Russia

The Chicoms cannot successfully invade Taiwan...no time soon, anyway. They lack sufficient transport/landing craft to ferry enough troops across the Taiwan Straight, a distance of more than 150 miles, to gain and hold a foothold on Taiwan. Their crafts would have to make numerous trips back and forth. Meanwhile the initial landing would be decimated.

This is the Russia thread, so don't want to get too deep into comments. Suffice it to say, the Chicoms ain't ready to bully their way to victory over Taiwan.

Defecting high-ranking intelligence officer, right out of Putin's inner circle, has been revealing quite a lot.

Putin has been held up in a series of bunkers for the past 8 months, rarely going outside. When he travels he does so by a secret train, disguised as either a regular passenger train, Putin in a special car, or in what looks like a freight train, again Putin in a specially designed car. Hiding in a bunker, traveling by a special, secret train....hmmm, Hitler did both of those too. Putin has his own fleet of planes, much like Air Force 1, but he has used those as decoys. Recently Putin traveled to Kazakhstan having everyone, including Russian media, believe he flew on his private plane, but instead he did so by secret train. He is paranoid beyond belief. (and with good reason!) Now that the train secret is out, Putin will have to either stay put in his bunker or change the way he travels.

The defector says physically Putin is in good health, as he has a gym in his bunker, and there are very strict quarantine rituals applied to anyone entering his bunker. In most cases visitors, even those summoned by Putin for a meeting, spend two weeks in quarantine before they are allowed to be in the same room with Putin.

Saw a poll where 21% of Americans approve of Putin as a "world leader." That is remarkable, but I guess shows you how entrenched the commie bastards are in this country.

The Russkies are making small gains in territory around Bakhmut but are paying a high price for it in terms of losses. Yesterday some Wagner mercenaries reached a railroad station taking control of it. They celebrated like it was some great victory. Well, it was for them as they were still alive...at least for another 24 hours or so.

To put this in perspective, try this. The distance gained was about the same as from Joe Aillet Stadium to the railroad line across Alabama Avenue. What's that, about a quarter of a mile? To garner this great "victory" the Russkies lost 1,200 soldiers KIA and another about 2,000 wounded...just in two days of intense fighting. They also lost 4 tanks and 10 other vehicles (not identified as type in the report). The railroad line has been inoperative since the war began, as the tracks have been destroyed in places for miles and miles. The RR was only lightly used by the Ukrans, like one freight train run every 3 or 4 days prior to the war.

The Russkies are "winning" at Bakhmut...I guess one might say, given the small territory gains. But the price has been high, and sources speculate the Ukrans are preparing a counter-offensive in late spring, maybe in the summer, when the ground is dry and solid and can support rapid movement of heavy equipment, namely tanks. For now the Ukrans are satisfied bleeding Putin's forces dry making them pay for every foot of ground.

The lone Russian aircraft carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov, sits idle in dry dock, undergoing repairs...well, actually, waiting on repairs since Putin doesn't have the money right now. And then there's an even bigger question, how will Putin find and train a crew to operate the carrier? Enlistments across all the branches are down, way down, as no one wants part of Putin's evil war in Ukraine and his navy has really taken it on the chin by the upstart Ukrans.

Russia, under Putin, is nothing but a paper tiger and its alliance with the Chicoms, Iran, North Korea..."an axis of evil" as Hannity calls it, only adds liability to China's position in this arrangement. Iran and NK are jokes too, more hangers-on than contributors to some powerful "axis." Which brings us to the Chicoms. All this talk about their having the biggest navy in the world, hypersonic missiles, blah, blah, blah...if all that was true they would invade Taiwan now while the feeble Biden is in office. Whether Xi tempts fate by attacking Taiwan or not clearly there is no advantage to their allying with the likes of Russia.

Putin should never have started the war with Ukraine. Much better to have the world THINK you are powerful than it is to lose a war to a tiny neighbor and show your true colors.

Nothing new in the past 48 hours. Looking like a stalemate, something akin to the World War I trench warfare, is developing all along the front. Neither side has enough offensive punch to change the situation. At least, that's how it appears now. The Ukrans tried twice to break the deadlock, had limited success but was not able to exploit the gap due to a lack of offensive operational units. That and because at the time the ground was a quagmire of mud not allowing rapid movement of heavy armor units.

That's the current tactical situation. Much speculation about both sides planning big pushes come summer and dry ground. Strategically, all the Ukrans have to do is NOT LOSE to ultimately win the war. Keep in mind, all of the fighting...ALL OF IT...is confined to the central and eastern portions of Donbas (the two eastern provinces Putin has annexed). This is like Putin invading the US, wanting to control the whole country, later claiming New England as annexed, but is holding only Maine and is bogged down there too.

The Russkies have stablized their lines in the south, giving them control of Crimea, but having to fight to hold Crimea has siphoned off units Putin had intended for Donbas.

Poland and Ukraine are negotiating some kind of alliance, expected to be announced this summer. One report said the two nations are planning to merge into one nation. Whoa! That would be a game changer.

A Russian T-90 tank, the most modern they have, is sitting at a truck stop in south Louisiana along I-10. The tank is on a lowboy, the truck blew its transmission. The tank is one of nearly 600 tanks the Ukrainians have captured. No one seems to know how the tank has arrived in the US, what was its port of entry, and how/why some trucking service is in possession of it. If this is not a major WTF for the sleep-at-the-wheel Biden administration, I don't know what is. Probably the tank has been purchased by a Mexican drug cartel and was being hauled their way.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world...ff7b8534&ei=14

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by dawg80

The Russkies are making small gains in territory around Bakhmut but are paying a high price for it in terms of losses. Yesterday some Wagner mercenaries reached a railroad station taking control of it. They celebrated like it was some great victory. Well, it was for them as they were still alive...at least for another 24 hours or so.

To put this in perspective, try this. The distance gained was about the same as from Joe Aillet Stadium to the railroad line across Alabama Avenue. What's that, about a quarter of a mile? To garner this great "victory" the Russkies lost 1,200 soldiers KIA and another about 2,000 wounded...just in two days of intense fighting. They also lost 4 tanks and 10 other vehicles (not identified as type in the report). The railroad line has been inoperative since the war began, as the tracks have been destroyed in places for miles and miles. The RR was only lightly used by the Ukrans, like one freight train run every 3 or 4 days prior to the war.

The Russkies are "winning" at Bakhmut...I guess one might say, given the small territory gains. But the price has been high, and sources speculate the Ukrans are preparing a counter-offensive in late spring, maybe in the summer, when the ground is dry and solid and can support rapid movement of heavy equipment, namely tanks. For now the Ukrans are satisfied bleeding Putin's forces dry making them pay for every foot of ground.

---

Just received an alert, about 10 minutes ago, as of 9:15am CDT, Wagner troops stormed across the RR tracks just north of the main train station and entered buildings across the street. To the south of the station another group of Wagner troops tried it, but have been halted after making a small gain, now using railcars in the yard as cover. Ukran troops still hold the station but are now being threatened with encirclement.

In the extreme northwest sector of the disputed area of Bakhmut Wagner units pushed three blocks down a main avenue, securing buildings on both sides of the street. It appears they are now trying to turn west to cut off about a 10 block area, trapping Ukran soldiers in that pocket. A Ukranian counter-attack, however, could instead cut off and trap those Russkies. The fighting is street to street, house to house, with heavy casualties being inflicted for small gains. This has become Stalingrad 2023.

I usually agree with Tucker and Laura Ingram, but they are simply wrong about Ukraine, and even Hannity has been on this rant about our support of Ukraine. Now Hannity reports US troops have been engaged in actual combat with the Russkies. I know we had some troops on the ground for a while and may still have some in Ukraine. But they are far away from the combat zone and are engaged in advising and training. Watch this video, interviews of people on the street in some Ukranian city (not ID'd). Notice how quiet and calm it is, business as usual. And listen to how grateful these people are:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GB5mNbQ3KqI


Some are saying the Pentagon, the Biden administration, and anyone else who dares to sound positive about the prospects of a Ukrainian victory, are all lying, mostly to protect our defense industry and some reputations. BS! How stupid would it be if the truth was Putin was crushing the Ukrans and about to take over the whole country for someone to be maintaining the Ukrans are holding out just fine. I mean, one day "Ukraine is winning the war, or at least not losing it.." and then the very next day, "It's over, Ukraine has surrendered to superior Russian forces..." Nah! the truth is as I have been posting. The fight is restricted to Donbas, and only a portion of that.

We are on the right side of history supporting Ukraine. Putin is cooked, finished, kaput!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by dawg80

Defecting high-ranking intelligence officer, right out of Putin's inner circle, has been revealing quite a lot.

Putin has been held up in a series of bunkers for the past 8 months, rarely going outside. When he travels he does so by a secret train, disguised as either a regular passenger train, Putin in a special car, or in what looks like a freight train, again Putin in a specially designed car. Hiding in a bunker, traveling by a special, secret train....hmmm, Hitler did both of those too. Putin has his own fleet of planes, much like Air Force 1, but he has used those as decoys. Recently Putin traveled to Kazakhstan having everyone, including Russian media, believe he flew on his private plane, but instead he did so by secret train. He is paranoid beyond belief. (and with good reason!) Now that the train secret is out, Putin will have to either stay put in his bunker or change the way he travels.

The defector says physically Putin is in good health, as he has a gym in his bunker, and there are very strict quarantine rituals applied to anyone entering his bunker. In most cases visitors, even those summoned by Putin for a meeting, spend two weeks in quarantine before they are allowed to be in the same room with Putin.

Saw a poll where 21% of Americans approve of Putin as a "world leader." That is remarkable, but I guess shows you how entrenched the commie bastards are in this country.

---

Yep, one of our fellow Americans thinks Putin is a genius for invading Ukraine. Master strategist. I tend to think of him as a war criminal and terrorist. Russia needs to get kicked off the UN Security Council, and replaced by Ukraine. Just remember, extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by saltydawg

Yep, one of our fellow Americans thinks Putin is a genius for invading Ukraine. Master strategist. I tend to think of him as a war criminal and terrorist. Russia needs to get kicked off the UN Security Council, and replaced by Ukraine. Just remember, extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice.

---

Salty, my man! Been awhile since you posted. I think we usually disagree...not on Ukraine it appears...but it's good to see you posting.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by saltydawg

Yep, one of our fellow Americans thinks Putin is a genius for invading Ukraine. Master strategist. I tend to think of him as a war criminal and terrorist. Russia needs to get kicked off the UN Security Council, and replaced by Ukraine. Just remember, extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice.

---

Worse than that is another of our fellow Americans thinks China is just good folks and not competition to the US at all....and thought that removing sanctions on Russian entities so they could guild a pipeline to Europe and make a huge part of NATO dependent on the Russians for energy was a good idea (energy is freedom).

Putin is likely all three of those things you mentioned. He saw weakness in the head of the free world and took advantage (I think someone said a "small" incursion into Ukraine was not a big deal...silly, eh?). This led to a defensive war that can only be ended when Russia grows sufficiently weary of the effort. Normally they end like the airport fiasco in Afghanistan and the choppers taking off from the embassy in Vietnam.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DawgyNWindow

Worse than that is another of our fellow Americans thinks China is just good folks and not competition to the US at all....and thought that removing sanctions on Russian entities so they could guild a pipeline to Europe and make a huge part of NATO dependent on the Russians for energy (energy is freedom).

Putin is likely all three of those things you mentioned. He saw weakness in the head of the free world and took advantage (I think someone said a "small" incursion into Ukraine was not a big deal...silly, eh?). This led to a defensive war that can only be ended when Russia grows sufficiently weary of the effort. Normally they end like the airport fiasco in Afghanistan and the choppers taking off from the embassy in Vietnam.

---

All wars end by making continuing the war more expensive than stopping it.

What do you think of the recent leaks? I'm not sure how to interpret a lot of the intel.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Blue Dawg

All wars end by making continuing the war more expensive than stopping it.

What do you think of the recent leaks? I'm not sure how to interpret a lot of the intel.

---

I have to be honest, I haven't read any of it. I knew it was bad though when I heard the DOD insinuating it had been "doctored" immediately after the leaks. That was a sure sign it was accurate and embarrassing to them.

Russia continues to sell their oil in the market, much of it to nations we view as allies. Their sovereignty is not threatened at all; and the whole fiasco has pushed them into an alliance with China, who will end up bankrolling a piece of their war effort. They'll lose a lot of Russians on the battlefield, but that doesn't seem to deter them in the least.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DawgyNWindow

I have to be honest, I haven't read any of it. I knew it was bad though when I heard the DOD insinuating it had been "doctored" immediately after the leaks. That was a sure sign it was accurate and embarrassing to them.

Russia continues to sell their oil in the market, much of it to nations we view as allies. Their sovereignty is not threatened at all; and the whole fiasco has pushed them into an alliance with China, who will end up bankrolling a piece of their war effort. They'll lose a lot of Russians on the battlefield, but that doesn't seem to deter them in the least.

---

I didn't read it directly either. My understanding is that it paints a very bleak picture of Ukrainian combat strength, but who knows, the explanations were somewhat confusing to me. I think Russia said they didn't believe it was genuine, but I agree with you.

Nearly 400 civilians murdered in Bakhmut by Wagner Group thugs, including 20 children. One was a 5-yr-old girl who witnessed the other shootings, and she was crying hysterically. So, one of the thugs put a bullet in her head "to shut her the f**k up" he said.

These thugs have been captured...or, as they say, they surrendered because they couldn't stand the senseless murders they were ordered to carry out. They say the orders came straight from the top, from Wagner leader Prigozhin. Most of the Wagner "soldiers" come straight from Russian prisons, promising them freedom in exchange for "service" in the Wagner Group in Ukraine.

This is the measure of what the Ukrans are fighting against. For the short-memory crowd, here's a reminder, Putin promised to execute President Zelensky, his family(wife and children}, and the combined families of all of Ukraine's high-ranking officials. And, had he actually enjoyed success in the war, Putin would have! Yet! there are people questioning our limited involvement there. Is this what America has become? Has our society deteriorated so much that some advocate allowing such wanton evil to carry on?

Pretty damn sad...:(