Russia's War Against Ukraine

[Skoop]

post WW2 Germany and Japan became modern industrial powerhouses.
the same can happen in Ukraine.

And Russia if they would stop being assholes and let us help them join the civilized democratic world.  Apparently Russians have been conditioned to think the US and west are the boogie man.

[GDS_Starfury]

Im kinda done hoping for a better russia.

[FarAway Sooner]

Yeah.  Much as it saddens me, we need to wait for another generation of Russians to take charge before we have any hopes.  The older generation listening to state TV news can cheer for this war and flex their vicarious muscles.  It's the younger generation that is paying the price in blood and will be telling this story for years to come.

Unless the Russians win.  Or the Russians go nuclear.  If the Russians go nuclear, everybody loses. 

I wonder, at that point, would China forsake Russia altogether?  I sure hope we don't find out.

The US defense budget is the size of the Russian economy.  Before sanctions.

[GDS_Starfury]

defeating russia conventionally isnt even a question.

[MengJiao]

The US defense budget is the size of the Russian economy.  Before sanctions.

  The Russian GDP was 1.4 trillion in 2021 in USD.  US defense was .8 trillion in 2021 dollars.  Russian GDP for 2022 is going to be roughly the same as the US Defense budget for 2022, yes.

  About China.  The Chinese GDP is 10 times the Russian GDP.  I doubt the Chinese have any real interest in helping Russia since essentially by doing as little as possible they get a huge benefit
from Russia's self-destruction and self-isolation since China would end up being a major portal (there is already a big pipeline across Asia to China for Russian oil)
for getting Russian resources out into the world.

  Of course, at the moment, China is being hammered by COVID so we won't really see how China comes out of this for a while.

[Sir Slash]

I remember when $33 Billion was a lot of money. I think it's entirely pectinate to ask where's the money coming from, who is it going to, and what they will be doing with it? Remember Ukraine until just recently was a bottomless hole of corruption. Is this a real number or just a made-up for PR figure? What's included, what's not?  I hope someone in Washington is asking these questions. I have my doubts.

[GDS_Starfury]

another 2 week heatmap:

[GDS_Starfury]

the Ukrainians are getting very good with these little drones!

https://twitter.com/i/status/1520049235906998272

[MengJiao]

another 2 week heatmap:

  It might be worth noting that for all that talk about Moldova and Transnitra, there are only maybe 4-5 BTGs that are anywhere near heading out that way.  The huge mass at Izyum is pretty
noticable, though.

[GDS_Starfury]

[JasonPratt]

Oh, hey! "Military History Visualized" (many of us are big fans of his channel) provided an overview yesterday of the German armored-howitzer 2000 and how it might operate for the Ukrainians!

[Sir Slash]

Damn, that thing's a Beast!  :o

[ArizonaTank]

The "Ghost of Kyiv" was a real pilot? Apparently, he has been killed in combat.

A famed Ukrainian fighter pilot nicknamed the Ghost of Kyiv has died in battle, local sources told The Times of London.

The Ghost of Kyiv first emerged when the Ukrainian government tweeted a video crediting the then-unnamed pilot with shooting down six Russian aircraft on the first day of the war. It has been claimed he went on to shoot down up to 40 Russian aircraft.

His identity has now been revealed as Major Stepan Tarabalka, 29, killed on March 13 when "overwhelming" Russian forces shot down the MiG-29 he was flying, The Times said.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/the-ukrainian-fighter-pilot-ace-known-as-the-ghost-of-kyiv-was-killed-in-combat-a-report-says/ar-AAWM5C2?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=c3d1ebd8e74e4e0c98a169a8a507bc1f

https://www.npr.org/2022/03/24/1088446883/remembering-ukrainian-fighter-pilot-war-russia

[ArizonaTank]

Sobering article on the technology disparity between the Ukrainian air force and the Russians.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/ukraine-s-pilots-are-flying-into-battle-with-old-dumb-missiles-it-s-one-reason-they-get-shot-down/ar-AAWMmJb?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=e5f56cda3cd0422fb53eac47ec3f574f

As a side note, I have seen an easy baker's dozen of these types of articles coming from "Forbes" since the war started. They are more in-depth and more 'technical' than the typical news-media stuff you see in USA Today, CNN or Fox. Kudos to Forbes is all I can say.

[Jarhead0331]

The "Ghost of Kyiv" was a real pilot? Apparently, he has been killed in combat.

A famed Ukrainian fighter pilot nicknamed the Ghost of Kyiv has died in battle, local sources told The Times of London.

The Ghost of Kyiv first emerged when the Ukrainian government tweeted a video crediting the then-unnamed pilot with shooting down six Russian aircraft on the first day of the war. It has been claimed he went on to shoot down up to 40 Russian aircraft.

His identity has now been revealed as Major Stepan Tarabalka, 29, killed on March 13 when "overwhelming" Russian forces shot down the MiG-29 he was flying, The Times said.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/the-ukrainian-fighter-pilot-ace-known-as-the-ghost-of-kyiv-was-killed-in-combat-a-report-says/ar-AAWM5C2?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=c3d1ebd8e74e4e0c98a169a8a507bc1f

https://www.npr.org/2022/03/24/1088446883/remembering-ukrainian-fighter-pilot-war-russia