Russia's War Against Ukraine

[Uberhaus]

Well, the guy in the foreground doesn't need the jetpack anymore, but I can think of someone who does need such a hand-me down.

[FarAway Sooner]

Haven't you guys seen the latest?  Cobra Commander got away (AGAIN) and most of the Joes were killed.  They even got Channing Tatum.  Or Tatum Channing.  Or whoever that guy was who played Duke.

It's all on The Rock's shoulders now.  At least Lady Jaye is still alive and kicking.

[Uberhaus]

I couldn't watch anymore after Covergirl^TM bought the farm.

[Gusington]

GI Joe deserves its own thread...which should stop around 1989 

[JasonPratt]

Heck no, Larry Hama recovered the series and kicked ass with it some years ago, maybe under IDW (I don't recall for sure, and I'm too lazy to look). It was VERY well received.

[JasonPratt]

Meanwhile, I'm wondering if Russia might not let its leftovers in Crimea starve/surrender instead of withdrawal, for political sympathy points (as they see it), at least internally. They have odd ways of thinking global strategy. But maybe more importantly, their logistics in-line are so screwed over that they might actually be BETTER off with fewer troops (especially exhausted ones) to support!

[Gusington]

^The hell you say.

[JasonPratt]

Yeah, actually I've been plotting that way for more than a year now.  --if you're talking about them needing to keep troop counts low at the front due to their terrible logistic and other C&C issues, stretching far into the backfield.

I could imagine them taking this opportunity to plausibly get rid of troops they can't even support on their own interior lines, and roll the dice on public perception -- God knows they've been doing THAT almost every day since before they invaded already anyway. A lot of their choices make more sense once factoring in the need to keep troop support relatively low since, let's say, around summer last year.

If they're gonna mobilize fresh troops -- and there are articles talking about draft age shifting, even up to 70 years old for senior commanders, and dragooning civilians in occupied areas to send new warm bodies to the front line north of Azov -- they have GOT to get rid of logistic drag one way or another. Easier to let them rot on the vine and then try pointing the finger at the eeeeeevil Ukrainian gay Jewish Nazis or whatever.

[SirAndrewD]

Haven't you guys seen the latest?  Cobra Commander got away (AGAIN) and most of the Joes were killed.  They even got Channing Tatum.  Or Tatum Channing.  Or whoever that guy was who played Duke.

It's all on The Rock's shoulders now.  At least Lady Jaye is still alive and kicking.

Watch to the end of the new Transformers movie.

[FarAway Sooner]

Don't tell me they're doing crossover movies now!  I thought Wolfman vs. Dracula was as bad as it could get.

I'd say that the Russians figured out a way to keep on fighting in Leningrad for a couple years.  The Ukrainians are still a long ways from cutting off the Russians in Crimea.  But if they're able to do that before the fall rains come...

[SirAndrewD]

Don't tell me they're doing crossover movies now!  I thought Wolfman vs. Dracula was as bad as it could get.

Ok, I won't tell you that except...I kinda just told you that.

Hey, fits for Transformers yeah?  More than meets the eye!

[GDS_Starfury]

its annoying how todays news cycle has smothered info from Ukraine.
some kind of naval engagement took place and still waiting on confirmation.
seemed to be drones against patrol ships.

[SirAndrewD]

its annoying how todays news cycle has smothered info from Ukraine.
some kind of naval engagement took place and still waiting on confirmation.
seemed to be drones against patrol ships.

Yes, there was another drone attack on the Black Sea Fleet near Sevestapol using drones. 

No idea about what truly happened due to opsec.  The Russian MOD has been the only one to even mention it:

"Last night, the Ukrainian armed forces made an unsuccessful attempt using three unmanned surface vessels to attack the Black Sea Fleet patrol ships Sergey Kotov and Vasily Bykov, which are carrying out shipping control tasks in the southwestern part of the Black Sea, 340 kilometres southwest of Sevastopol."

[GDS_Starfury]

well something took a hit.  early morning russian reports were at leat 1 dead and 4 or 5 wounded.

[JasonPratt]

well something took a hit.  early morning russian reports were at least 1 dead and 4 or 5 wounded.

In Russia, that is un-success drone attack! By drone! 

Regarding Leningrad: true, it's easy to forget that as bad as Stalingrad was, Leningrad was even worse despite nowhere near as much fighting nearby and in it.

But I'm not sure the Crimean Russian occupiers of today have the fortitude to hold out in Godawful siege situations. Despite Russian propaganda, it'll become clear the Uks aren't Nazis -- or at least not in the sense required -- and plenty of civilians in Crimea may be prepared to welcome the Ukrainians, and the West by extension, with at least grudging relief. Maybe better.

I fully expect Crimea civilians will be the key to whether any occupying troops in the area, who are willing to try waiting it out, will be able to bunker down successfully for as long as it takes -- or not. But first comes the question of how many Russian troops will care to try, and for how long.