The Russians have gone in

[Beemerguy53]

The extent of of the logistics and maintenance disaster which the Russian military apparently has been, and the corruption-driven inefficiency and ineffectiveness of the weapons industry, is becoming clearer by the day.

Super-capable fighter-bombers like the SU-34 get shot down because they have to expose themselves flying WW II-era ground support profiles. The reason? The Russian air force apparently doesn't have a sufficient supply of the advanced rockets and smart bombs that this aircraft would need for precision stand-off missions.

The Russian army loses a year's worth of tank production, from the only production facility left in Russia, every two weeks. Reportedly, production has stopped completely because the embargo cut off critical parts supplies.

Ukraine is littered with apparently undamaged Russian trucks, just with shredded tires, some still reading Made in USSR, or seized engines; nobody may have changed the oil or fired up the engine in the last few decades.

We can assume that "the world's largest nuclear arsenal" is in no better shape. On one level that's unsettling, but on another it means that Putin has no assurance that anything will happen if he gives a launch order. Maybe just an embarrassing nuclear fart that kills Russians.

We, on the other hand, have eyes on every Russian silo, track every mobile launcher, shadow every Russian boomer sub. We are very good at this, the Russians not at all. They will lose a nuclear conflict.

Putin knows he is finished if he takes this step. I'm hoping pure self-preservation may keep him from considering it, and if not, non-suicidal Russian military leaders may step in.

One of the things I absolutely love about this thread is the insight and level of awareness of those commenting on it. Thank you so much, Absolom!

 

[Beemerguy53]

In the mid-90s there was a UK made TV show called "Borders" IIRC. It went to places all over the world where there were odd situations at the borders between countries. When they did Finland they had to get permission from the Russians to be with 10 km or 20 km (cannot recall which) of the border. This was because the camera crew were from a NATO country and by treaty were excluded from the border zone. The crew also visited the spot where Finland, Norway and Russia meet. Apart from a pyramid shaped marker, there was nothing there.

Found it! Google Maps

 

[Beemerguy53]

Still an uphill battle, though...After a long conversation, my uncle stated that he was done talking to me about the subject. My last messages still remain unread."

Truly, there are none so blind as those who will not see...

 

[CH4]

Amateurs built the Ark. Professionals built the Titanic.

But we found the Titanic…

 

[John Patrick]

But we found the Titanic…

On the bottom of the Atlantic!

 

[oldbrownhat]

This'll break 'em. No more Golden Arches.

From the WaPo:

McDonald's pulling out of Russia, says business 'no longer tenable' after invasion

After more than three decades, McDonald's is pulling out of Russia and seeking a "local buyer" for its business there, which includes 850 restaurants in the country...

Whoever buys its Russian restaurants will no longer be allowed to use the McDonald's arch or brand, the company said, adding that it wants to protect its 62,000 employees in Russia..

"McDonald's priorities include seeking to ensure the employees of McDonald's Russia continue to be paid until the close of any transaction and that employees have future employment with any potential buyer," the McDonald's president and chief executive, Chris Kempczinski, said in a statement...​

 

[biku324]

Well, this is the end. Even impoverished Bosnia has several McDonald's (Sarajevo, Mostar, Banja Luka)!

Looks like at least one section of Ukrainian border has been recovered:

With the Ukrainian counteroffensive near Kharkiv appearing to have pushed enemy troops back to the border with Russia, a group of Ukrainian soldiers has recorded a celebratory message for President Volodymyr Zelensky.

The 227th Battalion of the 127th Brigade claimed to have reached the border with Russia on Sunday, where they purportedly filmed a message for Ukraine's leader.

"Mr. President, Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine," says one of the soldiers in a group of nine on screen. Ukrainian Troops Record Message for Zelensky After Reaching Russian Border

 

[oldbrownhat]

Well, this is the end. Even impoverished Bosnia has several McDonald's (Sarajevo, Mostar, Banja Luka)!...

Indeed, this will bring the populace to its knees. How will Putin explain this away? "Those Nazis from Ukraine and their scurvy western allies have stolen all the McDonalds"? The cry will go up, "We will gladly stop shelling you Tuesday for a hamburger today!"

 

[biku324]

It will be the fries...

 

[dockmurgw]

Out with the capitalist pig Big Macs, in with the soviet Moskvich.

French carmaker Renault to sell Russian operations to Moscow | AP News

 

[UncleEd]

My plan for peace:

Ukraine ceases its aggression
toward Russia.

Ukraine agrees to pay Russia
war damages for its slaughter
of Russian soldiers and
destruction of its equipment.

Ukraine agrees to cede the
Dombas region and Odessa
to Russia.

NATO agrees it has grown too
large and vows to shed half
its members.

The US government will subsidize
McDonald's to return to Russia.

 

[oldbrownhat]

My plan for peace:

Ukraine ceases its aggression
toward Russia.

Ukraine agrees to pay Russia
war damages for its slaughter
of Russian soldiers and
destruction of its equipment.

Ukraine agrees to cede the
Dombas region and Odessa
to Russia.

NATO agrees it has grown too
large and vows to shed half
its members.

The US government will subsidize
McDonald's to return to Russia.

Ah! Welcome to the S&W Forum, Mr. Putin Nice to have you on board. We're a pretty friendly bunch here and welcome polite and informed discussion, so we look forward to some input "straight from the horse's... ummmm... patootie"

 

[UncleEd]

Video historian Mark Felton
has an interesting feature
on the US turning over
"Afghan" helicopters to
Ukraine.

Seems the US purchased a
number of Soviet era designed
copters for Afghan forces but never
delivered them. Now they
are in Ukraine or may be
heading there.

Reason US bought the copters
is that Afghan forces were
familiar with the copters and
they were considerably cheaper
than any US made aircrafts.

The copters had been in storage
at a US base.

 

[bigwheelzip]

The Germans will be attempting to expedite the Ukrainian's 40 day training program currently underway in Germany, if it can be successfully concluded in less time.
The first class of graduates will take home 7 German PZH2000 Howitzers and any of the promised Dutch PZH2000 that are ready to go.

Sent from my motorola one 5G using Tapatalk

 

[oldbrownhat]

Video historian Mark Felton
has an interesting feature
on the US turning over
"Afghan" helicopters to
Ukraine..

I've seen a number of Mark Felton's videos. He knows his stuff.

 

[bigwheelzip]

Sweden just announced that they will apply for NATO, jointly with Finland.

Sent from my motorola one 5G using Tapatalk

 

[Onomea]

More news today about the truth breaking through the Russian disinformation wall. On Russian state TV:

...A retired Russian colonel told state media on Monday that the invasion of Ukraine is not going the way Russia is portraying it, and that the global isolation facing the country is more daunting than Russian leaders are letting on.
"After all, the main deficiency of our military-political position is that, in a way, we are in full geopolitical isolation, and that, however much we would hate to admit this, virtually the entire world is against us," Mikhail Khodaryonok said, according to a video translated by the BBC's Francis Scarr. "And it's that situation that we need to get out of..."

...When asked about the current state of the war, Khodaryonok, who has given frank assessments of the war on Russian airwaves in recent days, urged viewers to be cautious about any information put out by Russia on how Ukrainian forces "are allegedly on the verge of some kind of crisis in morale and so on."
"All of that, to put it mildly, is false," he said...

Much more, including a link to a video of him speaking on Russian TV. (I think the link I am posting has several articles updating the war, including the one I discuss above.):

https://wapo.st/3sDOPkN

 

[Rudi]

Pretty hard to keep a disaster like this under cover.

 

[oldbrownhat]

Ukraine needs Ukrainian heroes alive,' Zelensky says as Mariupol soldiers are evacuat

Also from the WaPo (same free link as Onomea's above, I think)

Ukraine has launched a delicate, multilateral effort to evacuate its last remaining soldiers from the ruined Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced late Monday, saying that "Ukraine needs Ukrainian heroes alive."

Ukrainian officials have been coordinating the complex operation with the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross, and they reached a cease-fire agreement with the Russian military, which said it would allow the fighters to be transported from the Azovstal Iron and Steel Works facility to Russian-held territory.

"We hope that we will be able to save the lives of our guys," Zelensky said in a video address. "Among them are the seriously wounded, they are being provided with medical aid. … To bring the boys home, the work continues, and this work needs delicacy. And time..."​

I was hoping that the influx of western arms might have made it possible for Ukraine to knock the Russians back from the assault. But this is good news nonetheless.

 

[Onomea]

What I worry about with the evacuation from the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol is that the evacuees are being taken to Russian-held territory.

Maybe they will be used for prisoner exchange. I sure hope so. I worry that they will be mistreated, or worse. The Russians don't have much of a record for keeping their word.

Also unclear how many remain at the plant.