Russia's War Against Ukraine

[GDS_Starfury]

I remember rolling up on yo butt butt cheeks

[Windigo]

I remember finding Gus' great great great great great great grandmother stuck in the dryer.... not casting shade, but she wasn't a quick learner apparently; she got stuck in their about 5-6 more times IIRC.

She repaid my kindness with some Маина

[Skoop]

I've heard many pro Russians cite that Clark incident in Serbia.  They tout that as nato aggression and the sentiment is probably what lead to Putin's rise. 

I don't buy all the nato expansion bad and caused Ukraine war that's being put out there.  Something has to keep the Russians in check from gobbling up the Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania.  Eastern Europe is thriving living free from Russian rule, no way that would happen with out nato. 

We wouldn't need to move nato East if Russia would let Eastern Europe live in peace.

I think really, the failure is letting the Russians become enemies 22 years ago.  Nato moving East could have been a friendly alliance with Russia moving closer, some how diplomacy dropped the ball 20+ years ago.

I'm certainly not pro-Russian. Just pragmatic, level-headed and citing a very well-documented fact. I personally draw no connection between the Pristina incident and the rise of Putin.

Wasn't directing that at you.  I've debated the Ukraine topic in other places with actual Russian guys, and they all bring up the Serbia incident.

Another thing they bring up is, was the maidan a true organic Ukrainian movement or was it a sponsored cia coup like the Russians say ? 

I've had actual Ukrainians tell me it was a genuine organic movement, but I'm starting to see some Maidan was a cia coup on western sites.

I gotta say it's awkward telling your Russian friend he's eating a propaganda shit sandwich, then come to find out he was right.

[Con]

My sister is married to an EU diplomat at just below ambassador level
They lived in the Ukraine for 4 years before and after the revolution
I visited them with my family which included my 18 month old twins 6 months before the revolution  I must have interacted with hundreds of Ukrainians of all levels on that trip (Ukrainians love babies we got stopped everywhere)
During the revolution my sister drove the family car to ferry wounded revolutionairies since her diplomatic plates prevented the police and army nominally from stopping her 
The hospitals were no go areas as they were patrolled by the secret police to  arrest and disappear any wounded
The diplomats including the US ones opened some of their houses were the surgeons operated and saved many of the wounded (not her house it was too close to the fighting)
They have 5 kids who went to school in the Ukraine and spent the fighting in an old WW2 bunker that was built into their house
She never washed out the bloodstains on the car to remind her what those who paid the price there were fighting for
Take all the above for what it is worth but I don't believe this propaganda/false flag/conspiracy bullshit for an instant and I was there before and dealing with those who were there during it

[Skoop]

Great post and that's awesome to have first hand experience to rebuke claims that are put out there.

I've always felt the maidan was genuine.

[GDS_Starfury]

no surprise that people genuinely hate russia and what it stands for.

[Windigo]

If all they do is lie, some people will start to believe some of their bullshit. Because it all can't be lies??
Can it??

[GDS_Starfury]

If all they do is lie, some people will start to believe some of their bullshit. Because it all can't be lies??
Can it??

sounds familiar..........

[Gusington]

More on French rearmament and possible intervention.

[GDS_Starfury]

scratch one Tu-22 

https://twitter.com/i/status/1781179256266998171

[Tripoli]

CNN is reporting the Tu-22M3 BACKFIRE was shot down by an S-200 (SA-5 GAMMON) system.
 That would explain it being shot down almost 200 miles from Ukraine.  I'm surprised/impressed the SA-5 actually hit anything.  I also assumed the Ukrainian SA-5 were out of action, as it is a largely static system, and most of them should have been hit by the Russians by this point in the war.  My guess is the Russians got cocky and thought they were largely immune from being hit at that range, and either weren't properly using their defensive ECM systems or they are sending out strike aircraft without operational defensive systems, believing the long range made the risk acceptable. 


 https://edition.cnn.com/2024/04/19/europe/ukraine-air-defense-russian-bomber-dnipropetrovsk-intl/index.html

[Addendum] Apparently, I missed this little detail regarding the use by Ukraine of SA-5s: According to Wikipedia (and yes, I'm embarrassed that Wikipedia showed me up on this point) Ukrainian armed forces claim to have used an S-200 to shoot down the A-50  over the Sea of Azov on 23 February 2024.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S-200_missile_system

[GDS_Starfury]

get ready for another US logistical flex!   

https://twitter.com/i/status/1781404943514993026

[Tripoli]

CNN is reporting the Tu-22M3 BACKFIRE was shot down by an S-200 (SA-5 GAMMON) system.
 That would explain it being shot down almost 200 miles from Ukraine.  I'm surprised/impressed the SA-5 actually hit anything.  I also assumed the Ukrainian SA-5 were out of action, as it is a largely static system, and most of them should have been hit by the Russians by this point in the war.  My guess is the Russians got cocky and thought they were largely immune from being hit at that range, and either weren't properly using their defensive ECM systems or they are sending out strike aircraft without operational defensive systems, believing the long range made the risk acceptable. 

 https://edition.cnn.com/2024/04/19/europe/ukraine-air-defense-russian-bomber-dnipropetrovsk-intl/index.html

[Addendum] Apparently, I missed this little detail regarding the use by Ukraine of SA-5s: According to Wikipedia (and yes, I'm embarrassed that Wikipedia showed me up on this point) Ukrainian armed forces claim to have used an S-200 to shoot down the A-50  over the Sea of Azov on 23 February 2024.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S-200_missile_system

THere is speculation that the S-200 that shot down the Tu-22M3 was modified.  The Guardian, citing an "intelligence source" is reporting that the Backfire was hit by "a modified S-200".  (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/apr/20/ukraine-war-briefing-kyiv-claims-bomber-shot-down-at-308km-range-after-crash-in-russia).  No further details on the source, or details on the modifications.   A friend of mine who is exceptionally smart, and whom I served with in the early 2000's in C7F is speculating that the seeker head of the S-200 may have been modified. On a possibly unrelated point, Poland has been modifying the S-200 series for export for some time and in March 2024  Poland received permission to purchase the AIM-120C-8 https://www.thedefensepost.com/2024/03/13/us-missile-sale-poland/, so they may have both the experience and technology to modify the SA-200 with a new seeker.  I'm not claiming this is the case.  I'm merely following breadcrumbs....


See also https://kyivindependent.com/ukraines-obsolete-s-200-missile-systems-reportedly-back-on-track-to-hit-russian-targets/

[Crossroads]

https://twitter.com/DarthPutinKGB/status/1781745758166823102

[GDS_Starfury]