The Russians have gone in

[oldbrownhat]

Cracks emerge in Russian elite as tycoons start to bemoan invasion

Free-access WaPo article here.

"In the two months since Russia invaded Ukraine, the silence — and even acquiescence — of the Russian elite has started to fray....

...Sweeping sanctions imposed by the West have brought down a new iron curtain on the Russian economy, freezing tens of billions of dollars of many of the tycoons' assets along the way.

"At least four oligarchs who made it big in the more liberal era of Putin's predecessor, President Boris Yeltsin, have left Russia. At least four senior officials have resigned their posts and departed the country, the highest ranking among them being Anatoly Chubais, the Kremlin special envoy for sustainable development and Yeltsin-era privatization czar.

But those in top positions vital to the continued running of the country remain — some trapped, unable to leave even if they wanted to. Most notably, Russia's mild-mannered and highly regarded central bank chief, Elvira Nabiullina, tendered her resignation after the imposition of Western sanctions, but Putin refused to let her step down, according to five people familiar with the situation....​

 

[UncleEd]

A whole series of photos are
emerging of abandoned or
destroyed Russian tanks,
other equipment bearing the
graffiti "Wolverines."

 

[LVSteve]

Upping the ante again, the British are sending some appropriately named munitions to the Ukrainian battleground. Hundreds of "Brimstone" missiles are being sent there, though which version is unclear.
Not man-portable, these 110LB supersonic missiles range from 7.5 to 25 miles, or 37 miles for air-launched, and carry a 14LB warhead, with either laser or fire&forget radar guidance. They excel at hitting moving targets.

No doubt they will be put to very good use there by the increasingly adept Ukrainian forces.

Brimstone Precision-Guided Missiles Are Headed To Ukraine Within Weeks

Sent from my motorola one 5G using Tapatalk

I wonder if they are sending a ground or air launched variant.

 

[LCC]

So when the UN Secretary General visits Kyiv yesterday, Putin sent 5 missiles into the city just miles from him. The mind boggles with the idiocy of it...if the SG was still fence sitting, the blasts likely toppled him off of it.

 

[Rudi]

I have forgotten so much of my Russian. How do you say, "spiraling out of control"? Also, the first American volunteer has been killed in the fighting.

 

[dockmurgw]

Also, the first American volunteer has been killed in the fighting.

"Cancel was killed on Monday after agreeing to go to Ukraine as part of his work with a private military contracting company"

Tragic. This young man was a civilian, so his primary responsibility should have been the wife and 7 month old baby he left behind.

 

[pharmer]

Not trying to stir any pot but I am "naturally cautious" (cynical) about "choosing sides." Running through massive quantities of "throughput" I ran into this article. Not giving it any "thumbs up" or down, just a Hmmm. A little long but written by a "spook" closer to the action than me. Of course, you can just skip the article if you dip into the author's background and "sexual proclivities" deciding to "cancel the perv." Joe
Kramatorsk train station attack, by Scott Ritter - The Unz Review

 

[bigwheelzip]

After last week's visit to Ukraine by the Danish Prime Minister, Denmark agrees to deliver to them M113 tracked Armored Personnel Carriers, anti-tank mines, and mortar shells.

So far in this conflict, Denmark has provided 2,700 M72 LAW Light Antitank Weapons, 300 FIM-92 Stinger man-portable anti-aircraft missile systems, and 25 Skywatch drones for reconnaissance

Denmark will also give €80.5 million to Ukraine to finance weapons, and will assist the country with mine clearance and rebuilding work.



Sent from my motorola one 5G using Tapatalk

 

[ladder13]

Not trying to stir any pot but I am "naturally cautious" (cynical) about "choosing sides." Running through massive quantities of "throughput" I ran into this article. Not giving it any "thumbs up" or down, just a Hmmm. A little long but written by a "spook" closer to the action than me. Of course, you can just skip the article if you dip into the author's background and "sexual proclivities" deciding to "cancel the perv." Joe
Kramatorsk train station attack, by Scott Ritter - The Unz Review

We'll never know will we?

 

[Nevada Ed]

CNN had a picture of the Black Sea parting and a sub firing a rocket.........

looks like things are warming up ?

 

[UncleEd]

CNN had a picture of the Black Sea parting and a sub firing a rocket.........

looks like things are warming up ?

Probably a routine attack on
a target within Ukraine. Russian
navy likely afraid to use surface
missile ships siince their flagship
was sunk.

Yup, just checked CNN updates.
Just a routine attack using a
diesel powered sub.

 

[johngalt]

Russia is making a good case for the world to forever eliminate their ability to be a threat to anyone.

 

[Absalom]

Not trying to stir any pot but I am "naturally cautious" (cynical) about "choosing sides." Running through massive quantities of "throughput" I ran into this article. Not giving it any "thumbs up" or down, just a Hmmm. A little long but written by a "spook" closer to the action than me. Of course, you can just skip the article if you dip into the author's background and "sexual proclivities" deciding to "cancel the perv." Joe
Kramatorsk train station attack, by Scott Ritter - The Unz Review

Interesting article. Scott Ritter is an odd character. I attended a lecture and discussion with him back in the late 1990s focused on his WMD verification work in Iraq. He displayed encyclopedic knowledge and could really bury you with facts, but frequently presented in a way that made clear he believed himself to be better qualified to handle Saddam Hussein than any of the actual decision makers.

He could well be right on this particular issue; just because the Ukrainians are the good guys in the overall fight doesn't mean some of them couldn't fight dirty. But you do have to just accept an awful lot of facts about the missiles, the protocols, the serial numbers, and their history as Ritter narrates them to see the situation as clearly as he claims to. There is no doubt that he is an expert; the fact that he wrote this for RT (Russia Today), a Russian government-funded media tool for influencing foreign opinion, does raise doubts as to just how he uses his expertise.

 

[pharmer]

........ the fact that he wrote this for RT (Russia Today), a Russian government-funded media tool for influencing foreign opinion, does raise doubts as to just how he uses his expertise.

I considered not posting it for that very reason. Folks here are smart and can decide for themselves. Joe

 

[ACORN]

Many internet claims about Putin's health.
This one is interesting IF true.
Putin 'will have cancer operation in the near future' and 'hand over power to hardline ex KGB chief' | Daily Mail Online
It'd be a shame if he died on the table.

 

[UncleEd]

Many internet claims about Putin's health. .

Same reports about 10th Russian
general being killed on eastern
front and Russian officer shooting
his men for cowardice.

Putin operation supposedly delayed
until after the May 9 VE parade.

I expect verification in next day
or two. Or not.

 

[ladder13]

Many internet claims about Putin's health.
This one is interesting IF true.
Putin 'will have cancer operation in the near future' and 'hand over power to hardline ex KGB chief' | Daily Mail Online
It'd be a shame if he died on the table.

Sometimes the first in line is worse than the one you want gone.

 

[biku324]

I think one will be hard-pressed to find another Russian 'leader' willing to take Russia back into 1989, wherein everything in Soviet society collapsed.

 

[UncleEd]

Sometimes the first in line is worse than the one you want gone.

Reportedly the would-be Putin
replacement /successor is
architect of the Ukraine war.
Same age, same KGB mentality.

 

[biku324]

Putin's the richest man in the world. If he decides to bail out, this would be the event, then he could blame Patrushev for the loss.