Russian invasion of Ukraine

[YUPPIE]

But this sounds like a good way to piss off yet another country.

Cuba is small and has hostile relations with the West. They can't do anything to Russia even if pissed.

[Deus Mortis]

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/us-s...y?id=103031722
US likely to send long-range ATACMS missiles to Ukraine for the first time: Officials

The Biden administration is likely to send Ukraine long-range Army Tactical Missile Systems, or ATACMS, to help in its fight to repel the Russian invasion of its territory, according to U.S. officials.

"They are coming," said one official who had access to security assistance plans. The official noted that, as always, such plans are subject to change until officially announced.

A second official said the missiles are "on the table" and likely to be included in an upcoming security assistance package, adding that a final decision has not been made. It could be months before Ukraine receives the missiles, according to the official.

With a range of up to 190 miles, depending on the version, deploying ATACMS could allow Ukraine to reach targets nearly four times further away than with the currently-provided rockets for its U.S.-made High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems and M270 multiple-launch rocket systems.

About time. Guess Russia's continued provocations of blowing up innocent people is not paying off.

[Kallisto]

Cuba is small and has hostile relations with the West. They can't do anything to Russia even if pissed.

More like just the US and that's because most Cuban Americans live in the biggest swing state and are swing voters. Nobody else gives a shit.

[Iphie]

I’m not sure how buddy-buddy Russia and Cuba are these days. But this sounds like a good way to piss off yet another country for what I can also imagine was a very small number of recruits who in all likelihood have no military training and don’t even speak Russian.

Cuba has mandatory military service.

[Kaleredar]

Cuba has mandatory military service.

Well, that might check off one box but certainly not the others, most notably the "really don't want to be there" and "don't speak a lick of Russian" ones.

[Iphie]

Well, that might check off one box but certainly not the others, most notably the "really don't want to be there" and "don't speak a lick of Russian" ones.

I had to go check it out, Cuba did teach russian until the fall of the Sovjet Union as a mandatory class, in the last thirty years that waned and in the mid 10s Cuba switched mainly to English, so you are quite right unless they caught some pretty old fogies.

[Gabriel]

Cuba has been a really popular holiday destination for Russians ever since the days of the USSR iirc. Maybe Cuba will stop letting Russians in.

[enigma77]

Russia just can't help itself. Being treacherous vipers is in their genes.

They're so predictably treacherous.

[Muzjhath]

Cuba is small and has hostile relations with the West. They can't do anything to Russia even if pissed.

Cuba honestly only has a hostile relationship with the US.

[Elder Millennial]

Cuba honestly only has a hostile relationship with the US.

A more accurate description would be that the US has a hostile relationship with Cuba in order to cater politically to some one issue Latino voters in southern Florida. Because exactly ZERO other people give an actual fuck about the embargo at this point.

[Biglog]

Probably needs it's own thread, but things are very much heating up today with Azerbaijan-Armenia again. Azerbaijan moving large numbers of forces to the border as part of 'military exercises' (we've heard that one before), and more ominously the vehicles are noted with invasion symbols much like Russia used (using an 'A' instead of 'Z'). Also state-media in Azerbaijan put out a quite threatening video from Aliyev today that included combat footage from the last NK war. This has been something they've done in the past immediately prior to launching an offensive.

This very much ties into the Russia-Ukraine situation and the larger regional mess. Armenia has been Russia's ally and dependent on them as part of the previous Soviet-bloc. But neither have been happy with each other for some time. Armenia is unhappy Russia didn't help them more in the NK war or with the current NK blockade by Azerbaijan. And Russia has been upset with Armenia for being resistant to send troops and help for the war in Ukraine, which to be fair they can hardly spare in their situation - and they also morally oppose. And UN member Turkey is of course very much on the side of Azerbaijan.

The other wrinkle is Iran, who has a love-hate relationship with Azerbaijan. They helped trained Azerbaijani troops, but they have a selfish interest in maintaining access through Armenia to Eastern Europe, and have said that Iran will intervene militarily against them if Azerbaijan attempts to cut off their access by invading Armenia in the South. And Russia is closely tied to Iran now due to their drone deal for the war in Ukraine.

So although from a moral standpoint the West supporting Armenia and stopping the NK blockade might seem like the right thing to do and there have been a lot of calls for the West to do more, it is a real hornet's nest with a lot of complications to consider.

[YUPPIE]

I won't post it here, but I watched some war footage today (LIVE) of Russia still using human wave tactics; the humans were obliterated in a shower of gore by Ukrainian artillery. One tactic used recently south of Robotyne is artillery shelling behind their own lines. They can either stay on the front line and be killed by UA, or retreat and be killed by their own artillery fire.

Victory or death tactics by sheer numbers, logic or not.

[Vampiregenesis]

It's hard to make sense with this war because I doubt either side is saying the truth. In the news they said that Ukrainians breached the second line of defense and now I read some defeatist statements by Ukrainian officials. Zelensky said that the Russian airforce has halted the Ukrainian counteroffensive and another official is saying that the enemy is strong with more weapons and men.

Is it wise for Ukraine to keep pushing?

Could this counteroffensive leave them vulnerable to a Russian counteroffensive assuming that it failed? Are they wasting too much men and equipment that could be used to defend and secure the areas that are not occupied?

[Jastall]

It's hard to make sense with this war because I doubt either side is saying the truth. In the news they said that Ukrainians breached the second line of defense and now I read some defeatist statements by Ukrainian officials. Zelensky said that the Russian airforce has halted the Ukrainian counteroffensive and another official is saying that the enemy is strong with more weapons and men.

Is it wise for Ukraine to keep pushing?

Could this counteroffensive leave them vulnerable to a Russian counteroffensive assuming that it failed? Are they wasting too much men and equipment that could be used to defend and secure the areas that are not occupied?

While I doubt Ukraine has the capability to enact a major breach anytime soon, I doubt even more that Russia has the capability for a meaningful counter-attack this deep in the year. If Russia was ready for a major offensive operation they wouldn't retreat behind a wall of mines and artillery. Those are logistically daunting maneuvers and Ukraine (and its Western gear) has proven its ability in field operations. Russia bunkers down in large part because they know the Ukrainians, for all said fancy gear, don't have an easy answer for cheap mine spam and Imperial Guard-levels of massed artillery barrages backed by air support. Russia wouldn't risk compromising their favorable defensive position lightly, especially since we're closing in to the seasons of mud and snow and then more mud, all of which can slow operations down to a crawl and favor a defender.

[Twdft]

Is it wise for Ukraine to keep pushing?

What are ruSSias war goals again?

[Corvus]

While I doubt Ukraine has the capability to enact a major breach anytime soon, I doubt even more that Russia has the capability for a meaningful counter-attack this deep in the year. If Russia was ready for a major offensive operation they wouldn't retreat behind a wall of mines and artillery. Those are logistically daunting maneuvers and Ukraine (and its Western gear) has proven its ability in field operations. Russia bunkers down in large part because they know the Ukrainians, for all said fancy gear, don't have an easy answer for cheap mine spam and Imperial Guard-levels of massed artillery barrages backed by air support. Russia wouldn't risk compromising their favorable defensive position lightly, especially since we're closing in to the seasons of mud and snow and then more mud, all of which can slow operations down to a crawl and favor a defender.

Except russia really isn't doing that. They aren't bunkering down, they no longer have superiority in artillery and air power is staying well away from the front line.

Ukraine has breached the defensive line and are consolidating. The reason it took so long was russia quadrupled the front minefield and largely ignored the full back locations. Almost all their resources went into that first line. And Ukraine has broken through in one place, and is widening it.

Another readin for the slow progress is that russia can't be seen to give up anything for Kremlin reasons. Robotyne fell 2 weeks ago and they are still trying to retake it, suffering heavy losses as attack after attack gets beaten back. And it's their best units, the airborne and naval infantry, being degraded trying this.


While that was going on, Ukraine has been destroying Russian artillery at a staggering rate to the point they appear to have artillery superiority on the south.

Also, the terrain in the south is different - the mud in the north and east doesn't appear in the south. The Kherson offensive took place in the mud season.

[DarkTZeratul]

A more accurate description would be that the US has a hostile relationship with Cuba in order to cater politically to some one issue Latino voters in southern Florida. Because exactly ZERO other people give an actual fuck about the embargo at this point.

An important note is that shortly before leaving office, Obama lifted most of our sanctions on Cuba.

Then Trump promptly put most of them back because he's a petty, vindictive child.

[Vampiregenesis]

It appears that Russia has 420000 soldiers on the occupied areas and they are going to recruit more, these are the Ukrainian estimates, I guess they might be even more than this, if the Ukrainians are really determined to pass through this I guess we are going to see a stalingrant soon

[YUPPIE]

Russia just doesn't seem to run out of bodies to throw at the meat grinder, but it's clear these human wave tactics are taking its toll on Ukraine contrary to how people just encouraged Russia to keep throwing them and accomplishing nothing.

If we consider those estimates and how Russia has at least lost that many so far, thats stretching to a million.

And it's evident they're trafficking humans from places like Africa and Cuba for a while though. So will they ever run out?

[Twdft]

It appears that Russia has 420000 soldiers on the occupied areas and they are going to recruit more, these are the Ukrainian estimates, I guess they might be even more than this, if the Ukrainians are really determined to pass through this I guess we are going to see a stalingrant soon

If only there was a way to avoid that...