Russian invasion of Ukraine

[Edge-]

Ukraine, the country without an actual navy, just annihilated another Russian ship in Crimea. Vatniks in shambles.

It's hilarious how Ukraine appears to have superior naval warfare capabilities without having a navy.

Apparently this ship had 50 Russian lads on it? Seems pretty expensive either way.

[Iphie]

It's hilarious how Ukraine appears to have superior naval warfare capabilities without having a navy.

Apparently this ship had 50 Russian lads on it? Seems pretty expensive either way.

It's amazing indeed how russia can lose a sea war and a land war at the same time, against the same enemy...who doesn't have a navy..

[Jessicka]

It's amazing indeed how russia can lose a sea war and a land war at the same time, against the same enemy...who doesn't have a navy..

They lost the air war as well, against a country without a meaningful air force. It’s three for three.

[Elder Millennial]

They lost the air war as well, against a country without a meaningful air force. It’s three for three.

I was reading some interesting commentary on the air war specifically, about how the Ukrainians are actually using "defensive" air "defense" systems like the Patriot offensively.

We give them a system and go "This is how you supposed to use it!" and they go "Da. Absolutely." Then they do some stuff that's 1000% not in the manual, like using individual launchers and radar system from the Patriot (which is an integrated system of multiple launchers) as hit and run mobile launch platform.

[Jessicka]

I was reading some interesting commentary on the air war specifically, about how the Ukrainians are actually using "defensive" air "defense" systems like the Patriot offensively.

We give them a system and go "This is how you supposed to use it!" and they go "Da. Absolutely." Then they do some stuff that's 1000% not in the manual, like using individual launchers and radar system from the Patriot (which is an integrated system of multiple launchers) as hit and run mobile launch platform.

They kinda have to, they sit it somewhere static it’ll be blown up in no time.

[zealo]

Looks like the EU managed to reign in Orban.

Not only Hungary unblocked Ukraine aid, the EU didn't make any concessions on the funding that is being withheld from Orban due to human rights issues.

If I were to guess as to how, Orban probably got told in no uncertain terms that the Article 7 proceedings against Hungary would be going ahead if he didn't budge.

Either way that's a very good thing for Ukraine.

[Elder Millennial]

They kinda have to, they sit it somewhere static it’ll be blown up in no time.

Not really. The Russians really don't have much they could hit something like the Patriot with.

The systems are mostly stationary around Kyiv and a couple of other key assets to interdict the Russian Air Force.

What the Ukrainians are doing is wildly different. They are literally driving elements of the Patriot all the way up to the very front lines so they can hit stuff inside Russia and occupied territories.

- - - Updated - - -

If I were to guess as to how, Orban probably got told in no uncertain terms that the Article 7 proceedings against Hungary would be going ahead if he didn't budge.

Either way that's a very good thing for Ukraine.

The more news coming out the more it looks like whatever Orban was told at the meeting, it was serious enough to make him instantly back down.

Orban's demands going into the meeting were a review of the Rule of Law rules, release of about 20 billion Euro in funding being withheld from Hungary and the right for Hungary to review and possibly block segments of the EU funding to Ukraine yearly.

Literally hours before going into the meeting he tweeted about how he won't back down and how he won't be blackmailed.

Expectations were that these will be contentious and long talks with Hungary possibly getting a bunch of concessions.

Orban apparently lifted the veto minutes into the meeting and got absolutely nothing in return.

It looks like this time he really overplayed his hand and whatever got thrown at him, it was "An offer he couldn't refuse".

[Poopymonster]

I was reading some interesting commentary on the air war specifically, about how the Ukrainians are actually using "defensive" air "defense" systems like the Patriot offensively.

We give them a system and go "This is how you supposed to use it!" and they go "Da. Absolutely." Then they do some stuff that's 1000% not in the manual, like using individual launchers and radar system from the Patriot (which is an integrated system of multiple launchers) as hit and run mobile launch platform.

You don't go to war with the army you want, you go to war with what you have.
When you have no other choice, you get REALLY creative.

[Easo]

I was reading some interesting commentary on the air war specifically, about how the Ukrainians are actually using "defensive" air "defense" systems like the Patriot offensively.

We give them a system and go "This is how you supposed to use it!" and they go "Da. Absolutely." Then they do some stuff that's 1000% not in the manual, like using individual launchers and radar system from the Patriot (which is an integrated system of multiple launchers) as hit and run mobile launch platform.

I guess you are not aware that Patriot comes in multiple variants including what can be called mobile one - Germany gave Ukraine exactly that version, mounted directly on a truck without trailer (just like with some S-300/400 variants). Running with control/radar + 1 launcher is a normal mode of operation (again, just like with S-300/400), not something invented just now.
P.S.
Yeah, "defensive" in "" is the correct way, it's just a weapon and is meant to be moved around to cover your forces when you are attacking.

[Warning]

Very nice to see this new large EU aid package. Would be great if the US stepped up their game as well and made a major commitment to stomping Russia's invasion into the dirt right now.

[Iphie]

Very nice to see this new large EU aid package. Would be great if the US stepped up their game as well and made a major commitment to stomping Russia's invasion into the dirt right now.

Don't count on it, Mike Johnson is slobbering Trump's knob and Trump is slobbering putin's knob.

[Gabriel]

They kinda have to, they sit it somewhere static it’ll be blown up in no time.

The Vatniks can't afford to waste missiles on Patriot systems when there are schools and hospitals still standing.

[Elder Millennial]

Apparently the reason why Orban agreed to pass the funding was because when he arrived to the meeting he was told by the other 26 leaders (including Fico) that the funding will be passed with or without Hungary, but if it was passed without Hungary, Hungary's vote would be suspended, and the funding currently being withheld from Hungary would be redirected to Ukraine.

"If this deal had not been reached and Hungary had continued to use its right of veto then 26 member states would have agreed to send the money to Ukraine ... and would have taken away the funds earmarked for Hungary and sent that to Ukraine as well -- why would that have been good?".

- Said Orban.

https://news.yahoo.com/went-wall-hun...37Yy6_CsyrH6NO

While this is technically not possible under current EU rules, it seems like the other EU members were ready to re-write the rules out of sheer frustration.

Now the pressure campaign has started for Hungary to fucking ratify Sweden's ascension to NATO.

[Gorsameth]

International law works because everyone pretends the rules matter.

If you piss people off enough to where everyone else is willing to just imagine the rule was different then that simply becomes the new reality.

The fact that there are no rules to do X stops mattering the moment everyone agrees they should do X.

[Wilian]

Apparently the reason why Orban agreed to pass the funding was because when he arrived to the meeting he was told by the other 26 leaders (including Fico) that the funding will be passed with or without Hungary, but if it was passed without Hungary, Hungary's vote would be suspended, and the funding currently being withheld from Hungary would be redirected to Ukraine.

- Said Orban.

https://news.yahoo.com/went-wall-hun...37Yy6_CsyrH6NO

While this is technically not possible under current EU rules, it seems like the other EU members were ready to re-write the rules out of sheer frustration.

Now the pressure campaign has started for Hungary to fucking ratify Sweden's ascension to NATO.

This has been pretty much debunked and it was Orban just trying to score some sort of win for his dullard domestic audience.

[Iphie]

Apparently the reason why Orban agreed to pass the funding was because when he arrived to the meeting he was told by the other 26 leaders (including Fico) that the funding will be passed with or without Hungary, but if it was passed without Hungary, Hungary's vote would be suspended, and the funding currently being withheld from Hungary would be redirected to Ukraine.

- Said Orban.

https://news.yahoo.com/went-wall-hun...37Yy6_CsyrH6NO

While this is technically not possible under current EU rules, it seems like the other EU members were ready to re-write the rules out of sheer frustration.

Now the pressure campaign has started for Hungary to fucking ratify Sweden's ascension to NATO.

Efficient pressuring/blackmail, I love it when the EU is ruthless.

[Odinfrost]

Is it weird that I kinda wanna know what dribbles' take on that is? And how they would twist it into another of the alleged thousands of Brexit benefits?

Anyhow, I hope Orban will stay bent over until Sweden is NATOfied

[Gorsameth]

Is it weird that I kinda wanna know what dribbles' take on that is? And how they would twist it into another of the alleged thousands of Brexit benefits?

Anyhow, I hope Orban will stay bent over until Sweden is NATOfied

Nothing stops the rest of NATO from unilaterally declaring Sweden a member and just ignoring that Hungary hasn't certified.

[Iphie]

Nothing stops the rest of NATO from unilaterally declaring Sweden a member and just ignoring that Hungary hasn't certified.

That's not a precedent you want to set though. Quite apart from the legality.

Tu-95S pilot shot in Engels Airbase

I think this is one of the rare people pootin DOES care about as this isn't just a grunt he can send meatwaveing, pilots take time to train.

[YUPPIE]

sometimes on and off over the years, we talk about Russia and zerg rush tactics like the prospect of doing another blitzkrieg or all-out assault on strategic zones.

Well, it seems they are preparing to do something of that sort again.

Five hundred tanks. More than 600 fighting vehicles. Hundreds of howitzers. Forty thousand troops. According to Ukraine’s eastern command, Russia has assembled a huge field army in eastern Ukraine opposite the free Ukrainian city of Kupyansk.

It’s obvious what this army aims to do: retake a huge swathe of Kharkiv Oblast that the Russians briefly occupied in 2022—until a powerful Ukrainian counteroffensive liberated most of the oblast late that year.

Everything east of the nearest major river is the goal. “The Russian Federation plans to seize the entire Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts and part of Kharkiv Oblast up to the Oskil River by March 2024,” the Ukrainian Center for Defense Strategies explained. The river threads through Kupyansk from the north.

hy March? Because that’s when Russia will “vote” for “president” in a national “election.” In fact, Vladimir Putin is the only real candidate—and will maintain his brutal, dictatorial control over Russia and the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine.

A slice of Kharkiv would be an election-day gift to Putin from the Russian army in Ukraine.