ukrainian anthem is drowning out any and all of Putin's noise.
My understanding is NATO establishing any sort of no-fly (and the intention to enforce) is akin to declaring war on Russia. It's clearly a non-starter until Putin hits or trespasses on NATO first.
"I'll take your word at face value. I have never met you but I assume you have a face..lol"
I was giving some thought as to if there's any possible way to get Putin to put an end to this while saving a little face, in order to conclude this with as little loss of life as possible. I really don't think so. So, how does this end? I'm sure we all agree that Putin is just not going to concede defeat. The only real option is to neutralize Putin by killing or imprisoning him, or accepting his wrath.
And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul. - John Muir
I tend to agree with you. The only thing is we can't have American politicians saying things like that out loud. Things like that are to be done via covert operations and be done in total secrecy.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
Ukraine took out the bridge to stop the convoy. I thought since it has been 4 days now, they were just waiting them out and see if the russians in the convoy turn around, starve themselves, etc.
but yesterday and this morning there have been some videos and news reports that someone is taking out "some" of the convoy
US asks all Americans to leave Russia immediately The State Department Saturday issued new guidance to Americans in Russia, urging them to leave "immediately."
The new guidance is a step-up from Wednesday's guidance that Americans in the country should "consider" leaving.
The U.S. embassy in Moscow also announced Ambassador Sullivan will host a virtual town hall for Americans in Russia this Wednesday.
The most sad part of that by far is that there are actually people stupid enough to still be in Russia with everything that's going on right now. It sounds like a Bill Engvall joke where he would be saying "Here's your sign" at the end.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
Not now that she's waited for over a week after the war started. People were warned for weeks this was going to happen and ignored it. Not that I certainly don't hope all Americans can safely get out of Russia because I do. But staying there with all of the warnings of the coming war and even over a week after the war started is pretty foolish.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
Not now that she's waited for over a week after the war started. People were warned for weeks this was going to happen and ignored it. Not that I certainly don't hope all Americans can safely get out of Russia because I do. But staying there with all of the warnings of the coming war and even over a week after the war started is pretty foolish.
Not now that she's waited for over a week after the war started. People were warned for weeks this was going to happen and ignored it. Not that I certainly don't hope all Americans can safely get out of Russia because I do. But staying there with all of the warnings of the coming war and even over a week after the war started is pretty foolish.
Yes I know. According to the reports she was carrying drug paraphernalia. Which if anyone bothered to check the drug laws in Russia was a pretty stupid thing to be doing as well. This isn't really an argument that deserves to be made here. But what ever you like. She committed what is considered a pretty serious crime in Russia. At least that is what is being reported. I don't like that she was arrested and being detained in Russia but let's not pretend her actions didn't help create the situation.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
![[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]](https://i.imgur.com/kHXiWY7.jpg)
I figure it will be 10 bucks next week so might as well fill up.