Russia's War Against Ukraine

[Gusington]

The news about Chernobyl...*shudder*

[solops]

The news about Chernobyl...*shudder*

the Russians will fabricate some horror story about the Ukranians cooking up  evil stuff at Chernobyl as a justification for war.

[Jarhead0331]

"Ghost of Kyiv" Mig 29 ace...hitting at least one major news source... But still probably just a story.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/who-is-the-ghost-of-kyiv-ukraine-mig-29-fighter-pilot-becomes-the-stuff-of-legend/ar-AAUiPL7?ocid=msedgntp

My money is on SAMs and MANPADS being the source of most Russian aviation losses. 

[Gusington]

Some insane images here.

https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/14/world/gallery/ukraine-russia-crisis/index.html

[Pete Dero]

From the BBC today : Putin tells Ukraine military to 'take power into your own hands'

Here's more from Vladimir Putin, who is addressing the Russian Security Council - and, indirectly, the Ukrainian military.
He says Banderites - a reference to World War Two anti-Soviet fighter Stepan Bandera - and so-called neo-Nazis "have put up heavy armaments including multiple rocket launch systems" in cities, including Kyiv and Kharkiv.
"Neo-Nazis" is regularly used by President Putin to deride the Ukrainian government. Ukraine's President Zelensky, who is Jewish, has dismissed the term.
Putin says: "They are acting like terrorists across the world, shielding behind people in order to accuse Russia of causing casualties among the peaceful population.
"It is known for sure that all this is happening on recommendations from foreign consultants, American advisers above all."
He then addresses Ukrainian forces.
"I am addressing Ukrainian armed forces servicemen once again: do not allow neo-Nazis and Banderites to use your children, your wives and the elderly as a human shield
"Take power into your own hands. It looks like you and us will find it easier to reach an agreement than with that gang of drug addicts and neo-Nazis in Kyiv.".

This guy is totally out of touch with reality and he just created a false pretext to justify bombing cities.

[Windigo]

Im watching these 3 KC-35 out of Ramstein shuttle to a point over Krakow and just orbit. 
wonder whats getting the fuel.  8)

I thought the same thing.

[Jarhead0331]

Im watching these 3 KC-35 out of Ramstein shuttle to a point over Krakow and just orbit. 
wonder whats getting the fuel.  8)

I thought the same thing.

I see several Extenders over Poland and a few circling around in Romania. A bunch more drones this morning, including RQ-4s and IAI Herons out of Malta!

Things are pretty quiet now. This morning EST there was a lot more activity including a number of fighter and strike aircraft.

[MengJiao]

From the BBC today : Putin tells Ukraine military to 'take power into your own hands'

Here's more from Vladimir Putin, who is addressing the Russian Security Council - and, indirectly, the Ukrainian military.
He says Banderites - a reference to World War Two anti-Soviet fighter Stepan Bandera - and so-called neo-Nazis "have put up heavy armaments including multiple rocket launch systems" in cities, including Kyiv and Kharkiv.
"Neo-Nazis" is regularly used by President Putin to deride the Ukrainian government. Ukraine's President Zelensky, who is Jewish, has dismissed the term.
Putin says: "They are acting like terrorists across the world, shielding behind people in order to accuse Russia of causing casualties among the peaceful population.
"It is known for sure that all this is happening on recommendations from foreign consultants, American advisers above all."
He then addresses Ukrainian forces.
"I am addressing Ukrainian armed forces servicemen once again: do not allow neo-Nazis and Banderites to use your children, your wives and the elderly as a human shield
"Take power into your own hands. It looks like you and us will find it easier to reach an agreement than with that gang of drug addicts and neo-Nazis in Kyiv.".

This guy is totally out of touch with reality and he just created a false pretext to justify bombing cities.

  I agree he's kind of far around the bend and not wrapped too tight and not playing with a full deck of cards BUT, if he wants to hold Kiev hostage while he calls a ceasefire and "negotiates"
he can't go too far in leveling the city just yet.  He can always do that later when "negotiations" aren't working.

  Russia's foreign ministry spokesperson, Maria Zakharova, has warned both Finland and Sweden that they will face "detrimental military and political consequences" if they attempt to join Nato.

   Maybe they should join NATO now while Russia is busy blowing up a country that didn't join NATO.  It seems like if this is the way its going to be...now might be the right time to strike back at Russia since it doesn't sound like sitting around is going to stop them.

[Uberhaus]

About Chernobyl, 65 microsieverts an hour is only a very small, very local issue.  If the Russians make another propaganda claim, that's all that it will be, more propaganda.

A very serious issue is the reluctance to cut Russia off from SWIFT but here are the stated reasons why.
https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/eu-unlikely-cut-russia-off-swift-now-sources-say-2022-02-24/

Several EU sources had told Reuters before the sanctions were announced that the EU was unlikely to agree to the move, despite calls from various quarters to do so. read more

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Germany - a key trading partner of Russia - opposed cutting off Russia's access to the payment system at this point, but also suggested such a step could still follow at a later stage.

Data from the Bank of International Settlements (BIS) shows that European lenders hold the lion's share of the nearly $30 billion in foreign banks' exposure to Russia.

To you and me, $30 billion is a lot of money.  To the EU it is not especially in the balance of a very serious blow to the Russian economy.  However, Russia is making alternative banking arrangements and I suspect they have been deliberately relaxed in paying down debts.
Ukraine needs to continue fighting bravely and cause as many casualties as they can, but a military solution is not an option for them.  NATO will not fight for Ukraine, covert supplying and other support will be possible but not even Poland or Romania can send covert volunteer soldiers.  The insurgency to come will be terrible.  Think partisan activity during WWII, think Ukrainian partisans until nearly 1950, think Klemov's Come and See. 
The West needs to act significantly now and not be pennywise, pound foolish.  Ultimately, removal of the Russian kleptocracy is an ideal endgame but it will require sacrifice.  From the National Post,
https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/world/terry-glavin-putin-and-his-cronies-need-to-be-crushed-you-can-t-talk-peace-with-monsters/ar-AAUgTw0?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531

Ukraine deserves to be provided with all the aid and materiel necessary to wage what will surely be a long and bloody guerrilla resistance. The government and the people of Ukraine should be given every assistance they request.

Vladimir Putin and all his generals and his cronies need to be crushed. They need to be finished. They need to be brought to an end. Every last one of his oligarchs need to be hunted and hounded to the ends of the earth, their billions of dollars' worth of holdings in real estate and mining and every other industry and bolthole from Chelsea to Toronto should be frozen, seized and expropriated.

Expel his diplomats. Shutter his embassies. Evict every Russian official from every multilateral and international forum. Bankrupt the lot of them. Diplomacy does not work with these people. You can't talk peace with these monsters.

The only subject of discussion to be had with any of them is the terms of their abject surrender.

[Jarhead0331]

Ward Carroll is reporting on the Ghost of Kyiv as if it is confirmed...maybe it is?

[Toonces]

man alive that's a beautiful airplane.   

[Zulu1966]

Ward Carroll is reporting on the Ghost of Kyiv as if it is confirmed...maybe it is?

I certainly hope it is.

[ArizonaTank]

Ward Carroll is reporting on the Ghost of Kyiv as if it is confirmed...maybe it is?

I certainly hope it is.

If true it would be a story like the French ace Jean Navarre "The Sentinel of Verdun" who thrilled French troops with his bright red Neuport over no man's land during the German Verdun offensive in 1916.

http://www.donhollway.com/jeannavarre/

Or, the British Gloster Gladiators named "Faith, Hope and Charity" defending Malta during Italian air assaults in 1940.

https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/british-biplanes-faith-hope-charity-1940

Or, the exploits of the outnumbered Finnish air force during the dark days of Stalin's Winter War in 1940.

[Jarhead0331]

I wish we could lift Ukrainian spirits with a little bit of, "BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRTTTT!!!!!"

[solops]

Although it may not change the eventual outcome, I think that Putin's group does not understand the magnitude of the effect that the free flow of information and video allowed by cell phones and the internet has on the attitude and opinion of the world's population. I also believe that the giddy proponents of this brave, new world overestimate the  influence that this new paradigm has on determined autocracies.