Ukraine: WAR Huh - What Is It Good For Absorootly Nothing

[MeltedSolid]

I was doing research for an article and ran across this older report - which I'm sure is happening today again. Russian harassment of US diplomats reportedly includes break-ins, dog-killing | Fox News

I'm pretty sure that's the plot of John Wick. Russia dun fucked up.

 

[cb1111]

Sweden and Finland preparing simultaneous applications for NATO membership: reports (msn.com)

Russian explosions point to Ukraine's embrace of the British special forces model (msn.com) "The explosion also dilutes Putin's credibility in claiming that his war on Ukraine is not a war, but rather a limited "special military operation." When stuff keeps blowing up in Russian cities, it's hard to convince the residents of said cities that Russia isn't at war."

Why President Biden did not travel with top officials to Ukraine | Watch (msn.com)

Opinions | What are the policy trade-offs in containing Russia? (msn.com)

CNN team and paramedics get caught in Russian shelling | Watch (msn.com)

Russian jet spinning out of control

Hundreds of thousands of elderly Ukrainians stranded in freezing conditions, says NGO chief (msn.com)

Ukraine urges UN to mediate corridor from Mariupol’s Azovstal (msn.com)

Looming ground battle is crucial phase in Ukraine, U.S. officials say (msn.com)

On the frontline in Donbas: 'We need weapons' (msn.com)

An exiled Russian oligarch says a European ban on Russian oil and gas would deal a 'very serious blow' to Putin, cutting off about half his revenues (msn.com)

White House Won't Weigh In on Putin's Health as Rumors Swirl (msn.com)

Emboldened by Ukraine’s Grit, U.S. Wants to See Russia Weakened (msn.com)

Moldova warns of effort to create 'pretexts' for conflict after explosions in pro-Russia separatist region Transnistria (msn.com)

NATO warships arrive at Finnish port for training exercises (msn.com)

 

[golfdave]

Yet again Russia complaining about NATO giving Ukraine weapons & threatening that NATO is escalating it to WW3.......basically Russia wants everything "its" way...

Ukraine: Russia says it is 'engaged in war' with NATO and tells the West to stop supplying weapons to Ukraine | World News | Sky News

Personally I think we ought to say:- "Ok then how about we cut out the middle man (Ukraine) & send the weapons directly to you (Russia), express delivery, & then for once your statements about NATO will actually be true!"... ....

 

[golfdave]

There have been several reports over the past few weeks of circa 900,000 civilians in Ukraine, especially in the east, being forcibly deported & disappeared into deepest Russia, or killed, & of concentration style internment/filtration camps in the Russian held Donbas region.....nice first hand report here:-

To long to quote, but well worth a read...

'You can't imagine the conditions' - Accounts emerge of Russian detention camps - BBC News

 

[GTIfan99]

Yet again Russia complaining about NATO giving Ukraine weapons & threatening that NATO is escalating it to WW3.......basically Russia wants everything "its" way...

Ukraine: Russia says it is 'engaged in war' with NATO and tells the West to stop supplying weapons to Ukraine | World News | Sky News

Personally I think we ought to say:- "Ok then how about we cut out the middle man (Ukraine) & send the weapons directly to you (Russia), express delivery, & then for once your statements about NATO will actually be true!"... ....

Has Russia considered joining NATO to gain protection from Ukrainian?

 

[GTIfan99]

There have been several reports over the past few weeks of circa 900,000 civilians in Ukraine, especially in the east, being forcibly deported & disappeared into deepest Russia, or killed, & of concentration style internment/filtration camps in the Russian held Donbas region.....nice first hand report here:-

To long to quote, but well worth a read...

'You can't imagine the conditions' - Accounts emerge of Russian detention camps - BBC News

Putin's claims of Nazis in Ukraine were pure projection.

 

[cb1111]

Putin’s war sparked an urgent need to expand the US military-industrial base | The Hill

Russia warns Britain for provoking Ukraine (msn.com)

Fires burn in Siberia, but Russian firefighting assets are in Ukraine (msn.com) Russia, like China, uses their military (personnel & equipment) for emergency management functions. This is in stark contrast to the west where the two functions are separate - and the military may be used to augment response if available - but the military never is the primary responder.

There is also another difference in response. In the US, we say that all disasters start local. When the locals are overwhelmed, the locals ask the county to step in, then the state and finally the feds. In Russia and China, the primary response is on the federal level. Not only does this slow response and is inefficient, but it causes just the situation that we are witnessing now in Russia - where they can't fight a forest fire because Putin sent the responders off to start a war.

 

[cb1111]

 

[dtfd]

Putin’s war sparked an urgent need to expand the US military-industrial base | The Hill

Russia warns Britain for provoking Ukraine (msn.com)

Fires burn in Siberia, but Russian firefighting assets are in Ukraine (msn.com) Russia, like China, uses their military (personnel & equipment) for emergency management functions. This is in stark contrast to the west where the two functions are separate - and the military may be used to augment response if available - but the military never is the primary responder.

There is also another difference in response. In the US, we say that all disasters start local. When the locals are overwhelmed, the locals ask the county to step in, then the state and finally the feds. In Russia and China, the primary response is on the federal level. Not only does this slow response and is inefficient, but it causes just the situation that we are witnessing now in Russia - where they can't fight a forest fire because Putin sent the responders off to start a war.

everyone complains about bureaucracy until it saves their ass

 

[Dents27]

So with the uprising in Transnistria (Moldova bordering Ukraine), is Putin trying to create another warfront as part of this theatre? Wouldn't those fronts have their backs to NATO since they are West fighting East?

 

[dtfd]

So with the uprising in Transnistria (Moldova bordering Ukraine), is Putin trying to create another warfront as part of this theatre? Wouldn't those fronts have their backs to NATO since they are West fighting East?

They stated invading Moldova is the "next phase" of the war. @cb1111 posted a news link with a Russian general letting as much slip.

I don't doubt if Ukraine had gone the way they wanted Russia would already have invaded Moldova.

 

[cb1111]

Canada says it has provided heavy artillery to Ukraine forces | Reuters

Ukraine shot down Russian plane with help from US intel: Report (msn.com)

Poland confirms T-72 tank delivery to Ukraine, with Challenger 2 tanks to fill gap (defensenews.com)

Secretary of Defense Austin tells Fox News how he believes the war in Ukraine will evolve (msn.com)

Gen. Mark Milley: If Russia gets away with war on Ukraine 'cost-free,' then 'so goes' international order (msn.com)

 

[cb1111]

everyone complains about bureaucracy until it saves their ass

Yes, and the problem is that too few people understand it. Because of the way our laws are written, the Federal govt is often blamed for lack of action during disasters, but the feds can't step in until the state asks them.

During Katrina, we had lots of stuff prepositioned at Barksdale AFB and in Georgia, but we couldn't do anything with it because the state of LA kept saying "we've got this". Since Katrina and Sandy, the laws have been massaged a bit to make it easier for the Feds to help.

In Russia and China, the "big" government decides what and when to help and how much. This slows the initial response and - because they generally use military for response - there are always conflicting priorities - like we are seeing in Siberia.

 

[golfdave]

Europe after allowing itself to be dependant on Russian oil & gas...which many analysts warned against over the years..

Russia suspends natural gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria | World News | Sky News

Both countries say they have enough in reserve & have contingency plans, plus we are heading into the summer months which gives them more time to sort supply before next winter.

Funny thing is that Hungary are ok, as their president is best friends with Putin..& yet they are a NATO member & have blocked Ukraine from joining NATO in the past...

Europe is so divided, which is why Germany & France & others were so slow in reacting as they depend so much on Russian fuels...

 

[cb1111]

Europe after allowing itself to be dependant on Russian oil & gas...which many analysts warned against over the years..

Russia suspends natural gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria | World News | Sky News

Both countries say they have enough in reserve & have contingency plans, plus we are heading into the summer months which gives them more time to sort supply before next winter.

Funny thing is that Hungary are ok, as their president is best friends with Putin..& yet they are a NATO member & have blocked Ukraine from joining NATO in the past...

Europe is so divided, which is why Germany & France & others were so slow in reacting as they depend so much on Russian fuels...

and why Germany is sending tanks without ammunition.

Nations need to scrutinize their supply chains and make sure that they have backup plans. While Switzerland is a western neutral country, they are controlling the supply of ammunition for a German tank. Would they do the same if Germany was attacked and needed the ammunition?

While Europe is dependent on foreign gas, they really need to have alternative sources in case there is some sort of supply disruption from their normal sources. As an example, the US would be reliable source of gas for Europe and they wouldn't shut off the flow because of a spat, but there could be transportation issues or a legitimate resource issue. Accordingly, Europe could rely on Qatar for the bulk of their gas during normal times with the US as a fallback (or the other way around)