Russia and its “Special Operation” in Ukraine

[Awol]

42 minutes ago, OutByEaster? said:

Where do people see the mid to long term future of a post Putin Russia with a ruined economy?

…..

Where do they go after this?

China’s house-boy or part of the west, I don’t see another viable option - although it would make a lovely nature reserve. 

[Awol]

This from 01:30 - 10:00 mins is a really good primer and gives a balanced analysis of the last two weeks.
 

 

 

[mjmooney]

26 minutes ago, Awol said:

Tanks without infantry are very vulnerable, but as one part of combined arms maneuver warfare they’re formidable.

 That’s why penny packets of unsupported armour are getting turned into scrap metal by highly mobile light infantry armed with NLAW/Javelin.

Guderian said it, Rommel quoted it, Montgomery knew it. Even the WWII Soviets didn't send in their T34s without infantry riding on board to deal with the panzerfausts. Zhukov will be turning in his grave. 

[foreveryoung]

8 minutes ago, Davkaus said:

It's really bizarre to bend over to such lengths to think of conspiracy theories that excuse Russia when they've spent days shelling evacuation routes so civilians can't flee to safety.

I'm not excusing Russia at all, that's out of order saying that, an you can take that back!! 

I agree this probably is Russia, but to comment and say it's conspiracy like it never happens is a bit nieve.

[mjmooney]

57 minutes ago, HanoiVillan said:

This is not going to be an acceptable pre-condition to any talks

Of course it isn't. But the rest of the Russian leadership must be aware that he will have to go before they can start to rebuild any relations with the rest of the world. 

[OutByEaster?]

9 minutes ago, Awol said:

China’s house-boy or part of the west, I don’t see another viable option.

Oh goodie, I'm sure we'll find a fair and equitable way to divide it up that has the interests of the Russian people at heart.

 

[Davkaus]

4 minutes ago, foreveryoung said:

I'm not excusing Russia at all, that's out of order saying that, an you can take that back!! 

I agree this probably is Russia, but to comment and say it's conspiracy like it never happens is a bit nieve.

You literally speculated it was either an accident, or someone else framing them, with absolutely no evidence this is the case when they have a track record of doing exactly this kind of thing.

I don't want to fall out mate, but re-read that post of yours, I don't think my post was unfair at all, I certainly didn't mean anything offensive by it though.

[LondonLax]

9 minutes ago, meregreen said:

AirPower is the modern way of pulverising opposition. Tanks have their use, but are vulnerable to one man with a guided weapon. Russia probably thought she could dominate the airspace. This has proven to be beyond them thus far. 

I’ve been reading a little bit about Russian tactics and apparently we often misunderstand how they use their airforce. It’s not the same as the US airforce who try to control the airspace then once that’s done they work on their secondary targets of helping the other branches. For Russia their airforce is more of an auxiliary arm of the army. It’s job is to stay close to the ground troops and support them. Their airforce doesn’t go off on it’s own missions, it adds its firepower to whatever the ground troops are up to and only tries to dominate the sky around the actual front line. In that respect it appears the Russian airforce is doing its job pretty well, within the confines of its role.

 

 

[avfc1982am]

15 minutes ago, Awol said:

This from 01:30 - 10:00 mins is a really good primer and gives a balanced analysis of the last two weeks.
 

 

 

star treks Patrick Stewart(painting bottom right).

[sidcow]

33 minutes ago, mjmooney said:

Guderian said it, Rommel quoted it, Montgomery knew it. Even the WWII Soviets didn't send in their T34s without infantry riding on board to deal with the panzerfausts. Zhukov will be turning in his grave. 

All my knowledge about WW2 Anti Tank weaponry is garnered exclusively from Commando Comic Books therefore I only know about the PIAT Anti Tank gun

[sidcow]

It's been well documented that Putin is so paranoid about being usurped that all of his ministers and senior military bods are HIS people, totally dependent upon him and probably of one mind with him. 

The question is how far down the pecking order does this solidarity go? Could the people immediately below the inner circle rebel against their masters to end this or would you have to go so far down the line it would be impossible to organise a planned and agreed coup? 

[HanoiVillan]

50 minutes ago, mjmooney said:

Of course it isn't. But the rest of the Russian leadership must be aware that he will have to go before they can start to rebuild any relations with the rest of the world. 

Again, I don't think that's true at all. 

[Mr_Dogg]

1 hour ago, magnkarl said:

I can definitely see areas like Dagestan, Chechnya, South Ossetia, Karelia etc wanting out. Some of them have the capability to make life even worse for Putin.

I’m not sure if Putin’s done though. It’ll take years to get him out, he’ll ride on a wave of dead Russians before he’s deposed. Hopefully someone lets Navalny out.

What is overbearingly true is that Russia is essentially done as a conventional military power. Their army and equipment is getting shredded by a country 10 times smaller.

10 times smaller? Geographically only.

Population of Russia is 144 million, Ukraine is 44 million. 

[avfc1982am]

 

[Awol]

1 hour ago, avfc1982am said:

star treks Patrick Stewart(painting bottom right).

Ha, he’s actually a brilliant analyst and grew up in Kyiv originally - American since going to Uni in the US. 

[magnkarl]

Ukraine actually makes fairy decent anti armour themselves, albeit more fixed than the javelin and stuff they’re being sent, these systems have a much bigger punch. Not that it seems that a bigger punch is needed against the tin cans Russia have brought to bare.

Interesting that the system was probably already sold to an Arabic speaking country.

[Lichfield Dean]

1 hour ago, avfc1982am said:

 

I really can't bring myself to listen to twenty minutes of his annoying rambling, but assuming he has valid points, can anybody summarise them? I'm guessing he's going to be partially blaming the US for all this?

[choffer]

11 minutes ago, Lichfield Dean said:

I really can't bring myself to listen to twenty minutes of his annoying rambling, but assuming he has valid points, can anybody summarise them? I'm guessing he's going to be partially blaming the US for all this?

I lasted about six minutes. Maybe he gets to the point later but from what I saw he was basically saying the situation is more complex than we understand because we are stupid and we don’t know the history of the country and, guess what, it’s complicated. 

[bickster]

The first time it was posted my reaction was that I didn't care what that tit said. My opinion hasnt changed

[mjmooney]

2 minutes ago, choffer said:

I lasted about six minutes. Maybe he gets to the point later but from what I saw he was basically saying the situation is more complex than we understand because we are stupid and we don’t know the history of the country and, guess what, it’s complicated. 

No shit, Sherlock. That's true of every single conflict ever. So what?