Russian invasion of Ukraine

[Elder Millennial]

CNN claims the US is sending Abrams along with the Leopards.

[YUPPIE]

I'm wondering what Russia's response to this will be

[Corvus]

I'm wondering what Russia's response to this will be

Die in even larger numbers.

[Elder Millennial]

I'm wondering what Russia's response to this will be

Write an angry letter to NATO? Bomb some more schools in Ukraine? Tie elderly Russian babushkas to the front of their tanks as an active protection system in the hopes that Ukrainians won't shoot at old ladies?

[YUPPIE]

Write an angry letter to NATO?

I failed to see it mentioned, but late last week Wagner ominously wrote to the White House over its recent designation as a terror group.

[Iphie]

I failed to see it mentioned, but late last week Wagner ominously wrote to the White House over its recent designation as a terror group.

"Ominously"....dude, asking what they are accused of is NOT ominous.

[YUPPIE]

"Ominously"....dude, asking what they are accused of is NOT ominous.

Wagner is aware of its identity and relationship with the US (that is, one of mortal enemies; they even fought I reckon) so to send a letter to the White House to begin with, and in a subdued tone, is pretty ominous to me.

Also, doesn't the US have security for letting such mails pass through read to begin with, considering the spree of mail bombings related to Russia that was headlined recently?

[Calfredd]

Wagner is aware of its identity and relationship with the US (that is, one of mortal enemies; they even fought I reckon) so to send a letter to the White House to begin with, and in a subdued tone, is pretty ominous to me.

Also, doesn't the US have security for letting such mails pass through read to begin with, considering the spree of mail bombings related to Russia that was headlined recently?

You think they're so incompetent that a bratty teen could get away with setting a bag of poop on fire at the White House's front door? Of course they vet the mail! Why is every thing you've been saying come off as (I'll just go ahead and say the T-word) Concern Trolling? You keep building up Russia as this malevolent force of nature who would only stop it's wanton destruction if it was given a blood sacrifice (Ukraine in this case), that it's the West's fault that Russia keeps getting its soldier killed and that the West should just pull out and let Russia take Ukraine as a peace offering.

[YUPPIE]

You keep building up Russia as this malevolent force of nature who would only stop its wanton destruction if it was given a blood sacrifice (Ukraine in this case)

The latter part of the West cowing down aside, that's LITERALLY what Russia is right now. Perfect description, though I don't think Russia will stop at just Ukraine should they get what they want.

[Corvus]

The Prig and the Wankers have failed to take Bakhmut like they were meant to and have lost 80% of their convict troops. They have been neutered and are on the outer with Putin as a result.

[YUPPIE]

The Prig and the Wankers have failed to take Bakhmut like they were meant to and have lost 80% of their convict troops. They have been neutered and are on the outer with Putin as a result.

for context on what this poster is claiming, though in a foreign language: reportedly, Wagner lose 980 of its 1000 troops recently in Bakhmut.

Though I think the African alliance may help replenish their numbers.

[Corvus]

for context on what this poster is claiming, though in a foreign language: reportedly, Wagner lose 980 of its 1000 troops recently in Bakhmut.

Though I think the African alliance may help replenish their numbers.

The numbers being spoken of are 40,000 out of the 50,000 convicts gone. With no ready source of replacement. Which means the russian army is going to have to move troops to where the Wankers are or risk a collapse of that sector.

And there is no African alliance. There have been rumours of large numbers of Iranians, Syrians, North Koreans and Africans going to fight for russia but it never pans out. There have been a couple of Africans, but they were students in russia who were imprisoned and got volunteered to fight for the Wankers, but that was it. Everyone knows that fighting for the Wankers is a death sentence.

- - - Updated - - -

how useful are f16's tho?

both sides arent using airpower for much more than long range missile fire because of the risk of being shot down.

The F16s would be better than most of the equipment they are using, and they do need replacements. They have taken losses and there aren't really parts or replacements of soviet origin. So switching over to western aircraft makes sense. Gives them access to superior western avionics and access to western munitions, like the JDAMs.

With Ukraine getting Leopards and probably Abrams, its worth looking at what the russians are receiving, besides old T62. The russian MoD has been boasting of supplying new T90Ms to the troops. Except people have been pointing out some issues with the photos. Firstly, they are being equipped with really old ERA that was obsolete in the mid 80s and is now 3 generations out of date. And they are being equipped with thermal imaging that was designed for the T62 and russian sources are complaining that they are useless except at close range. They are going to be blind a night against Western tanks. Yeah, those sanctions are really biting when it comes to producing more modern gear.

[YUPPIE]

The numbers being spoken of are 40,000 out of the 50,000 convicts gone.

Sounds worse than the estimate I linked then.

But still, Putin believes he will win. Guaranteed even.

[DarkTZeratul]

But still, Putin believes he will win. Guaranteed even.

Of course. The moment he says otherwise, it's all over for him.

[YUPPIE]

The moment he says otherwise, it's all over for him.

yeah and that's why he will take this all the way to the end and never voluntarily give up. The only way it will most likely end is if he dies or illness or someone kills him; neither of which is very likely.

There's no place on the planet Putin can escape to if he surrenders or withdraws, contrary to people thinking he can still comfily retire.

[Iphie]

yeah and that's why he will take this all the way to the end and never voluntarily give up. The only way it will most likely end is if he dies or illness or someone kills him; neither of which is very likely.

There's no place on the planet Putin can escape to if he surrenders or withdraws, contrary to people thinking he can still comfily retire.

He can pull a Lenin: have a few strokes that leave him incapacitated, or appoint a successor in exchange for immunity. What he can't pull is a Khrushchev: be deposed without being killed. As far as how likely it is: there are teeny, tiny cracks to be seen, nothing major but a remark here, a statement there.

Prigozhin is no longer in a good position to threaten putin's power, due to catastrophic losses in Bakhmut and the internal power struggle between him and Kadyrov on the one side and Shoigu and Gerasimov on the other side, unless Wagner abandons their African adventures.

[YUPPIE]

He can pull a Lenin: have a few strokes that leave him incapacitated, or appoint a successor in exchange for immunity. What he can't pull is a Khrushchev: be deposed without being killed. As far as how likely it is: there are teeny, tiny cracks to be seen, nothing major but a remark here, a statement there.

Prigozhin is no longer in a good position to threaten putin's power, due to catastrophic losses in Bakhmut and the internal power struggle between him and Kadyrov on the one side and Shoigu and Gerasimov on the other side, unless Wagner abandons their African adventures.

isn't it still awful to be speculating over the likelihood of someone being killed/dying and being hopeful it happens? When I was a wee lass, they told you no one deserves to die, but here we are contemplating.

It's all messed up. This war has eroded morality.

[alach]

This hard pushing for tanks reminds me a little bit of when the war began and you didnt hear a ukraine official have an interview without saying the phrase "close the skies or they all die.' That just faded away without Nato imposing a no-fly zone, right? I'm pretty sure it was because the Americans donated enough anti air they werent worried about the russian airforce.
The US has the best strategists and analysts in the world, if they say the Abrams arent going to be effective, I think everyone should believe them, especially the media who seems to not be able to go a segment without asking about the lack of tanks. I am posisitive the militaries of the western world are watching almost all of this conflict in real time, and know what is needed. They know enough Bradleys will run through the russian lines, and that the Madars and AMXs will quickly destroy the russian artillery.
This is why Kirby is always saying, we give the ukrainians what they need.
Seems my post is a little late, they are getting the tanks, but my point stands.

[DarkTZeratul]

yeah and that's why he will take this all the way to the end and never voluntarily give up. The only way it will most likely end is if he dies or illness or someone kills him; neither of which is very likely.

There's no place on the planet Putin can escape to if he surrenders or withdraws, contrary to people thinking he can still comfily retire.

He can always withdraw and spout some bullshit about having "achieved their objectives" to save face with his people. But at this point it's clearly hopeless and the longer it goes on the worse it will be for him.

[Kallisto]

He can always withdraw and spout some bullshit about having "achieved their objectives" to save face with his people. But at this point it's clearly hopeless and the longer it goes on the worse it will be for him.

He's also set everything up so he doesn't get the blame. Everything Putin says is "underling x says y so with great pains I won't deny him." more or less so if anything goes wrong there's enough scapegoats who are fighting each other already there to take the blame.