Russian invasion of Ukraine

[Corvus]

The war criminal Gerkin, wanted for the downing of MH17, has been detained by Russian authorities. His critical opinions of the Russian efforts may have finally gotten him in trouble, especially as his most recent post called for the politburo to be shot.

The circumstances were bizarre - he shaved his moustache, was using his old FSB passport and was travelling to Kherson, apparently to join the fight or something.

https://twitter.com/niktwick/status/...MXxfUJhJDujrCg

[Iphie]

The war criminal Gerkin, wanted for the downing of MH17, has been detained by Russian authorities. His critical opinions of the Russian efforts may have finally gotten him in trouble, especially as his most recent post called for the politburo to be shot.

The circumstances were bizarre - he shaved his moustache, was using his old FSB passport and was travelling to Kherson, apparently to join the fight or something.

https://twitter.com/niktwick/status/...MXxfUJhJDujrCg

Gods I WISH russia still had a functioning politburo, alas it's been gone since 1991.

[Logwyn]

So how many red lines and point of no returns is that now the west has blatantly crossed with no response from Russia?

What would you suggest Russia does?

[Jastall]

What would you suggest Russia does?

I believe the post was more of a commentary on how they actually can't do anything, in fact.

Any economic sanction from Russia is a joke considering their situation, military threats are laughable for multiple reasons including (but not limited to) the current failure of an invasion, diplomatic consequences are nearly zilch when their only reliable allies are small-time client states, and nukes as a threat are in effect worthless because Russia becomes glass as soon as they launch one and everybody knows it.

[Flarelaine]

On a scale of zero to 10, the official put the effectiveness of Ukraine's armed forces at a 12 "just based on how impressive they've been to us in so many different ways," according to a readout of the briefing.

The US Army could be the best-organised fighting force on the planet, but US soldiers have not been defending their homeland from invaders for two centuries. That sort of motivation is hard to match.

[Corvus]

What would you suggest Russia does?

They are going to continue dong nothing as they have been doing. Its all bluster.

The bridge at Kherson has been hit again. Russians fired off a lot of missiles trying to intercept, to no effect. Lots of big bang on the bridge.



And this is a recruitment centre in Russia....

[zorkuus]

And this is a recruitment centre in Russia....

That's some Class A cannon fodder.

[Iphie]

That's some Class A cannon fodder.

The cynic in me thinks it saves on pensions...but that's really cynical.

[Makabreska]

That's some Class A cannon fodder.

"You will all receive 2l of vodka and a sack of beetroots!"

Hence the moderate crowd.

[jonnysensible]

if Prigozhin got domed by a himars strike big lmao

[Iphie]

if Prigozhin got domed by a himars strike big lmao

Wait... that's the Wagner dude...right?

[Milchshake]

Lol @ the Grayzone, they got some of their fascist heroes HIMAR'd

A few days ago, the Grey Zone (RSOTM) Telegram channel posted photos of a visit to the so-called Wagner HQ in the Donbas (Popasna). Prigozhin may have been there.
The photos were apparently easy to geolocate. Ukraine destroyed it in a HIMARS strike today.

[jonnysensible]

Lol @ the Grayzone, they got some of their fascist heroes HIMAR'd

A few days ago, the Grey Zone (RSOTM) Telegram channel posted photos of a visit to the so-called Wagner HQ in the Donbas (Popasna). Prigozhin may have been there.
The photos were apparently easy to geolocate. Ukraine destroyed it in a HIMARS strike today.

shame its not that the grayzone tho. think they are doin covid conspiracies now

[enigma77]

Lol @ the Grayzone, they got some of their fascist heroes HIMAR'd

A few days ago, the Grey Zone (RSOTM) Telegram channel posted photos of a visit to the so-called Wagner HQ in the Donbas (Popasna). Prigozhin may have been there.
The photos were apparently easy to geolocate. Ukraine destroyed it in a HIMARS strike today.

I wonder if the cat survived.

[fwc577]

if Prigozhin got domed by a himars strike big lmao

Well, if he did, I've got one thing to say:

Dasvidaniya, motherfucker.

[Corvus]

The cynic in me thinks it saves on pensions...but that's really cynical.

Might not be cynical enough. Someone from Russia was explaining their pension system. Workers 'contribute' 22% of their wages to the government. When they reach 65 they get a pitiful pension. But retirement age for men is higher than the average life expectancy, so over half the male population never get a pension. So all that money they gave to the government disappears into yachts and mansions.

Seems like the nazi may not have been there when the strike happened, but the Wagnerites did suffer casualties. And if it was an HQ unit, then they could be significant ones. About a month ago, a divisional HQ got hit by HIMARS and the losses were significant. Via social media posts on funerals, it is known the CO, Chief of Staff, 2 Deputies Commanders and a couple of other senior staff were killed and more are suspected. And a number of then had ranks lower than their positions, indicating they were replacements themselves.

And this is the change in frontlines over the last month.



The Russians aren't moving and taking hundreds of casualties a day. A recent US report had them loosing 500 a day dead and wounded.

[Iphie]

The Russians aren't moving and taking hundreds of casualties a day. A recent US report had them loosing 500 a day dead and wounded.

500 a day... that's insane, That's about half a BTG, or nearly a full one if at the lower limit. In a month that's 15000 or so. That 80000+ casualties the US has been floating lately suddenly seems very realistic.

Also, they started with about 120-150000 soldiers, right? No wonder they're scraping the bottom of the barrel and aren't getting anywhere.

Any sane army leadership would have given up ages ago.

[Corvus]

Reportedly they started with 190K + 40K separatists. Since then they've press-ganged pretty much every male tehy can find in the occupied Donbas regions, stripped the other borders dry and created their volunteer units. Number wise they may have a similar amount of troops still, but they are of much poorer quality.

[Kaleredar]

500 a day... that's insane, That's about half a BTG, or nearly a full one if at the lower limit. In a month that's 15000 or so. That 80000+ casualties the US has been floating lately suddenly seems very realistic.

Also, they started with about 120-150000 soldiers, right? No wonder they're scraping the bottom of the barrel and aren't getting anywhere.

Any sane army leadership would have given up ages ago.

America was in Afghanistan for 20 years. Over that period of time 2,448 American soldiers lost their lives and 20,752 were injured in combat.

With Russia touting 500 casualties a day they suffer America's combat casualties over two decades in a matter of about a month and a half.

[Corvus]

Russia got caught up in a peer-level full scale war, something the US and the West haven't experienced for a long time. Afghanistan was 23K over 20 years. Vietnam was 360K over 20 years, just for the US. At current rates, Russia is going to loose than many in 2 years, ten times faster.