Russia's War Against Ukraine

[GDS_Starfury]

on Gepards:

https://twitter.com/gepardtatze/status/1652284713501851648

[DetCord]

Me and the boys got back in November. Some of us that is.

Welcome home, DetCord. I'm sorry for your losses. As you very well know, it is the ugly universal truth of war.  When you feel up to it and ready, I encourage you to share your experiences with the group. Your direct, first hand experience will be very valuable for us all.

I'm a full-blown alcoholic now. Like no shit, the things I saw in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, the African Horn and elsewhere simply pale in comparison. I drink myself to blackout status nearly every night. Here I was thinking that my Ranger and Sapper and prior-service Marine self was hardcore enough to run the gauntlet. I'm not. Not even remotely. I've always considered myself a war-fighter, it's all I've ever known. But the things I saw and experienced and did over there have utterly ruined me.

The Russians are fuckin' monsters. Like actual evil beasts. We came across a girls school in northern UA where Russian troops had engaged in mass-rape of a whole slew of (9-13) little girls. They had stripped them naked, bound their hands, blindfolded them, raped them, killed them and then stacked them up like cord-wood. Dozens of little girls. Dozens of them. The boys they took elsewhere and shoved barbed-wire encased pipes up their asses. This is apparently a Russian pastime.

Me and the boys got back in November. Some of us that is.

Welcome home. Thank you for helping defend liberal democracy against authoritarianism. Big respect.
Do you have any plans to write about your experiences in Ukraine?

Is Ukraine a "liberal democracy"? Asking for a friend. 

Not even remotely.

[Crossroads]

I'm a full-blown alcoholic now. Like no shit, the things I saw in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, the African Horn and elsewhere simply pale in comparison. I drink myself to blackout status nearly every night. Here I was thinking that my Ranger and Sapper and prior-service Marine self was hardcore enough to run the gauntlet. I'm not. Not even remotely. I've always considered myself a war-fighter, it's all I've ever known. But the things I saw and experienced and did over there have utterly ruined me.

I am well into my fifties, we had our friend's son enlisting to UA, he was at Kharkiv front, got back a few months ago. I won't go into any details.

He's trying to get back into his life before, he's having professional help, he's seeing his peers, he's active in an informal vet's grouping, to help others who've come back.

I hope you don't have to do that alone, hopefully there's people you can talk to, to receive help, and maybe, one day, to help others.

[FarAway Sooner]

Powerful testimony, DetCord.  Thanks for having the courage to share those feelings here.  I'll refrain from offering up any cliches here for fear of presuming on the circumstances, but I'm sure I don't just speak for myself when I say that you are in our thoughts.

[SirAndrewD]

I don't know what to say Detcord.  I wish I was surprised.  One thing about studying history, I expect the worse from humans. I've had friends and talked to many that are where you are, mostly from Vietnam but even a few from the Holocaust. 

Stay strong.  We're all Grogs, we're here for you even if, in my case, I can only empathize.

[Skoop]

That's heavy detcord, your post kind of rocked me, had to read it several times.  Just so heavy to hear that from a guy with your experience.

Maximum respect for going to Ukraine, we're all pulling for you to overcome the darkness that followed you home. 

[Groggy]

...

[GDS_Starfury]

well we are a support system.
so what can we do?

[GDS_Starfury]

a bit on soviet industry:

https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1505247886908424195.html

[ArizonaTank]

Disruption of rail and power lines behind Russian lines. Partisan activity?

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/putin-rocked-by-may-day-explosions-after-saboteurs-derail-train-carrying-oil/ar-AA1aABmg?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=43d7b3a36e0d4543bdcd5344284d963e&ei=10

[GDS_Starfury]

 
 this was a storage site for icbm booster motors.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1653147465250422787

[GDS_Starfury]

https://twitter.com/i/status/1653183866243350533

[Gusington]

Last two posts are incredible.

[Sir Slash]

I agree. Stunning.

[FarAway Sooner]

War is grim business.  The videos remind us of that in no uncertain terms.

It's also not lost on me that it's raining in both film segments.  It looks like the rasputitsa might be lasting a few weeks longer.