Russia-Ukraine war and related tensions Megathread

[2952-0-0]

https://twitter.com/ComradeVucko/status/1635152490583957504?t=VxpjPa0L6cuHHNjMBz...

[Oleg 🇰🇿🤝🇺🇦]

Pretty crazy video.

"The Russian barrier squad (blocking unit, anti-retreat forces) shot the retreating Russian soldiers."

https://twitter.com/PaulJawin/status/1668200611307765761?s=20

Old habits die hard I see

It grows out of the structure of Russian society. There are блатные who can do anything, and there are disenfranchised people who can only serve блатных.

It gives rise to a funny situation that looks like something from a parallel universe, when they put real deserters to prevent desertion, or, for example, real thieves are assigned to prevent theft in an enterprise, or, for example, when racketeers of the eighties break into politics and special services in the nineties and then suppress those racketeers, who have not yet done so. Something similar happened in the 18th century with a robber nicknamed Ванька-Каин, then it was still an out of the ordinary event and became a legend. In modern Russia, this is rather the norm.

[CumbrianLefty]

I absolutely love these “anti-imperialist” tankies whose position is the US should force Ukraine against it’s will to surrender land to Russia.

Because the idea that US imperialism is - and always will be - the only "real" imperialism is absolutely central to their entire world view.

If you believe this, its not far to actually seeing Russian/Chinese expansionism as "progressive" - and yes the likes of Wallace have argued exactly that.

[jaichind]

https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-set-to-approve-depleted-uranium-tank-rounds-for-ukraine-f6d98dcf

"U.S. Set to Approve Depleted-Uranium Tank Rounds for Ukraine"

[pppolitics]

Maps of Russian fortification

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1rRKs40IEbGRsV0Fhky25l5OkPJ_vUvQ&usp=sharing

[pppolitics]

Ukraine’s counteroffensive against Russia in maps — latest updates

https://www.ft.com/content/4351d5b0-0888-4b47-9368-6bc4dfbccbf5

Military briefing: how Russia is fortifying its frontline for Ukraine’s counteroffensive

https://www.ft.com/content/7582506b-1337-4570-abcc-31f5f602bde7

[pppolitics]

Mick Wallace on the dry

Has Mick Moron asked how the average Russians would be doing if Russia were to spend money on its own people instead of wars?

[Person Man]

Mick Wallace on the dry

Has Mick Moron asked how the average Russians would be doing if Russia were to spend money on its own people instead of wars?

What about…

[Torie]

This is an interesting, and sobering,  set of tweets about modern trench warfare. It is going to be a very hard and time consuming slog, particularly given, as we all knew, the lack of air superiority. When was the last time the US attacked anything without air superiority?

https://twitter.com/Tatarigami_UA/status/1668482100050141184

[Woody]

https://twitter.com/Faytuks/status/1668623280776044554?cxt=HHwWlIDTqY-CkqguAAAA

[Storr]

https://twitter.com/Tendar/status/1668538609824047105?s=20

[Woody]

Unless there is some surprise attack coming soon, this offensive was quite a failure. 6 days have passed, and they conquered measly 5 (confirmed) villages in total, which are still in process of being counterattacked.

[Storr]

Terror bombing doesn't work in interstate wars (non-nuclear, anyway). In civil wars it can work if you're ruthless and evil enough (hello Syria). It didn't work in WWII, it didn't work in Korea, it didn't work in Vietnam, it didn't work in Iraq (don't tell me "Shock and Awe" wasn't trying to scare civilians), and it didn't work in any of the wars in Afghanistan. 

At this point, I feel that Russian missile strikes against civilians might simply be a reaction to the lack of success on the battlefield, instead trying to achieve anything. It's not like any of the previous missile strikes targeting civilians have dented Ukrainian morale at all.

https://twitter.com/IAPonomarenko/status/1668563526548353024?s=20

[Damocles]

I'd like to remind everyone that any offensive action is always going to be inherently more complex, more manpower and material-intensive, and more risky of greater losses than a comparable defensive action. Abrams and Leopard are not invincible pieces of wonder kit, but they do substantially help make sure their crews are only injured, and maybe a bit shook up if they are hit, instead of killed. Good tankers are far more difficult to replace than good tanks. Writing off every offensive operation as a "failure" after 6 days ignores the realities of the situation on the ground. Ukraine is doing fine, all things considered.

Omaha Beach was rough, yes. But Sword, Juno, Gold, and Utah generally saw good progress and the logistical support was quickly established to support further action. No sh#%t you're going to see losses even among the brigades we equipped and trained. But one has to wonder how long RuZZia can keep this up, given their confused C3, the loss of Goryachev, and seemingly disjointed actions. We're now seeing videos of RuZZian positions captured that were abandoned by the defenders, who left behind the ammunition and food.

[jaichind]

Unless there is some surprise attack coming soon, this offensive was quite a failure. 6 days have passed, and they conquered measly 5 (confirmed) villages in total, which are still in process of being counterattacked.

Sot of the plays into the narrative that in the world of advanced satellite and drone technology there is a nature advantage of being on the defense since the offensive loses the edge of the element of surprise.

[pppolitics]

https://twitter.com/Faytuks/status/1668623280776044554?cxt=HHwWlIDTqY-CkqguAAAA

LOL, is Putin making threats?

He and what army?

The one that's dying in Ukraine?

[pppolitics]

Unless there is some surprise attack coming soon, this offensive was quite a failure. 6 days have passed, and they conquered measly 5 (confirmed) villages in total, which are still in process of being counterattacked.

Ukrainians captured more territory in 6 days than Russians did in 6 months.

[Damocles]

[Woody]

Unless there is some surprise attack coming soon, this offensive was quite a failure. 6 days have passed, and they conquered measly 5 (confirmed) villages in total, which are still in process of being counterattacked.

Ukrainians captured more territory in 6 days than Russians did in 6 months.

Not really.

[windjammer]

Are the ukrainians underperforming or overperforming the expectations ?

[Hindsight was 2020]

Are the ukrainians underperforming or overperforming the expectations ?

Hitting expectations, from most reports this offense line Kherson will be a several months log slog so they are going at a realistic/ pretty good pace now

[All Along The Watchtower]

Seems that it's a bit early to say either way, no?

[Storr]

Just as important as having tanks, having vehicles to recover those tanks:

https://twitter.com/NOELreports/status/1668623359301783553?s=20

[YPestis25]

While I’ve given into the temptation to respond to him from time to time, as always it is simply better to put Woodbury on ignore.

[Storr]

https://twitter.com/Tendar/status/1668538609824047105?s=20

https://twitter.com/NOELreports/status/1668711793299013633?s=20