Russia's War Against Ukraine

[JasonPratt]

Was watching Russian APCs fight partisans in Kherson from a three nights ago -- the best part was Russia declaring that this was only a practice exercise. Which almost-necessarily implies they lost against the partisans.  >:D

[JasonPratt]

Not that this is any kind of surprise, but: Chinese mortar shells recovered?

https://www.reddit.com/r/UkraineWarVideoReport/comments/xgosdc/60mm_m83_chinesemade_mortar_shells_found_in/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3

[SirAndrewD]

Well, Margarita Simonyan of RT announced that within 24 hours the Russians will annex Donetsk and Luhansk based on a referendum held today (seemingly unannounced). 

From here on, she says that both of those Oblasts will be considered Russian territory, and any attacks on that ground by Ukrainians will be considered a full "Act of war".  Further any NATO supplied weapons fired on that territory would be considered an attack on Russia by NATO. 

Looks like they're building the case for full mobilization since there's already fighting in Luhansk on the northern part of the front.

[bobarossa]

Not that this is any kind of surprise, but: Chinese mortar shells recovered?

https://www.reddit.com/r/UkraineWarVideoReport/comments/xgosdc/60mm_m83_chinesemade_mortar_shells_found_in/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3

The reddit posts say they were 80's era shells supplied to Albania which Albania gave to Ukraine.  Or they were deliveries from North Korea.  Or maybe space aliens trying to start a global thermonuclear war to terraform the planet for them.

[al_infierno]

Well, Margarita Simonyan of RT announced that within 24 hours the Russians will annex Donetsk and Luhansk based on a referendum held today (seemingly unannounced). 

From here on, she says that both of those Oblasts will be considered Russian territory, and any attacks on that ground by Ukrainians will be considered a full "Act of war".  Further any NATO supplied weapons fired on that territory would be considered an attack on Russia by NATO. 

Looks like they're building the case for full mobilization since there's already fighting in Luhansk on the northern part of the front.

This level of delusional grandeur would be hilarious if it wasn't so deadly serious.  ::)

[SirAndrewD]

This level of delusional grandeur would be hilarious if it wasn't so deadly serious.  ::)

It's actually a savvy move.  They can't stop the counterattack in the north by conventional means, and the strikes behind the line by HIMARS and the new German Arty systems are making the central offensive a slog, so they're trying to build a political barrier to hide behind. 

Need the protection of the border?  Move the border.

[JasonPratt]

Just don't forget to move the T-90s! .....opps.

https://www.reddit.com/r/UkraineWarVideoReport/comments/xhraju/t90m_in_ukraine_captured/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3

https://www.reddit.com/r/UkraineWarVideoReport/comments/xhlfng/ukrainian_sources_report_that_a_russian_t90m/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3

Bonus points for towing off the T-90 with another captured Soviet tank. (Alas, not with a farm tractor. I am forced to assume the Uks just couldn't find one nearby, as that would have been a massive visual propaganda.)

[JasonPratt]

Not that this is any kind of surprise, but: Chinese mortar shells recovered?

https://www.reddit.com/r/UkraineWarVideoReport/comments/xgosdc/60mm_m83_chinesemade_mortar_shells_found_in/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3

The reddit posts say they were 80's era shells supplied to Albania which Albania gave to Ukraine.  Or they were deliveries from North Korea.  Or maybe space aliens trying to start a global thermonuclear war to terraform the planet for them.

Option 1: possible.
Option 2: also possible, I recall there being something looking more like Korean on the side of the shell compared to the box they came in.

Option 3: the way the world is nowadays, and the way this war has gone, I'm hesitant to regard this as impossible...!  :hide:

[fran]

I've added the podcast, Battleground: Ukraine to my listening list. It is hosted by best-selling military historians Patrick Bishop, and Saul David.

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/battleground-ukraine/id1617276298

Latest episode summary:

In the wake of the massive Ukrainian breakthrough in the Kharkiv area, and the recapturing of vast swathes of Ukrainian territory, we hear from the former head of the British Army General Lord Dannatt, who has been closely following events in Ukraine.

Saul and Patrick also discuss what this all means going forward, as well as the alleged attempt on Putin's life.

[ArizonaTank]

The latest on Annexation of Luhansk and Donetsk, according to Bloomberg. Short version: Playing out as we expected. Annexation is on the fast track. Russians will then use 'defense of sovereign territory' as a reason for all-out war.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/russia-hurries-to-annex-occupied-ukraine-amid-kyiv-s-gains/ar-AA121H6b?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=be09864c570b41e9b706c2a8fd012933

Not clear if Putin himself is pushing this, or if it is just the 'hawks' on his team. Hopefully Putin blinks...or if he doesn't, that this is the straw that finally gives Putin that 'long rest' he has worked so hard to deserve.

[Pete Dero]

Be the best you can be, join the army ...


Yevgeny Prigozhin—the head of Vladimir Putin's shadowy private army, Wagner Group—has been taking trips to Russian prison camps in order to enlist convicted criminals to fight in Ukraine, according to accounts from military analysts and videos that have emerged on Telegram from Russian prisons.

Putin's plan is to recruit at least 50,000 convicts and Prigozhin, who is an ex-convict himself, has already sent more than 3,000" inmates to Ukraine, including "serial murderers, robbers and at least one cannibal," Romanova told The Daily Beast.


"Pretty much all murderers we have on our watch have been recruited and they die like flies in Ukraine. Out of the first 42 convicts recruited in the first group, only three survived, out of the second group of 66 convicts, only six returned, including one who had lost his arm," Romanova told The Daily Beast.


https://www.thedailybeast.com/russia-accused-of-sending-serial-killers-and-a-cannibal-to-fight-the-war-in-ukraine

[Gusington]

^Only one cannibal? The Jesus F* king Christ, Russia thread deserves more.

[Windigo]

Well, Margarita Simonyan of RT announced that within 24 hours the Russians will annex Donetsk and Luhansk based on a referendum held today (seemingly unannounced). 

From here on, she says that both of those Oblasts will be considered Russian territory, and any attacks on that ground by Ukrainians will be considered a full "Act of war".  Further any NATO supplied weapons fired on that territory would be considered an attack on Russia by NATO. 

Looks like they're building the case for full mobilization since there's already fighting in Luhansk on the northern part of the front.

This level of delusional grandeur would be hilarious if it wasn't so deadly serious.  ::)

Since there was no referendum actually held... good luck with making it stick. Besides, there is no bullying the Ukraine anymore.

[SirAndrewD]

Since there was no referendum actually held... good luck with making it stick. Besides, there is no bullying the Ukraine anymore.

The "referendum" will be held Friday. 

Simonyan seems to have made a touch of a blunder yesterday announcing the results before the actual "vote" was held. 

The Kremlin made the official announcement this morning with the regular bluster and threats right on queue, including a few direct statements that with annexation nukes are now fully on the table.

[ArizonaTank]

Since there was no referendum actually held... good luck with making it stick. Besides, there is no bullying the Ukraine anymore.

The "referendum" will be held Friday. 

Simonyan seems to have made a touch of a blunder yesterday announcing the results before the actual "vote" was held. 

The Kremlin made the official announcement this morning with the regular bluster and threats right on queue, including a few direct statements that with annexation nukes are now fully on the table.

"The March of Folly" : I expect we will see tactical nukes and possibly some chemical strikes from Russia before this is over. Since troop density seems to be pretty spread out, not certain how effective they will be...except it will piss off most of the world. Also bring Austria and Switzerland into Nato...heck maybe even the Vatican.