Russia's War Against Ukraine

[al_infierno]

From Dominions 5 guides to collaborating with and interviewing a retired Army General.  I think it's safe to say Perun has "made it."   O0

[GroggyGrognard]

The revolving door continues. Apparently according to the head of Ukraine's military intelligence service, "Surovikin knows how to fight with bombers and missiles — that's what he does."
Military analysts state he has long reputation of corruption and brutality. He looks like a Bond villain. Sounds like a fun guy.

https://twitter.com/FUqwerty/status/1578765337642012672?s=20&t=h1qJo_15Mc0ftIM9p_xHgg

https://twitter.com/ChuckPfarrer/status/1578827404617084929?s=20&t=h1qJo_15Mc0ftIM9p_xHgg

Groggy

[GDS_Starfury]

 :DD

[ArizonaTank]

Unconfirmed reports from Ukrainian sources of Russian "elite" guards arresting other military members in the Moscow area. Valkyrie? Stalinist Purge? Ukrainian Propaganda? Nuclear 'reliability' test?

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/russian-elite-guard-arresting-military-in-moscow-ukraine-intelligence/ar-AA12KgKO?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=53dde45b2b794beda916d594b7e70f5e

I tend to think it is just a half-truth wrapped in a rumor. But it would be nice if it meant something bad for Putin. I can daydream can't I?

[Gusington]

Yes!

[Staggerwing]

It's more likely to be a purge of officers who's loyalties are 'suspect' due to word, deed, or association.

Still, it might spur yet others to act sooner rather than later out of fear that they too will end up enjoying a stay in the Kremlin's finest and best accessorized subterranean honeymoon suites.

[FarAway Sooner]

The more of the satraps that end up in prison before a people's revolution topples Stalin Putin the better.  I'd rather nobody have to bleed to resolve this situation, but if the Russians seem so intent on spilling blood, I wish a disproportionate share of it would be their's, and it would run in the streets of Moscow and the roads of smaller towns scattered across the countryside, than in the streets of Ukraine.

I know that's not very charitable of me.  At this point, I wish the Ukrainians could find a way to bomb them back into the Stone Age, but without triggering a nuclear response.

[SirAndrewD]

Have these arrests and lockdowns been independently confirmed anywhere?

I'm seeing Moscow twitter absolutely denying they're seeing anything going on.  That's not all from pro-Putin sources.

Putin just made his remarks on the bridge being a terrorist act and announced the start of a criminal investigation normally without anything seemingly going on, so I'd doubt if there was something happening that it'd be a move against him.

Also, the photo the Ukrainian Intelligence twitter posted in its announcement was from an arrest two years ago.

[GDS_Starfury]

so what are the chances that this truck bomb was an independent op run by some Muslims from one of the 'stans?
that is, if it was actually the truck bomb and not something else.

[FarAway Sooner]

Even if it was a covert op orchestrated by the Ukrainian government, I still wouldn't own up to it.  Better to have people suspect it's you but not be certain.  And it's better to give the Russian investigative resources the least material to work with.

In a certain sense, it is a terrorist attack.  It's going after a logistical/military target, but there's also a heavy effort here to target civilians hearts and minds.  On the other hand, the Russians kind of gave up the right to complain about that sort of thing when they started indiscriminately shelling civilian targets all over Ukraine.

[Pete Dero]

In a certain sense, it is a terrorist attack.  It's going after a logistical/military target, but there's also a heavy effort here to target civilians hearts and minds. 

Russia needs this bridge to transfer troops and supplies in and out Crimea so this is 100% a military target.  The attack happened during the night so there was almost no civilian traffic.
To me this has nothing in common with a terrorist attack.

The Russian missile attack today on civilian buildings in Zaporizhzhia (part of Russia according to Russian logic !), most probably in retaliation, that is a terrorist attack. 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-63190844

The BBC's Paul Adams, who was recently in the city, says the buildings struck are not obvious military targets and the attacks seem entirely indiscriminate.

More than 60 civilians are understood to have been killed in and around Zaporizhzhia in the past nine days.

The Ukrainian regional governor in Zaporizhzhia, Oleksandr Starukh, said 12 Russian missiles had partially destroyed a nine-storey building, and levelled five other residential buildings.

[Gusington]

^Totally agree with the last two posts - the bridge was an absolute military target and really...the Russians are going to whine after 7 months of indiscriminate shelling? Please.

[SirAndrewD]

Yeah, I've said before, infrastructure is absolutely a valid target. 

If NATO were in this war, I promise you that bridge would not be functional.

[Gusington]

Slowly but surely Ukraine is ramping up its combat ability towards NATO standards.

[Gusington]

Good article on the Crimea bridge here, with video:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-63192757