Russian invasion of Ukraine

[Deus Mortis]

He was sidelined a long time when Trump brought in Witkoff.

What a pos that guy is.
https://news.sky.com/story/trump-env...putin-13313676
Trump envoy Steve Witkoff says he has developed a 'friendship' with Putin

I spent a lot of time with Putin. Talking and developing a friendship and relationship with him…" Mr Witkoff said

[Voidwielder]

There will be a lot of seduction, dulcet tones and all that stuff between Trump and Putin teams. That's normal.
The issue I see here is the blatant mobster extortion policies that are coming out of the WH.

The whole thing is just schizo - on one hand, they are saying ''Europe isn't doing enough for itself, lift yourself up'' but then the next moment they turn around and say this.

Trump’s administration has told allies in the UK and Europe that it wants them to buy American weapons and military equipment in order to maintain the NATO alliance

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...itter-business

Make up your mind. Either you want Europe to be like an angry hedgehog or you want Europe to armed but dependant on you.

[D Luniz]

So russia is claiming victory, and news orgs are claiming Zelensky is potentially agreeing to trading mineral rights for weapons

and these cant both be true.
So the question is, who is lying (I mean, Russia tends to always lie, but the mineral thing is still in the "unnamed sources" stage)

[Voidwielder]

Russia will claim victory no matter what, who cares.

Ze has to agree to some kind of a mineral rights deal. He's fighting the likely lopsided nature of it.

[gondrin]

There will be a lot of seduction, dulcet tones and all that stuff between Trump and Putin teams. That's normal.
The issue I see here is the blatant mobster extortion policies that are coming out of the WH.

The whole thing is just schizo - on one hand, they are saying ''Europe isn't doing enough for itself, lift yourself up'' but then the next moment they turn around and say this.


https://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...itter-business

Make up your mind. Either you want Europe to be like an angry hedgehog or you want Europe to armed but dependant on you.

It is Trump. Basically, expect a different version of a story to come out daily.

Anyway, the US is threatening Ukraine with shutting off of Starlink if they don't comply with giving over their mineral rights.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/polit...ad5534ca&ei=37

[Elenos]

It is Trump. Basically, expect a different version of a story to come out daily.

Anyway, the US is threatening Ukraine with shutting off of Starlink if they don't comply with giving over their mineral rights.

I was going to bring this up over a week ago when some wise guys were thinking: Well Ukraine can survive without US support. I guess Trump figured that out that Ukraine cannot.

Starlink is in effect their entire communication, command and control network. They lose Starlink they lose the war in a week. Heck the US could also stop sharing that 24/7 intel it gathers on Russia: All those long range strikes that Ukraine is doing? It's with that intel. Also every time any Russian jet takes off Ukraine knows about it thanks to the US.

It's not a decision Musk can take I should add: Only the Pentagon can do it if Trump orders them to due to the Starlink program.

If I were a the political and military leader of any of the AUKUS capitals, I'd be calling for secret, emergency meeting come Monday morning. There's no way US can be trusted to not withhold critical tech if shits hits the fan. And UK? Move away from Trident. Work with the frogs if you need.
And Europe really needs to get it's shit right when it comes to Arianespace.

And in case folks wonder - South Korea has impressive military industrial capacities and products. There's a reason why Poland doubled down on SK products.

Poland doubled down on SK military tech because the US has a lot of technology it doesn't share even with the closest allies EXCEPT the UK, and even then there are limits, not many but there are.

Basically any tank the US produces for itself is quite different armor wise than the ones they export, so there are limits on how many can be produced for exports and Poland wants a lot of equipment fast, that's where SK comes in: It has developed a lot of things locally that it is now selling AND it is willing to give other countries that technology so they can build their own factories: Something that is a big no-go for the US.

Basically Poland wanted a lot of equipment fast and SK was the best choice for that. But even then Poland is buying F-35s which can't even be flown, let alone maintained, if the US refuses to let you do it. The only other country with full source code control is the UK besides the US.

[Deus Mortis]

I was going to bring this up over a week ago when some wise guys were thinking: Well Ukraine can survive without US support. I guess Trump figured that out that Ukraine cannot.

Starlink is in effect their entire communication, command and control network. They lose Starlink they lose the war in a week. Heck the US could also stop sharing that 24/7 intel it gathers on Russia: All those long range strikes that Ukraine is doing? It's with that intel. Also every time any Russian jet takes off Ukraine knows about it thanks to the US.

I am not very familiar with the EU fleet, google shows that France operates 4 AWACS in your country, but does the rest of Europe have the spy planes needed to gather the intel that the US is currently getting? This is one area I think does like you said get completely overlooked.

[Poopymonster]

I was going to bring this up over a week ago when some wise guys were thinking: Well Ukraine can survive without US support. I guess Trump figured that out that Ukraine cannot.

Starlink is in effect their entire communication, command and control network. They lose Starlink they lose the war in a week. Heck the US could also stop sharing that 24/7 intel it gathers on Russia: All those long range strikes that Ukraine is doing? It's with that intel. Also every time any Russian jet takes off Ukraine knows about it thanks to the US.

It's not a decision Musk can take I should add: Only the Pentagon can do it if Trump orders them to due to the Starlink program.

Take it to the next logical step.
What's to stop President Elonald from giving all the Starlink data to his Vladdy.
While ostensibly maintaining the network for Ukraine.

[Iphie]

I am not very familiar with the EU fleet, google shows that France operates 4 AWACS in your country, but does the rest of Europe have the spy planes needed to gather the intel that the US is currently getting? This is one area I think does like you said get completely overlooked.

France has 7-8 spread over Navy and Army, Sweden has 6, Italy has 2, Poland has 2, and Greece 4.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...raft_operators

Edit: NATO also, somewhow, has 14 as an organization.

[Deus Mortis]

France has 7-8 spread over Navy and Army, Sweden has 6, Italy has 2, Poland has 2, and Greece 4.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...raft_operators

Edit: NATO also, somewhow, has 14 as an organization.

Thanks for the link, wow at US having 87. Funny that Russia is now down to 6-7, too bad none have had accidents for awhile now.

[NED funded]

Its weird that it hasnt clicked on Musk and Trump that the reason Ukraine is willing to play ball on mineral rights but not on an end to the war is bc they are that willing to continue the fight. Its not surprising given that Trump is going senile and Musks brain is getting fried by ketamine

[Saradain]

Russian military isn't as bad as western media is reporting as they are taking on Ukraine along with NATO troops.

Where in Ukraine are NATO troops?

[Poopymonster]

Where in Ukraine are NATO troops?

If I recall, there are some NATO troops helping with training.
That's as close to NATO troops in the fight that I'm aware of.

[Iphie]

If I recall, there are some NATO troops helping with training.
That's as close to NATO troops in the fight that I'm aware of.

If you want to be technical there's a squad or so of US soldiers protecting their embassy as well. But yea not in any combat role.

[D Luniz]

Thanks for the link, wow at US having 87. Funny that Russia is now down to 6-7, too bad none have had accidents for awhile now.

Hard to have an accident when you've been stripped for parts and can't fly anymore

[Saradain]

If I recall, there are some NATO troops helping with training.
That's as close to NATO troops in the fight that I'm aware of.

The wording does imply NATO troops are actively engaging in warfare with the russian orcs...Not to mention it is active propaganda to claim NATO troops are attacking russians. Taking on "NATO troops" is a really weird wording for sending ukranians to train outside of Ukraine or being trained outside of the fighting zones.

[Gorsameth]

The wording does imply NATO troops are actively engaging in warfare with the russian orcs...Not to mention it is active propaganda to claim NATO troops are attacking russians. Taking on "NATO troops" is a really weird wording for sending ukranians to train outside of Ukraine or being trained outside of the fighting zones.

because its bullshit.
Russia and its trolls has to claim they are taking on the entirety of NATO because otherwise they have to accept that they are not able to conquer just Ukraine and as a delusional wannabe super power you can't be losing to a single non power nation.

[Elenos]

I am not very familiar with the EU fleet, google shows that France operates 4 AWACS in your country, but does the rest of Europe have the spy planes needed to gather the intel that the US is currently getting? This is one area I think does like you said get completely overlooked.

Zero freaking chance, and it's not AWACS that are doing the heavy lifting here: It's US recon drones and P-8 Poseidon Aircraft operating in the Black Sea as well as US spy satellites.

[PACOX]

Some people said the good ole US State Department™ would eventually pop back up and screw Ukraine over. The only question is what flavor it would show up as and when. Red just means its blunter.

[Flarelaine]

And today we mark the end of the third year of the three-day special operation.