It has been one year since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Ukraine is still fighting and those who support their efforts to defend their sovereignty are still with them.
In my home state:
To say it is difficult for the brave people defending Ukraine is an understatement. A small sample of their world:
Those trying to help:
Please take a moment and consider what it would be like if your country were invaded by a hostile power intent on destroying everything you have known.
Slava Ukraini!
82 comments:
"A Russian A-50 early warning and control aircraft in Belarus
was damaged as a result of the Feb. 26 explosion at the
Machulishchy airfield near Minsk, Belarusian opposition media
Nasha Niva reported on Feb. 26 citing Aliaksandr Azarov, leader
of Belarusian anti-government organization BYPOL."
KyivIndependent
According to sources, there were 'several' explosions. According to the official Russian and Belarussian line, there was an engine fire on an airport vehicle.
Word is that it was a drone attack. No details on the people responsible, Ukrainians or Belurussian opposition.
An article in AlJazeera claims the kill for Belarusian 'partisans'.
There are Belarussians fighting in Ukraine as well. Kind of like the Chechens. They don't like Putin or what Russia has done to their own countries, so they are fighting back in Ukraine.
Ukraine has come out and admitted it has longer range capability now. They don't say exactly what it is, though. They've been busy around Mariupol giving the Russians a hard time in an area they thought was safe.
I was thinking, if someone can hack Russian radio or TV and broadcast air raid sirens, why can't they hack TV and show pictures of what Russia has been really doing in Ukraine? It might tear away the veil of lies Putin has created, at least for some.
What ever happened to Steven Segal anyway? Was he always a fascist wanna be?
"Ukraine has come out and admitted it has longer range
capability now."
Strongly hinted at it anyway, but that don't necessarily mean it's true. After all, they've occasionally hit Russian air bases hundreds of miles deep into Russia. Hitting across into Mariupol, which is substantially closer, doesn't necessarily mean they have any new capabilities.
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"It might tear away the veil of lies Putin has created, at
least for some."
Much like our own dedicated Trumpkins, Putin's supporters, the overwhelming majority of Russia's citizens, want that 'veil of lies'. They especially want the new Russian Empire they think will go along with it.
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"What ever happened to Steven Segal anyway?"
Well, he got fat, for one thing.
But, along the lines of your inquiry…. Putin was an aficionado of Judo, the Japanese semi-martial arts type of stylized wrestling. (He had a black belt.)
Segal was semi-famous as an actor/stunt man in martial arts movies. They got to meet up one day and Segal was apparently star-struck and ended up as a fan-boy for Putin (who, by and large, does not appear to reciprocate the attachment). Whether Segal was previously inclined towards fascism is pretty much anybody's guess. (He wasn't known for any coherent politics that I know of other than a bent towards environmental mysticism.)
I'd say that Segal is best described as something of a public flake, but he may have been inclined towards fascism as well.
NYT: It seems that a lot of the Leopard 2 tanks scattered across Europe, and pledged recently to the defense of Ukraine, don't actually run--haven't been operational for quite a while now. The individual European nations were generally relying on their neighbors to keep up their Leopard 2 tanks (in case of need), and just not talkin' 'bout it. But those neighboring nations were, in turn, not maintaining their tanks either and instead relying upon them.
Maybe that is the real reason Germany was so reluctant to give up its Leopards.
Apparently there has been another attempted drone attack in Russia. According to Russia anyway. The drones seem to have been jammed.
At least they didn't hit their alleged targets.
On the other hand the Ukrainians seem to have struck a number of targets successfully on Russian occupied territory in Ukraine. Target - Wagner. Perhaps some of those long awaited ammunition deliveries.
"At least they didn't hit their alleged targets."
So the Russians say. They claim the fire at the oil depot was a completely unrelated coincidence, having nothing to do with the Ukrainian drone that just happened to drop in just before the fire.
Speaking of Wagner… It seems that the Wagner Group is moving their fighters back into the fray at Bakhmut, after having lost their position at the vanguard there to the regular Russian military several weeks ago. Now they're comin' back in.
Post Script:
"They claim the fire at the oil depot was a completely unrelated
coincidence…"
It appears that other Russians are blaming that oil depot fire on Ukraine. They'll get their stories together before the day's out, probably.
Speaking of Wagner… It seems that the Wagner Group is moving their fighters back into the fray at Bakhmut,...
Ukrainian soldiers are saying they are more experienced Wagner soldiers. So it appears they are very intent on taking Bakhmut.
There is a video circulating purporting to be 10 Russian regular military asking to join Wagner. My first thought was that it was staged by Wagner. My second thought was that if they were for real then they obviously haven't heard about Wagner tactics. Not an organization I would join willingly, myself.
Apparently that drone attack was more extensive then I first realized. Drones were launched not just in Russia but in Crimea as well. And they were widespread in Russia itself going from up near Moscow down to the south of Russia across from Crimea.
One line of speculation is that Ukraine is forcing Russia to make a difficult choice on where to place their air defenses. Do they place them at the front line to defend against a Ukrainian counter attack or in Russia to keep civilians from panicking?
"Ukrainian soldiers are saying they are more experienced
Wagner soldiers."
Even so, that would seem to me to mean that the regular Russian army wasn't able to maintain the assault on its own.*
First the Ukrainians burned up Wagner's assault on Bakhmut. Now it appears they've also burned up the regular army's available resources. Two down sequentially. Now those two competitor armies are having to launch joint operations, a marriage of necessity, in order to maintain the intensity of the assault on Bakhmut.
That would be my guess.
(So, now the Ukrainians have to recalculate their loss ratios once again. Are they still killing enough Russians to justify their own losses? Or have they pushed that project about as far as is beneficial to them?)
"… they obviously haven't heard about Wagner tactics."
Or, they figured they'd qualify as "more experienced" troops; thatthey'd be among those who get to take advantage of watching the slaughter of convict cannon fodder in the first waves.
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"Ukraine has sent reinforcements to Bakhmut, a senior
Ukrainian official said on Wednesday…Deputy Defense
Minister Hanna Maliar, did not say how many troops were
being sent or for what purpose.
***
"‛Our military is obviously going to weigh all of the options,’
he said. ‛So far, they have held the city but, if need be, they
will strategically pull back because we are not going to
sacrifice all of our people just for nothing.’
"He emphasized that it was up to the country’s military to
decide if a withdrawal was needed."
WaPo
Meantime, Ukrainian reinforcements are goin' in. Not clear whether they're intended to help hold on or to help secure a route for withdrawal.
My guess though… The Ukrainians don't intend to pull out. The spring thaw is just around the corner (already on in some places) and the Russians are soon gonna find it hard to bring in more troops across the mud.
________________________________
"One line of speculation is that Ukraine is forcing Russia to
make a difficult choice on where to place their air defenses."
Russia should have an overabundance of air defenses. (What they seem to be short on is sober and competent personnel to man those defenses. They keep getting surprised.)
________________________________
Supposedly there are "armed Ukrainian nationalists" operating on Russian soil in the border region of Bryansk (near where the Belarus/Ukraine border meets the Russian border). WaPo This might contribute to Russian citizens gettin' panicky.
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
* The Russians certainly do appear to be 'very intent' on taking Bakhmut. Don't mean it's gonna work out that way.
Update: An outfit calling itself "The Russian Volunteer Corps" has claimed credit for the overnight attacks in the Bryansk region. (Mentioned above ↑↑).
Russia should have an overabundance of air defenses. (What they seem to be short on is sober and competent personnel to man those defenses. They keep getting surprised.)
They have that shortage in the other areas of their military as well. There are no end to stories of Russian soldiers being fired on by their own tanks or artillery. They also have lost drones to fire from their own forces.
An outfit calling itself "The Russian Volunteer Corps" has claimed credit for the overnight attacks in the Bryansk region.
I just watched an interview with a Russian fighter who was fighting for Ukraine. There are quite a few of them.
It seems the Wagner Group is back to recruiting. This time they have been visiting classrooms in Moscow, 10th grade classrooms. They are asking the students to fill out questionnaires about their personal information and if they have any useful skills, like how to shoot.
This is in Moscow, not the far reaches of Siberia.
There is a new video out purporting to be of Russian soldiers pleading with Putin for help. The soldier says their unit has been replenished with mend 6 times. He says their commanders are incompetent and ends with "Glory to Russia".
Apparently he doesn't realize that the incompetence goes straight to the top.
Not going to redo for that typo...
mend should be men
"This is in Moscow, not the far reaches of Siberia."
It may well be that Putin's unrelenting propaganda campaign is having the desired effect, making it easier to recruit in Moscow these days. I've been reading that the war is gaining popular support as time goes along and Putin's pro-war propaganda machine just keeps running 24/7 with no rebuttals allowed. (Possible that information isn't entirely correct--hard to get accurate polls in an authoritarian society. But even allowing for that difficulty, there are those who claim the propaganda campaign is noticeably having the desired effect on the Russian urban population.)
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"My guess though… The Ukrainians don't intend to pull out."
Lee C. @ Thu Mar 02, 05:42 am ↑↑
May be time to rethink that one.
May be time to rethink that one.
I suspect the Ukrainians have a plan as to just when to pull out...or not.
Btw, it seems there was another drone attack near Moscow last night. They seem to have struck in or near Kolomna again.
A Russian oligarch is predicting that Russia will run out of money in 2024. I'll believe it when I see it. They will find someone to bail them out.
"I'll believe it when I see it."
I'm skeptical as well. Russia had banked a lot of cash reserves from the oil trade before the invasion of Ukraine. (That's on top of China and others who'll be willing to make loans.)
It looks like the Ukrainians are in the process of their final withdrawal of Bakhmut.
They seem to have struck in or near Kolomna again.
It looks like the drone was just a scout, checking Russian air defenses. It was followed on by a missile, which struck near Kolomna.
Meanwhile the Russians have been busy digging trenches on the beaches of Crimea. They seem to be expecting visitors. Or someone is using the war to make some money, creating unneeded defenses on the beach.
Reuters: Two Ukrainian pilots currently in training in Arizona are now being "evaluated" in F-16 simulators. Supposedly the idea is to figure out how much training Ukrainian pilots might need to effectively use F-16s, i.e. How long will it take these guys to get up to combat speed?
I saw that. I think they may also be evaluating them on the A-10's. Something they may get quicker than the F-16 and that may also be useful.
Hmmm...Kadyrov traveled to the UAE for medical treatment, suffering from kidney failure. He apparently doesn't trust Russian doctors, believing that he was poisoned.
He does swim in a tough pool of shark infested waters.
"I think they may also be evaluating them on the A-10's."
I'd not heard that.
I had read that they were offered A-10s several months ago and didn't want them (link July '22); they thought of the A-10 as an obsolete 'second rate' offering, not up to matching blows with the Russians' newer turbojets, (which is true except for the 'second rate offering' part).
I thought that might be a mistake even then.
Perhaps the Ukrainians have since learned to appreciate the Warhogs' superior combat ground support capabilities. (I also think the Ukrainians are more likely to get the F-16s if they're already flying the A-10s. Use the A-10s in their best role, as flying artillery, especially as tank killers; use the F-16s to keep the Russian fighter planes off of the A-10s.)
________________________________
"He apparently doesn't trust Russian doctors…"
Doesn't seem to have much faith in Chechen doctors either.
________________________________
Rumor's goin' 'round 'bout a pair of hits on two Russian barracks in Melitopol. Maybe 'hundreds' of dead Russian soldiers.
Rumor ↑↑ don't seem to be quickly confirmed though.
NYT: Claims that the senior Ukrainian military leadership is not onboard with surrendering possession of Bakhmut. They want to fight on right where they are, maybe start pushin' the Russians back from Bakhmut (some of that already happened over the weekend). Good a place as any to start the counter push for Donetsk Oblast. (And rumor's are the kill ratio around Bakhmut is runnin' 7:1--Ukraine's favor.)
...they thought of the A-10 as an obsolete 'second rate' offering...
Considering some of the equipment the Russians have been fielding that seems a little surprising. They have also been using some of that old Russian equipment themselves. Oh well, it is their war. I guess they can fight it as they choose.
Rumor's goin' 'round 'bout a pair of hits on two Russian barracks in Melitopol
I'll watch for any mention of that kind of attack. I have also only seen one reference to a missile, an old Soviet one, that the Ukrainians used in Kolomna. But I could see why the Russians may have wanted to keep that quiet, if it did happen. Rather too close to Moscow.
Good a place as any to start the counter push for Donetsk Oblast.
I was wondering if the Ukrainian counter-offensive had already started, there in Bakhmut. Maybe they are tired of tactical retreats. I guess it would depend on where they wanted to go from there.
I had heard that Melitopol was on their radar. On the way to Crimea.
Zelenskyy has announced in his Monday evening podcast to the Ukrainian people "that he intends to hold the line in Bakhmut". WaPo
Sounds like they've decided on it.
On a related subject: I notice that the new Chinese Foreign Minister has sought out a microphone and camera where he's gotten kinda snarky 'bout Chinese plans to begin supplying weapons and ammo to Russia for use in Ukraine.
I interpret this to mean a decision has been made 'bout that as well. I don't yet know what that decision might have been.
Zelenskyy has announced in his Monday evening podcast to the Ukrainian people "that he intends to hold the line in Bakhmut".
Yes, he appears to be concerned about further encroachment into Ukraine by Russia if they take Bakhmut.
I am of two minds. On the one hand if a retreat would save troops for a later battle then maybe its a good thing. However, if the Ukrainian military is so dug in that they can defend against a Russian advance in or around Bakhumt, eliminating more Russian solders and equipment then they lose, perhaps it is a good position to fight from? If and when the Ukrainians go on the offensive they will be the ones to risk a higher mortality rate, so why not "drain the swamp" so to speak of as many Russians and their equipment while they can?
Meanwhile while the Russians are so busy with Bakhmut perhaps the Ukrainians can better prepare using the tanks and other weapons that they are being sent?
But I am no military strategist and may not have a good picture of the long term.
I notice that the new Chinese Foreign Minister has sought out a microphone and camera where he's gotten kinda snarky 'bout Chinese plans to begin supplying weapons and ammo to Russia for use in Ukraine.
Then I would suggest we start ramping up more manufacturing capability here in the US, along with our European allies. Less across the ocean ship traffic could be good for climate change as well.
"Considering some of the equipment the Russians have
been fielding…"
Air power is different. The Russians haven't been putting any outdated aircraft in the field (beyond an occasional updated drone or a now guided, previously ballistic missile). They been bringing their state of the art stuff in the air (when they simply must bring planes--mostly they've been trying to keep all their airplanes safe from Ukrainian ground fire).
Meantime, the Ukrainians had a limited number of pilots. Early in the war they needed those pilots in air defense, F-16s were indicated but not attack planes--that's what that "A" in the A-10 designation signifies, an attack plane. (Also, they almost certainly knew that our Air Force had been trying hard to retire the A-10s for nigh onto twenty years and that Congress wouldn't allow it.)
________________________________
"… and may not have a good picture of the long term."
Well then, let's consider recent history.
∙ Prigozhin was whining 'bout not getting ammunition. (Later said he'd been supplied again.)
· Prigozhin had to give up on recruiting convicts out of Russian prisons.
· Wagner group had to bring in regular Russian army units and more elite Wagner units to maintain the assault on Bakhmut.
· The Russian regular army pretty much took over the assault on Bakhmut.
∙ The Russian army then had to bring Wagner back in on account of they were running out of cannon fodder as well. (Now Wagner and the Russian regulars are having to coöperate to maintain the continued siege of Bakhmut.)
• And they're exhibiting surges in their shelling patterns, suggesting that they've been running low on ammo, and then get a new shipment, and then run low again.
I'm thinking that all suggests a very real possibility that the siege of Bakhmut may just peter out here in the reasonably foreseeable future. I can imagine the Russians just running out of available troops and/or ammo, and having to abandon the siege and drop back to more defensible positions.
While we're on the subject of Bakhmut, and Wagner… Prigozhin made a big deal out of announcing that Wagner Group now has complete control and full possession of all of Bakhmut east of the Bakhmutka River (which is a river in the same sense that Bakhmut is a city--i.e. ꜱᴍᴀʟʟ). This is hardly an accomplishment as the Ukrainians pulled back to the west side of river over the weekend, establishing the river as their front line, and leaving a sliver of Bakhmut on the east bank undefended.
However, I did notice that some western media seemed very impressed with the announcement, treating it as if were news, instead of last weekend's news, and as if it were a big deal; neither of which are true.
...-mostly they've been trying to keep all their airplanes safe from Ukrainian ground fire).
Probably need to keep something back in case they really are attacked by someone. They probably can't easily replace them. Like other things.
It has occurred to me that if China were to send ammunition and other military hardware, it might be too late. Russia has lost a lot of experienced, well more so then your typical mobilized recruit anyway, soldiers in their invasion. It takes more than flattening cities to hold territory. Or even win it.
That tank battle near Vuhledar was very poorly thought out by Russia. The Ukrainians wiped the field with them.
...Prigozhin made a big deal out of announcing that Wagner Group now has complete control and full possession of all of Bakhmut east of the Bakhmutka River...
He's also been whining again that he needs more ammunition.
This is hardly an accomplishment as the Ukrainians pulled back to the west side of river over the weekend, establishing the river as their front line, and leaving a sliver of Bakhmut on the east bank undefended.
Yes. The Russians and Wagner are pretty good at taking empty(of military personnel) cities and towns. It's kind of their MO.
"He's also been whining again that he needs more
ammunition."
This time it's starting to look like Russia's regular army is also running short; they're not just shortchanging Wagner. And I've read recent articles that strongly hint that the regular Russian army has quit their participation in the 'joint' assault on Bakhmut (which they had taken over at one point, crowding out Wagner), leaving it solely to Wagner once again (which explains Wagner's exclusive possession of the east bank of the Bakhmutka River and "complete" control over the sliver of municipal Bakhmut that's behind it).
Last night's missile barrage was made up of a half dozen or more different kinds of missiles launched at residential structures and electrical infrastructure, seemingly whatever Russia could scrounge together to make up a large barrage (so's to overwhelm the Ukrainian defenses if possible).
There is a looming ammunition shortage on the NATO side as well. Ukraine is using ammo faster than 'the collective West' is producing ammo for them to use. I recall a suggestion being made that this war may come down to who runs out of ammo first. Beginning to look more and more like that might be right.
Changing subjects:
Zelenskyy's personal invitation to host a visit from the new Republican Speaker of the House, Kevin McCarthy, shows, I think, a fairly sophisticated understanding of American politics. McCarthy felt that he had to decline the invitation--not a particularly good look for him, I don't think. But he felt like he had to do it. McCarthy's office is currently not returning calls from 'mainstream media' asking for comment on his refusal to meet with Zelenskyy or go to Ukraine. Maybe they'll figure out what to say later, but for now they seem to be hoping that the problem can be successfully ignored.
Last night's missile barrage was made up of a half dozen or more different kinds of missiles launched at residential structures and electrical infrastructure,...
Retaliation for the Bryansk attack, according to the Kremlin.
It occurs to me that Putin was right, Russia is not like the West. Perhaps we need to stop projecting our values onto others who don't share them.
That would go for China too.
There is a looming ammunition shortage on the NATO side as well. Ukraine is using ammo faster than 'the collective West' is producing ammo for them to use.
Yes. Ukraine has managed some tricks in setting up ambushes for the Russians. It looks like they will have to pull that same rabbit out of the hat with regard to ammo. At least until NATO can ramp up production.
I recall a suggestion being made that this war may come down to who runs out of ammo first.
Yes, it could come to pass. But when it comes down to hand to hand combat, I would give the edge to those with the greatest motivation to actually continue participating.
"Retaliation for the Bryansk attack, according to the
Kremlin."
I think the Kremlin better get used to attacks against Russian targets. Putin's planning a long war conducted long-range from 'safe harbor' within Russia.
The Ukrainians will not coöperate with that plan.
Once they have possession of Crimea and the Donbas regions (assuming they get that far before bogging down), and the Russians keep up the long-range missile strikes, they will strike back into Russia. They're not gonna just take it forever and not hit back. They don't consider the Russian border to be a sacred limitation; it is not a taboo for them--no matter what the Russians think; they've shown that already.
Concerning the 'war-by-retaliation' model: I would point out that the "V" in the Nazis' V-1 and V-2 rockets stood for the German word "vergeltungswaffe", translated as "vengence weapon" or "retaliation weapon" (general match for both; not an exact match for either). Didn't do any good last time; didn't make the Brits any less determined to strike back into Germany; won't do any good this time either.
But, the model did come out of 'the West'. Russia is perhaps not so much different as you suggest. They're simply following the evil examples--choosing the evil intentionally.
But your conclusion is otherwise quite correct. We should not project our democratic values onto Russia--Russia currently follows the fascist model which places a relatively higher value on the practice of sadism and brutality--sees them as good things--things to be enjoyed for their own sake (so long as they're something Russia can inflict on others and not something Russians must endure).
It is a different model than we follow, but it is still a thoroughly 'Western' model. Call it a 'legacy' model perhaps.
Word is that after the horrible losses at Vuhledar Russian marines have refused to fight. Shoigu's visit was not just a feel good publicity stunt. He was there for a more important reason. Damage control.
Concerning the 'war-by-retaliation' model: I would point out that the "V" in the Nazis' V-1 and V-2 rockets stood for the German word "vergeltungswaffe", translated as "vengence weapon" or "retaliation weapon" (general match for both; not an exact match for either).
You are right, I should not forget history. But I hope we will not repeat it.
They're simply following the evil examples--choosing the evil intentionally.
And I should not become complacent that we could never fall into that trap. We must always be watchful.
Russia currently follows the fascist model which places a relatively higher value on the practice of sadism and brutality
Nor should I assume that there are not those in Russia who would be willing to fight against that darkness which currently resides in the Kremlin.
"…Russian marines have refused to fight."
There do seem to have been some outbreaks of that behavior in these last several days, only minor outbreaks, scattered, sporadic, unfortunately. But, perhaps this time we might reasonably hope for the behavior to spread; long shot probably, but maybe.
"He was there for…damage control."
Yeah, he's also thinking that this time there may be reason to fear the behavior might spread.
(But, I still ain't holdin' my breath on that just that.)
I still ain't holdin' my breath
Neither am I.
"[Shoigu] was there for…damage control."
It has occurred to me to wonder more about that. My first thought was that you meant he was attending to the viewpoint of the Russian soldiers involved. But, was he perhaps instead trying to control the damage done to his own military standing in Putin's eyes?
I think it was the second thing.
It appears that Putin has sidelined Prighozin. At the moment Shoigu is on top. May not last long if he runs his forces into the meat grinder of Bakhmut and they come out as hamburger.
See I've already forgotten how to spell his name. Prigozhin.
"It appears that Putin has sidelined [Prigozhin]."
I had read that the 'refills' coming into the battle for Bakhmut these last few days were once again Russian regular army soldiers (after the army had earlier declined to keep supporting Wagner initiatives there).
Rumor's goin' 'round 'bout a pair of hits on two Russian barracks in Melitopol. Maybe 'hundreds' of dead Russian soldiers.
I am hearing that the Ukrainians have been targeting transports for Russian soldiers and also troop concentrations. They seem intent on disrupting reinforcement movements. HIMARS were involved.
I have also heard that the Ukrainians have been using JDAMs around the Bakhmut area.
"…Ukrainians have been targeting transports for Russian
soldiers and also troop concentrations."
They claim to have killed over 1,000 Russian soldiers on Friday alone. link
Speaking of killing Russians… A week ago Wagner Group was using up the last of their convict cannon fodder as advance troops in Bakhmut. Now, a week along, the advance troops serving as cannon fodder in Bakhmut are Wagner Group's better seasoned mercenary fighters, with Russian paratroopers (shorn of their parachutes and air cover) serving as the follow along reinforcements. This cannot be thought to be a good development for the Wagner Group.
"…Ukrainians have been using JDAMs around the Bakhmut
area."
They had been successful earlier in rigging HARM missiles (American made anti-radar missiles) to launch from their Soviet era MIG 29s. Now it seems they've figured out how to fire JDAMs from their MIGs as well. Supposedly they got the "ER" (extended range) versions--"fire and forget" technology--50 miles from airplane to surface target--and a much, much bigger boom than HIMARS can deliver.
This also cannot be thought of as a good development for the Wagner Group--or for the Russian military either.
(The Black Sea Fleet better get their anti-aircraft defenses dusted off, oiled up, and ready to fire. That lake ain't big enough to keep them Russian boats hid.)
This cannot be thought to be a good development for the Wagner Group.
I suspect that Wagner is now in everyone's crosshairs. That's what happens when you are intent on taking a starring role. You attract attention.
Just a small aside. I was watching a video by a Russian vlogger the other day. She was doing a tour of her local grocery store, pointing out how it has changed over the past year. They seem to have condensed some areas, which seem to have limited supplies of goods, to make the selection not look so sparse. Give you one guess as to the area of the store that was still quite well stocked...
"… one guess as to the area of the store that was still quite
well stocked..."
Wheat products. Bread especially, heavy peasant bread especially, round whole grain loaves that fill people up, pasta maybe, cereals maybe.
Liquor.
"That lake ain't big enough to keep them Russian boats hid."
Occurred to me that Putin's Crimean bridge gonna be even harder to hide.
"…That's what happens…"
Like Hitler, Putin is proving to be rather poor military general.
However, Putin has shown a native talent for taking out potential political challengers early enough. That's why he still has no credible successor (and thus no current credible challenger) after 20+ years at the pinnacle in the Kremlin.
It was always highly unlikely that he was gonna let Prigozhin run loose long 'nuff to become an actual threat.
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Liquor ain't groceries. Trick question. (Or, maybe not a trick question in Minnesota) But, I probably shoulda figured it out anyway.
Occurred to me that Putin's Crimean bridge gonna be even harder to hide.
Yes, it's rather big and stationary. All it takes is one little section disappearing.
It was always highly unlikely that he was gonna let Prigozhin run loose long 'nuff to become an actual threat.
But he was a good distraction.
However, Putin has shown a native talent for taking out potential political challengers early enough.
Gotta be someone he wouldn't suspect then. And maybe not one person.
Liquor ain't groceries.
Apparently it is in Russia.
It looks like a couple of Russian fighter jets intercepted and forced down one of our Reaper drones over the Black Sea.
Perhaps they are getting a little nervous about their lack of ability to hide ship movements.
I think we should ask for compensation.
"…it is in Russia."
I overlooked the Russian reference and was thinking about Ukrainian grocery stores.
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"I think we should ask for compensation."
I think we should point out that a Reaper can shoot back.
Yes, we are allowed self defense.
I am wondering if those Russian pilots were drunk at the time. They certainly did risk damaging a fighter jet ( even an older model) to take down a drone. Since we have wiped the programming they will expend a lot of energy for perhaps little gain.
The DoD has declassified and released the video from the Reaper drone showing that the Russians did dump fuel (or something similar) on it, and did collide with the drone in mid-air. A follow-up rear view in the video shows the damaged propeller, not spinning anymore.
Kazakhstan has impounded the property of the Russian state company that has been running its space program from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
Kazakhstan’s bailiff service banned Russia's Space Infrastructure Center from transferring its assets and property out of the country and ordered the entity's leader to remain in Kazakhstan, The Moscow Times newspaper reported on March 14.
According to the media outlet, the decision was made due to the Russian state company's debt of 13.5 billion tenges ($29.7 million) to the Baiterek Kazakh-Russian joint venture for work related to estimating ecological damage caused by Souyz-5 rockets.
A follow-up rear view in the video shows the damaged propeller, not spinning anymore.
Yeah, I saw that. It was clearly bent.
There was word that the Ukrainians took out another Russian barracks with HIMARS. It is notable that it was taken out at a distance that is at the end of HIMARS rockets capability, supposedly.
A distance where the Russians would have felt relatively safe.
The ICC has issued a warrant for Putin's arrest. The right thing to do, but gonna be hard to nab the weasely fellow.
"A distance where the Russians would have felt relatively safe."
S'pose the Ukrainians wait for a favorable tailwind 'fore they fire those off?
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Russia doesn't recognize the jurisdiction of the ICC (neither does the United States). So, the warrant cannot be served in Russia; they'd just 'neutralize' any Interpol officers who tried that. Neither does China recognize ICC criminal jurisdiction, so Xi's trip to Moscow is almost certainly still "on". However, I'd reckon it does make things a little less comfortable for Xi. India doesn't recognize ICC criminal jurisdiction either, so Putin can, conceivably, still attend the G-20 meetings soon to be held in India (as he has threatened to do). But, I think this makes that trip a bit less likely.
It really just isolates Putin a little more.
"It really just isolates Putin a little more."
I'm afraid you seriously overestimate the 'isolation' of Putin and his fascist resurrection.
We may have to have a talk about that one of these days. For now I'd just point out that there's a really large chunk of the world population that hates 'the collective West' 'cause they're comparatively poor and 'the West' is comparatively rich. (This is true even in countries that are 'rich' when the wealth is averaged out, but where social stratification is quite high, resulting in a great mass of poor people in nations with great wealth in the top percentiles. They hate 'the collective West' for that, rather than blaming their own governments for the governing they get.)
I would point out that countries as diverse and as mutually hostile to one another as Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Israel are all supportive of Putin and of the Russian fascist resurgence against Ukraine. Those war crimes actually bother them very little. (And I could go on at some length on this, but won't--for now.)
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Meantime…
Word's goin' 'round that Russia has slowed down on its winter offensive in the Donbas region (and in the south) due to an acute shortage of ammunition (rockets and artillery shells especially). There also seems to be a potential problem developing with Ukraine's planned spring/summer counter-offensive due to a reciprocal ammo shortage.
(One result of the current Russian ammo shortage is that they've brought in more 'hypersonic' missiles, new ships to bulk up their Black Sea with more missiles. Makes those JDAM kits we're gonna be sending Ukraine even more important than they would have been otherwise. More MIG-29s to drop 'em from are soon gonna be useful as well.)
After reading several interpretations of Russia's new law outlawing the criticism of Russian soldiers ('volunteers' and otherwise), it has dawned on me that Prigozhin could quit easily find himself being prosecuted for several of the things he's said about Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and several other generals he's named as traitors.
I'll have to watch to see if he tones that rhetoric down now.
And, while we're on that subject… I'm also gonna be watching to see if he's successful at picking up those additional 30,000 recruits (non-convict recruits) he's currently shooting for. It's not clear to me that major public bitchin' 'bout not being able to get artillery support is gonna be a great inducement to potential infantry recruits.
Well, it seems that Putin has crawled out from behind his super long table and visited not only Crimea, but also the city of Mariupol.
That Joe Biden visit was probably rankling a little bit. Can't be upstaged, even if you are a wanted criminal.
Meanwhile, speaking of wanted criminals, will he or won't he? Trump that is. Will he be arrested or won't he?
He seems to be jumping up and down calling for another insurrection if he is. Gotta find some way to upstage DeSantis. Even bad press is better than no press.
I'm trying to recall the last time I saw a national leader, any national leader, schedule a photo-op for after dark.
I'm drawing a blank on that.
And wouldn't you know it he ran into some locals who were just so surprised to see him.
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