Russian invasion of Ukraine

[Belize]

The question is, are Russia's interests anywhere remotely close to those of Putin and his circle, or maybe even is if Putin and his circle are in position to properly judge Russia's situation regarding its interests. Because I'm not actually sure if Putin is actually that well-informed regarding what is actually happening, given his recent speech about how Russia's not even fought with full might. He might just be emboldened by the taking of Lysychansk and fed on his own propaganda.

Putin's speech was just internal propaganda, and never really meant for the rest of the world. He's an ex-KGB agent, so unless he has literal brain rot, I'm dubious that he has an incomplete picture of what's happening in Ukraine. Intelligence and information was his job, those skills and tendencies would have carried over.

[Vladier]

Putin's speech was just internal propaganda, and never really meant for the rest of the world. He's an ex-KGB agent, so unless he has literal brain rot, I'm dubious that he has an incomplete picture of what's happening in Ukraine. Intelligence and information was his job, those skills and tendencies would have carried over.

Firstly, he was a very middling KGB agent, sent to Eastern Berlin on an inconsequential assignment because he was too hotheaded to do actual spy work. Secondly, even if Putin's skills have improved since then, he is still limited in what information he gets due to the quality of the chain of information that leads from the front to him. Even the most objective people are not without biases, and there is a reason to believe that the people supplying Putin with news are more likely to "work towards the führer" by not reporting objectively, so the longer the chain is, the less correct information Putin actually receives.

[Makabreska]

Putin's speech was just internal propaganda, and never really meant for the rest of the world. He's an ex-KGB agent, so unless he has literal brain rot, I'm dubious that he has an incomplete picture of what's happening in Ukraine. Intelligence and information was his job, those skills and tendencies would have carried over.

I mean, he still went on with Ukraine invasion, thinking due to shit/false intel that he will take Kiev in 3 days.

[Belize]

I mean, he still went on with Ukraine invasion, thinking due to shit/false intel that he will take Kiev in 3 days.

I mean, it worked for Crimea, they didn't really have a reason to believe it wouldn't again at the time.

Just scroll back through this very thread, you had a lot of people saying that Kiev would fall in a couple days given the rate of the Russian advance.

It's easy now after 4-5 months of a prolonged war of attrition to say they were in the wrong, but at the time it wasn't that clear cut. Had the Ukrainian government bailed out and fled to, let's say, Poland, there's a good chance that they would have just rolled into Kiev mostly unopposed.

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Firstly, he was a very middling KGB agent, sent to Eastern Berlin on an inconsequential assignment because he was too hotheaded to do actual spy work. Secondly, even if Putin's skills have improved since then, he is still limited in what information he gets due to the quality of the chain of information that leads from the front to him. Even the most objective people are not without biases, and there is a reason to believe that the people supplying Putin with news are more likely to "work towards the führer" by not reporting objectively, so the longer the chain is, the less correct information Putin actually receives.

Yeah, I don't believe Putin doesn't just turn on the BBC or something and doesn't look at the situation for himself. This isn't 1945 where what's happening on the western front takes 1-2 days to relay back to the capital.

[Makabreska]

I mean, it worked for Crimea, they didn't really have a reason to believe it wouldn't again at the time.

Just scroll back through this very thread, you had a lot of people saying that Kiev would fall in a couple days given the rate of the Russian advance.

Well, sudden Crimea anschluss was very different from invading a huge and prepared country and hoping to grab it's capital in 3 days. It's all on Putler for surrounding himself by yes-men that kept assuring him it'd going to happen.

[Iphie]

Yeah, I don't believe Putin doesn't just turn on the BBC or something and doesn't look at the situation for himself. This isn't 1945 where what's happening on the western front takes 1-2 days to relay back to the capital.

He could do that, but there's examples of recent leaders who didn't turn on anything but their echo chamber, as I hear it Trump never watched anything but FOX news...There's also the language barrier, while I don't think putin cannot understand English his command might be a bit less than yours or mine. What @Vladier, correctly in my opinion, seems to say is that putin is dependent on those who get the initial information to relay the correct information to him. Say that the head of all the intelligence services gets the information first then he gets to decide what to relay, right? Now there can be multiple streams of information but they probably all converge somewhere before putin.

[CostinR]

Indiscriminately shelling the crap out of an area to invade a largely abandoned spot seems like a quick way to invade… but not one to actually hold the area, if you don’t have the troops or equipment to actually maintain any sort of hold on the region and the enemy musters a force to push back.

Ukraine is losing quite a lot of men to the shelling though, and it's significantly hindering their maneuver capabilities. Once Russia takes an area it's proving hell for Ukraine to even try to recapture it: Just look at Kherson.

[Iphie]

Can ANYONE confirm this? I was sent this as being deployed in Ukraine by russia...for those keeping score: that looks like a T-34...

[Yunru]

Can ANYONE confirm this? I was sent this as being deployed in Ukraine by russia...for those keeping score: that looks like a T-34...

I think it is T-34/85.

https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/s...iet_t34-76.php

Also i see a old world war 2 barbed wire on sticks.

[Kallisto]

I think it is T-34/85.

https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/s...iet_t34-76.php

Also i see a old world war 2 barbed wire on sticks.

But on the buildings there are satellite dishes, no one had them really prior to the late 80s

[Edge-]

Can ANYONE confirm this? I was sent this as being deployed in Ukraine by russia...for those keeping score: that looks like a T-34...

Source is a dude on Twitter, as best I can tell. I can't really find anything to verify it, but given the Russian performance so far...seems legit.

Because the only other theory I have is that it's this outfit - https://adventureua.com/en

Though I'm not remotely confident there's a connection between the two and much more inclined to believe that Russia is simply extending the operational lifespan of the T-34.

[Iphie]

Source is a dude on Twitter, as best I can tell. I can't really find anything to verify it, but given the Russian performance so far...seems legit.

Because the only other theory I have is that it's this outfit - https://adventureua.com/en

Though I'm not remotely confident there's a connection between the two and much more inclined to believe that Russia is simply extending the operational lifespan of the T-34.

But the T-34 is from WWII...that's pretty much resurrecting it.

[Verdugo]

But the T-34 is from WWII...that's pretty much resurrecting it.

I am sure they were blessed by Orthodox priests so its fine.

[Crispin]

I mean, he still went on with Ukraine invasion, thinking due to shit/false intel that he will take Kiev in 3 days.

Definately an issue of surrounding yourself with “yes men”

[Yunru]

But the T-34 is from WWII...that's pretty much resurrecting it.

Well i think they only use them in resistance areas where people dont have rocket launchers that 1 shot them.

However i been kinda destroying them this week in Call to arms, gathes to hell with molotov coctails

So a angry grandma trowing a molotov coctail on back of the tank where engine is will destroy it. Even easier from a high ground where this tank is parked.

Also i wonder if history will repeat itself in Crimera.

[Poopymonster]

Well i think they only use them in resistance areas where people dont have rocket launchers that 1 shot them.

However i been kinda destroying them this week in Call to arms, gathes to hell with molotov coctails

So a angry grandma trowing a molotov coctail on back of the tank where engine is will destroy it. Even easier from a high ground where this tank is parked.

Also i wonder if history will repeat itself in Crimera.

I'm pretty sure they don't even use T-34s in Conflict, much less Super Conflict.
I gotta replay those tomorrow.

[Shadowferal]

Can ANYONE confirm this? I was sent this as being deployed in Ukraine by russia...for those keeping score: that looks like a T-34...

The Eastern equivalent of the car on cinder blocks on the front lawn. Either way...low class.

[Corvus]

Another day and more russian ammo depots are exploding. I think you can count on it being a daily occurrence now - and the US just announced another batch of HIMARS is on the way, along with Excalibur precision munitions for the 155mm artillery.

And on the other side, Russia is reportedly resorting to using s-300 surface to air missiles to attack ground targets. Apparently they do have some ability to do that, but with even worse accuracy and their fragmentation warheads aren't as good to attack ground targets either. Might be another sign of missile shortages.

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zon...raine-official

[zealo]

But the T-34 is from WWII...that's pretty much resurrecting it.

The barrel seems to have been welded shut even though the image is a bit blurry.

Doubtful it were moved there with any expectation of being useful in combat, if the image is recent.

[Corvus]

The barrel seems to have been welded shut even though the image is a bit blurry.

Doubtful it were moved there with any expectation of being useful in combat, if the image is recent.

Not to mention there is a lack of any nazi insignia that the Russians put on everything.