Russia

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Originally Posted by PawDawg

So print more money?

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No, borrow it from China...

The commander of the 3rd Brigade published a video this morning where he lays out the situation. He is seen "laughing" but this is just nervous energy in a very hostile and dangerous predicament. He doesn't really think it's funny. He reports the Russians are so desperate to "take out" the vaunted 3rd Assault Brigade that upon learning we are here, they have sent no less than 7 brigades to attack us. He says they have utterly destroyed two of the Russian brigades and the 47th Brigade seeing an opportunity to counter-attack, took out a third Russian brigade who ignored their presence as they were so bent on getting at the 3rd. Incredible video footage of the 47th Mechanized Brigade's attack during the night using Bradleys and tanks and other APCs in the attack. The commander of the 3rd remarked, "stupid goons (he calls Russians "goons") turned their backs on the 47th and paid a heavy price." The commander finished up saying he expects the goons to send more brigades at us.

Best sources report Putin has sent in at least 20,000 more troops, about 5 brigades in typical Russian strength, mostly infantry fighting on foot as their vehicles make too easy of a target for Ukan drones. And now as most of the fighting is in an urban setting, house to house, fighting on foot makes sense anyway.

Russian sources report "only" 10,000 KIA and another 25,000 wounded since the all-out assault on Avdiivka began in October. Western sources place those numbers much higher. Ukranian sources report 2,000 KIA and 6,000 wounded since the attack began in October. Those numbers too are probably higher.

Avdiivka will fall, there is no doubt about it. Just a matter of how many will die in that meat grinder before it is all over.

Reports coming in that the Ukrans are in full retreat out of Avdiivka. These are not confirmed by reliable sources yet, so stay tuned...

Overnight there is confirmation that a drone factory in Russia went up in flames after a massive explosion rocked the facility. Early reports are it is a total loss, the whole structure has collapsed on itself as flames shoot hundreds of feet into the air. The plant is (was) in the city of Izhevsk, the site of a huge explosion just last week. The owner of the drone factory is the infamous Kalashnikov Arms Company, the maker of the assault rifle AK-47. No details on the cause, but sabotage by anti-Putin elements or another drone attack by the Ukrans is very likely. Even if it was just an industrial accident, like the one that wrecked the MIG plant, it is significant as this factory was the sole source of the Drone 4 which is a very advanced and effective weapon. Well, too bad, when the current supply runs out there won't be any replacements anytime soon.

Avdiivka has fallen. Total evacuation of all Ukran troops. Then three large explosions rocked the industrial complex, especially the coke plant. Ukrans shot down three Russian fighter-bombers today. Losses by the Russians amount to 666 armored vehicles in the battle for Avdiivka. Soldiers lost is still fixed at 10,000+ for the Russians. No updates beyond this.

Opposition leader, to Putin, Alexi Navalny dies in prison; Russkies call it a "sudden death syndrome." Of course, he was alive then suddenly murdered so now dead. Putin is like the Klintons, he murders his opposition and those who have evidence against him. Well, so far Biden hasn't resorted to murder, instead he uses the so-called "justice" system to eliminate his detractors, like the gallant FBI agent arrested and charged for lying (he actually told the truth about the Bidens and that got him into big trouble).

Both sides report that Ukran troops are still holding the important industrial complex, which is situated on the edge of the city to the northwest. Another Russian jet was shot down overnight, making it 4 such losses. These SU-34 fighter-bombers cost $40 million each and are considered the best Putin has. They are no match for the US-built Patriot Missile system. The explosions at the complex are attributed to glide-bombs released by the Russian jets. Four of them bastards paid a price.

Incredible, gut-wrenching video of the 3rd Assault Brigade's heroic charge in APCs to relieve the pressure on trapped Ukranian units inside of the city. One part shows a Russian anti-tank rocket slamming into the rear of an APC, the video is shot from a bodycam of one of the soldiers. There is a flash, sparks, a little bit of flames and then dense smoke as the compartment filled with smoke for about 10 seconds. Then, you see the back of the vehicle dangling and a Ukran soldier kicking the busted metal door off. The APC stops and two Ukrans jump out and pour automatic weapon fire into a nearby building, the source of the rocket attack. One soldier runs and tosses a grenade through a hole in the wall, then enters, you can hear machinegun fire, he emerges and waves shouting, "Got the bastards!". Then they off again, minus a rear door on their APC. One Ukran shows his left hand, completely mangled and hastily wrapped with cloth to stem the bleeding. He shrugs it off. Minutes later the APC is struck again, this time in the front, by a rocket, the armor is so thick the rocket just glanced off. The twin .50 caliber makes short work of the Russians and the APC proceeds on. This was typical of a 12-hour battle where the elite 3rd Assault Brigade punched a hole in the Russian line and allowed the remaining troops of Ukrans to safely withdraw from the city's center.

Other video shot by the 3rd Brigade shows what you would expect to see after two years of war and nearly 6 months of intense combat...there is nothing left. Every house, every building is utterly destroyed. Remarkably there are about 3,000 civilians, estimated, remaining, using their basements as shelter. Avdiivka had a pre-war population of 32,000 and was a vibrant industrial city. Not any more.

Now, what is happening and what will happen at the industrial complex, we shall soon see. I hope the Ukrans will blow it all to bits if they are forced to evacuate the premises.

Brutal...more released bodycam footage from members of the 3rd Assault Brigade, and reports of atrocities committed by the thug Russians.

As of 24 hours ago, even after pro-Putin propagandists declared total victory in Avdiivka, heavy combat was continuing on the outskirts of the city. Close up, house-to-house fighting in a large western suburb of the town was on-going and is continuing this morning. Only the Russians have pulled back after suffering horrific losses. Also, Russian jets released four 1,000-pound glide bombs intended for Ukranian positions, but by the time the attack began the Ukrans had pulled back and Russian soldiers advanced into the vacated houses. The four bombs killed/wounded Russians, no Ukrans. Ooops! It is close-up, chaotic, confused fighting. Every house and building has a basement, and the locals and the Ukran defenders, especially the 110th Brigade which has held Avdiivka for over a year, connected many of the basements with tunnels. They have a map of the tunnels, entries and exits, the attacking Russians do not. In one instance the 3rd Brigade, guided by soldiers of the 110th who know the layout, set up machinegun nests to watch some of the tunnel exits....whoa! The stupid Russians kept pouring up steps into an open courtyard and were mowed down, to a man, by the machineguns. About 30 minutes later more Russians suffered the same fate.

Heavy fog and low clouds still hover over the city, now mixed with the smoke of fires and all the combat. While Ukran drones and long-range artillery have been rendered rather useless, so too has the Russians'. But the Ukrans hold the advantage of knowing the city, thanks to the 110th soldiers who are serving as guides for both the 3rd and 47th Brigades. The Russians will take all of Avdiivka, it is inevitable. Right now the Ukrans are buying time for withdrawals and for the Ukran forces to retire to the west to prepared defensive lines....and, to inflict as much damage on the Russians as possible.

More reports confirm the 3rd Brigade was attacked by 7 Russian brigades over the past 48 hours+. That would be about 28,000 Russians vs. about 5,000 Ukrans, provided all of the 3rd Brigade was present at Avdiivka. Early reports show the Russian brigades have suffered 70% casualty rates, of killed/wounded/captured. That would equate to 19,600 losses. Doesn't take much video footage to make you think those numbers are accurate. It is a meat grinder!

Now, the atrocities. Already video proof and eyewitness reports of Russians murdering wounded/surrendered Ukran soldiers and civilians. No accurate count yet, but early estimates/reports indicate that about 30 Ukran soldiers who had been wounded and were too critical to move during the withdrawal, were shot in their beds at a field hospital. All the doctors, nurses, medical corpsmen who had stayed behind to tend to the wounded were also murdered. Many Ukranian families who had stayed, hunkered down in basements were also murdered, old people mostly, who had refused to evacuate their homes. One video shows a young mother, about 30ish and her three children machinegunned down by evil Russian thugs. The video uses that blurry imaging technique to spare the viewer of the worst of it, but you can still see what happened to them.

Ukran forces are still holding the industrial complex, but Russian forces have pushed through the suburbs which sit on two sides of the complex and are trying to push south of it in an attempt to completely encircle the complex. To the south and west of the complex is just open, muddy fields, and one paved road and one dirt road leading to the west out of it. Ukran Bradley Fighting Machines are parked in a woods' line covering those open fields. A group of about 100 Russian infantry tried to make their way across the fields, bogged down by thick, deep mud and made easy targets for the Bradleys' 25 mm automatic cannons and the .50 caliber machineguns. From the video it doesn't appear a single Russian survived the heavy fire.

The industrial complex is lost to the Ukrans so they might as well withdraw from it, set charges, and blow it to tiny bits.

Since Ukraine is not a member of NATO (a condition that needs to be rectified when the time comes) individual NATO countries are working around that by engaging in compacts directly with Ukraine. Germany just inked a deal where they pledge to support Ukraine militarily against any and all protagonists. Not clear if this means introducing German troops on the ground or just continuing supplying them with weapons, ammo, spare parts, etc. Now Italy announced today that they are meeting with President Z later this week to discuss a similar pact. France will sign a deal later this month, terms have been agreed to already. Great Britain, Canada, and Sweden have already all inked deals with Ukraine.

Trump says NATO needs to step up in defense of Europe, well, looks like European nations (and Canada) are stepping up in these formal agreements. That should please Trump and hopefully get him to cut the stupid crap he spews about NATO. I hate it that Biden absolutely smokes Trump on this issue. Trump looks petty and stupid and completely out of touch with reality. That said, it can be pointed out that Putin says he prefers Biden gets re-elected rather than Trump returning to the WH. But Trump needs guidance on the stuff he says. Words matter and if he is to be Commander-in-Chief again he needs to start acting like it now, and not wait until next January.

Ukrans shot down two more Russian fighter-bombers using the Patriot missile system. That makes 6 of Putin's $40 million planes lost in less than a week.

Russians launched 5 major attacks over night at different points along the 900-mile front. Bolstered by their recent "success" at Avdiivka, where fighting continues in the western outskirts, the Russkies were feeling cocky and attacked in five locations. All five attacks have been beaten back with heavy losses inflicted on the Russians.

One pro-Ukranian YouTuber is accusing Mike Johnson of being a Russian agent! Totally ridiculous. Says Johnson tanked the aid for Ukraine bill and then sent the House home for 2 weeks. And this corresponded with Putin murdering Navalny, and the Russians taking Avdiivka. Big conspiracy dude, eh! This aid package is not even scheduled to reach Ukraine until late March, even if it passed this week. So, how did it hurt Ukraine in the past few days?

Some people are just stupid.

Reports that the Ukrans have evacuated the industrial complex having to fight their way out. No reports if the complex has been destroyed, but I certainly hope so.

Stupid Russians did it again. For at least the third time I know of some goofy Russian commander had his entire unit form up in an open field for some kind of medal ceremony and the entire unit was obliterated by a HIMARS attack. This one was a reinforced company, about 165 soldiers, and early reports say exactly 3, yes THREE, survived the attack unhurt. There are 65 confirmed deaths and about 100 (97) wounded, all said to be very serious. Most of the wounded are not expected to survive.

There is a video of another Russian commander standing at the edge of the field viewing the mutilated corpses and watching stretcher-bearers carrying away the wounded. He is muttering to himself over and over, "Stupid, just stupid..."

There was a video shot of the medal ceremony of which the stupid commander said he wants the video to be broadcast all over Mother Russia so the people can see their heroes being awarded. A Ukran YouTuber joked he wants to see that video too, especially the part when the missiles struck!

All Russian attacks launched in the past 24 hours have been stopped with heavy losses inflicted on the Russkies. And so it goes...

PAT was good! make that 7 of Putin's top of line jets shot down as another SU-34 was downed by a Patriot missile this morning.

The Putin propagandists are feeling their oats in the wake of the capture of Avdiivka. All kinds of ridiculous reports being put out designed to stoke doubt and a loss of confidence in the Ukrainians' chances. Just totally dumb reports and all they do is further discredit the silly propagandists. Problem is some of the pro-Ukranian YouTubers feel the need to respond in kind and put out their own BS. Doesn't help them, doesn't help anyone really. The truth is the truth. Usually I can piece together some truth by watching both sides and finding some common ground in the information, then wait for the better sources to report much later in the day. But the past 36-48 hours has been totally comical! Not even a pretense of trying to tell the truth.

This was one of my civics books in high school. Surprised it is still available in public libraries. First printing was 1960.

https://search.worldcat.org/title/co...s/oclc/6205465