Russia Masses Military Equipment Near Ukraine Borders: A Prologue to WWIII?

[+Nuclear Wessel]

2 hours ago, Occult1 said:

There are reports that Russia has liberated the village of Metolkine, near Severodonetsk.

 

Interesting use of the word “liberated”, here. Why “liberated”? 

[Helen of Annoy]

Holodomor 2 by Sawed Off Stalin. 

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russias-blockade-ukrainian-grain-exports-is-war-crime-eus-top-diplomat-2022-06-20/

BRUSSELS, June 20 (Reuters) - Russia is committing a war crime by blocking the export of millions of tonnes of Ukrainian grain, the European Union's foreign policy chief said on Monday as EU foreign ministers met to discuss ways to free up the crop amid a global food crisis.

 

[Coil]

23 minutes ago, Helen of Annoy said:

Have you got any rumors on Snake Island? A lot of missiles hit it, supposedly. I'm dying of curiosity.  

There are few details yet.

As a result of the strike of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on the island a large number of Russian invaders were destroyed .At the same time, the invaders remained on the island in a virtual stalemate, since reinforcements would be afraid to go to the island by sea or air. Dozens of explosions thundered, after which a fire broke out.

-------------

After our attacks on oil rigs in Crimea, the Russian authorities are threatening to retaliate against the decision-making centers in Kyiv.

 

[DarkHunter]

28 minutes ago, Helen of Annoy said:

Have you got any rumors on Snake Island? A lot of missiles hit it, supposedly. I'm dying of curiosity.  

There was an attack, conflicting reports on if it was HIMARS, grad rockets, or rocket assisted guided artillery shells.  Seems most of the military equipment on the island was hit.  Rumor of the Russian black sea fleet sailing out of port to retaliate for the sinking of the tug boat, destruction of the oil rig, and the attack on snake island.

[+and-then]

On 6/17/2022 at 4:44 AM, Buzz_Light_Year said:

The link says it's a Boeing KC-767J (767-2FK/ER) yep it's a spook plane. Reconnaissance.

Looks like the Japanese military is getting in some extra training.  They need to ramp up their tempo as the CCP continues their build-up towards aggression.

[+and-then]

On 6/18/2022 at 10:40 PM, Occult1 said:

by paying a lot more for gas and groceries.

That was happening prior to the start of this conflict.  War in Ukraine has not helped it but the economy was already headed down and will continue to do so.

[+and-then]

On 6/19/2022 at 3:55 AM, Nutrition Fact said:

This war started in 2014 is what both sides have repeatedly stated although western media hasnt acknowledged that fact.  There were something like already 10,000 deaths before the invasion, mostly Ukranians assassinating Russians east of the river.

Well, once the "little green men" showed up in Crimea and Russia began direct aid to the rebels in the east of Ukraine, war was being made against Ukraine.  That was in 2014.  The shelling and killing of rebels in the east did not commence until THEY invited Russia in to help them in a de facto civil war.  That does not justify or minimize the suffering of the citizen non-combatants but to say that Ukraine's leadership had been killing innocents with no cause is just inaccurate.  RUSSIA STARTED THIS CHAOS.

[DarkHunter]

11 minutes ago, and then said:

direct aid to the rebels

It was more than direct aid, the entire rebellion was set up by Russia.  They had FSB agents enter the area and start recruiting fighters and organizing them into combat units along with providing the needed arms.  There were even reports of Russian special force teams being inside Ukraine and fighting from the very start. 

The entire separatist regions were not some organic spontaneous uprising but Russia spending months planning and putting into place agents and special forces.  They tried it in multiple Ukranian oblast but only had partial success in Donetsk and Lunetsk.

[+and-then]

On 6/19/2022 at 11:35 AM, Trelane said:

The impotence of the Russian military has been remarkable thus far. Almost 4 months in, and they're still largely getting their butts handed to them. 

The command-and-control apparatus is nonexistent, and their command supply discipline is archaic if not totally failing. 

I'm not an expert by any means, but this campaign will certainly be taught at US War College as a case study in military failures.

They've inadvertently exposed their military to be far less a threat than many nations had assumed.  They've done tremendous damage to their reputation and to their ability to sell arms.  Even if they began a crash-program to invest in a truly professional military today, it would take a decade to accomplish it.  It's just a guess but I think Putin's early strategy of relying on newer, low yield nukes to balance the scales against the NATO militaries caused his defense industry and the generals to become very "casual" about how the budgets were used.  If the casualty numbers are even 50% correct, this war will cause shockwaves in the Russian psyche for a generation or more.  They'd have lost at least twice the number of dead in 4 months than they lost in 10 years in Afghanistan.

[+and-then]

On 6/19/2022 at 11:39 AM, Trelane said:

The whole thing is a military soup sandwich and makes them look like buffoons.

Yup... and the world is watching.

[Trelane]

2 minutes ago, and then said:

They've inadvertently exposed their military to be far less a threat than many nations had assumed.  They've done tremendous damage to their reputation and to their ability to sell arms.  Even if they began a crash-program to invest in a truly professional military today, it would take a decade to accomplish it.  It's just a guess but I think Putin's early strategy of relying on newer, low yield nukes to balance the scales against the NATO militaries caused his defense industry and the generals to become very "casual" about how the budgets were used.  If the casualty numbers are even 50% correct, this war will cause shockwaves in the Russian psyche for a generation or more.  They'd have lost at least twice the number of dead in 4 months than they lost in 10 years in Afghanistan.

I'll be interested to see if the same catastrophic domestic effects of the Afghanistan debacle ensue after this is all said and done.

There are so many details and sections that would have to be addressed from the strictly military standpoint. The current structure would have to be completely re-tooled.

[+and-then]

On 6/19/2022 at 1:25 PM, Nuclear Wessel said:

Why would he say that about Poland? Are there talks about Poland pushing into Western Ukraine? 

Propaganda.  Russia is trying to stoke fear of dragging NATO into this war in an active posture.  Poland isn't going to invade anyone.  If Poland is involved it will be because Russian or Belarusian weapons are targeted INSIDE Polish borders in an effort to strike NATO weapons convoys en route to Ukraine.  

[+Nuclear Wessel]

1 minute ago, and then said:

Propaganda.  Russia is trying to stoke fear of dragging NATO into this war in an active posture.  Poland isn't going to invade anyone.  If Poland is involved it will be because Russian or Belarusian weapons are targeted INSIDE Polish borders in an effort to strike NATO weapons convoys en route to Ukraine.  

I wasn't necessarily thinking that Poland was going to invade Ukraine, rather I thought they might push into Ukraine to help Ukraine defend itself.

[+and-then]

On 6/19/2022 at 1:33 PM, Occult1 said:

Looks like Russia might be about to take Kharkiv back.

If they manage to "take" Kharkiv, it will have been reduced to rubble.  Do you support Russia's strategy of standing off and pulverizing an entire city with no effort at all to protect non-combatants?  

[Electric Scooter]

Just now, and then said:

Propaganda.  Russia is trying to stoke fear of dragging NATO into this war in an active posture.  Poland isn't going to invade anyone.  If Poland is involved it will be because Russian or Belarusian weapons are targeted INSIDE Polish borders in an effort to strike NATO weapons convoys en route to Ukraine.  

Its not widely known yet in the West but NATO has begun a build up in Poland.

Something is coming, I think it will be NATO snatching what is left of Ukraine, but you never know.

[Electric Scooter]

Just now, and then said:

If they manage to "take" Kharkiv, it will have been reduced to rubble.  Do you support Russia's strategy of standing off and pulverizing an entire city with no effort at all to protect non-combatants?  

Another crack in the tales being told.

You do realise to admit lots of Ukrainian civilians being killed then they undermine the official Ukrainian narrative.

[+and-then]

Just now, Cookie Monster said:

Its not widely known yet in the West but NATO has begun a build up in Poland.

Something is coming, I think it will be NATO snatching what is left of Ukraine, but you never know.

I cannot imagine NATO engaging in combat operations against Russia over Ukraine.  It would be foolish in the extreme.  The build-up is probably a result of the creation of the logistical train that is required to move a ****-ton of weapons into Ukraine.  At some point, if Russian losses continue to grow and their success in the field is stymied, they may risk attacking staging areas, rail heads and so on.  THAT would be a very destabilizing, risky move for all of us.

[+and-then]

2 minutes ago, Cookie Monster said:

Another crack in the tales being told.

You do realise to admit lots of Ukrainian civilians being killed then they undermine the official Ukrainian narrative.

If you read that carefully, you'll see I made no such claim.  The indiscriminate bombing of civilian areas, regardless of the numbers of dead civilians, is still a war crime.  My actual point was more about Russia's lack of fire and maneuver warfare capability.  They are doing to these Ukrainian cities exactly the same thing they did to Berlin nearly 80 years ago.  

[Helen of Annoy]

11 minutes ago, Trelane said:

I'll be interested to see if the same catastrophic domestic effects of the Afghanistan debacle ensue after this is all said and done.

It will be worse. Much, much worse. Because firstly, Putler attacked another Slavic nation and secondly, Ukraine is kicking Ruzzian ass. 

 

11 minutes ago, Trelane said:

There are so many details and sections that would have to be addressed from the strictly military standpoint. The current structure would have to be completely re-tooled.

Decades of negative selection. They successfully got rid of anyone smart or sane. And we're very fortunate that it is so. 

[+and-then]

13 hours ago, Manwon Lender said:

What’s your point?

it seems perfectly reasonable to assume this would take place 

I'd be curious to see the REAL price the Chinese are paying    

[+and-then]

2 hours ago, Myles said:

Isn't it "liberated" only if most of the people wanted it?     

Apparently, it's "liberated" once there's nothing left but rubble and bodies.

[+and-then]

2 hours ago, Myles said:

Can you prove that they are the majority of people there? 

Even if they WERE, the fighting there and the casualties there began once the people there began a rebellion with the aid of Russia.  He always leaves that little detail out.  If you take up arms against the sovereign nation you live in then you should expect to be fought and to have casualties.  That doesn't mean the rebels are always the bad guys but it's just a fact of war.

[DarkHunter]

A Ukranian minister is urging the population of Kherson to evacuate the city, even if it means leaving Russian occupied territory and heading to Russia before going to other countries.  This has caused speculation that the expected counter offensive to reclaim Kherson is imminent.

[+and-then]

35 minutes ago, Nuclear Wessel said:

I wasn't necessarily thinking that Poland was going to invade Ukraine, rather I thought they might push into Ukraine to help Ukraine defend itself.

As a NATO member-state, they couldn't do that and expect to be protected by Article V.  They are already helping to a huge degree with refugees and supplying arms.

[Helen of Annoy]

8 minutes ago, DarkHunter said:

A Ukranian minister is urging the population of Kherson to evacuate the city, even if it means leaving Russian occupied territory and heading to Russia before going to other countries.  This has caused speculation that the expected counter offensive to reclaim Kherson is imminent.

Officially true, yes.