Russia's War Against Ukraine

[ArizonaTank]

Wagner is apparently taking a "pause" at Bakhmut.

Have been some bizzarro statements thrown around by Prigoszhin in the past week complaining about the fact that he just doesn't get the love he deserves; he uses the word ammunition...but in his mind that is probably the same thing.

https://www.newsweek.com/wagner-group-bakhmut-tactical-pause-ukraine-1786847

BTW, I think Wagner taking a unilateral decision to "pause" is a great case study why the US' Founding Fathers had an aversion to the use of mercenaries.

[FarAway Sooner]

Yeah.  Before this all said and done, I bet the Russians will stoop to even trying to hire mercenary dogs to blow up Ukrainian tanks.

 

[Gusington]

^I bet that has been done already :/

[GDS_Starfury]

new toy to make JH green with envy.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1634304986854092800

[Gusington]

Ammo backpack!! 

[Sir Slash]

Dammit! Nine months until Christmas. 

[GDS_Starfury]

9 months for JH.

[JasonPratt]

Some nice controlled direct aim fire discipline, before a little suppression. That guy knows what he's doing! HE DEFINITELY EARNS THE BACKPACK! 

[Sir Slash]

I wonder what would happen if he picked-up the wrong backpack and tried feeding his BVD's into that gun?

[FarAway Sooner]

He might put a wedgie in their lines, but I bet the Russian response would be elastic enough to snap back into line quickly.

[Gusington]

 

[Tripoli]

Kiev Independent article on the current Russian and upcoming Ukrainian offensive.  Worth a read:
https://kyivindependent.com/hot-topic/season-of-offensives-what-to-expect-from-the-spring-campaign-in-ukraine

[GDS_Starfury]

[FarAway Sooner]

Kiev Independent article on the current Russian and upcoming Ukrainian offensive.  Worth a read:
https://kyivindependent.com/hot-topic/season-of-offensives-what-to-expect-from-the-spring-campaign-in-ukraine

That's a good, fair article, Trip.  I hope the Ukrainians are able to stand toe-to-toe with the Russians and beat them off, then respond with a heavy counter-attack.  I still worry that a long-term war is in Russia's favor, especially if folks in the West continue to look at short-term military production as a medium priority rather than an urgent priority.

Ukraine is the Czechoslovakia to Putin's version of Nazi Germany.  Spending a little more blood and treasure now will pay huge dividends for the next 20+ years.  Spending too little now will lock all of the West into an arms race with China and Russia whose expenses will dwarf the current exertions of NATO countries in Ukraine.

[Crossroads]

-snip-

Ukraine is the Czechoslovakia to Putin's version of Nazi Germany.  Spending a little more blood and treasure now will pay huge dividends for the next 20+ years.  Spending too little now will lock all of the West into an arms race with China and Russia whose expenses will dwarf the current exertions of NATO countries in Ukraine.

I have a sinking feeling this the equal to Hitler's (and Stalin's) Invasion of Poland. Ukraine is putting up a fierce resistance against an invader who wants to erase their identity from the map.

The Munich moment was perhaps annexation of Crimea, and extending the hostilities to Donbass. Appeasement won. Before that, there were South Ossetia and Abkhazia effectively annexed from Georgia and Transnistria annexed from Moldova.

Is it global war, does China decide Russia can't lose the war? Or, if appeasement wins again, does Putin walk away as a self declared winner of this war, too.

Bad and worse choices. We seem to be heading towards a world where no longer there can be power vacuums, any weak spots will be filled by force if necessary.