Russia

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Originally Posted by dawg80

OMG! How did MTG and her merry band of idiots miss this? US military aid has arrived in Moldova, designed to support the democratically-elected and pro-western/pro-US government there. In case you have your head up your ass, like MTG does, Moldova has petitioned to join both the EU and NATO but the Putinites are fighting that, mostly by supporting the communists in the "break-away" provinces of eastern Moldova. There are Russian troops on the ground in eastern Moldova, not a large number, but they are there to assure a pro-Putin/pro-commie influence.

BTW, Russian troops have moved onto and are now occupying a portion of a US base in Africa, Angola, I think. The Biden admin agreed to this to "help the situation there." :icon_roll:

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Nope, it is Niger...

The Putinites are complaining that Ukraine is using US and French-built missiles to strike targets inside of Russia. Complaining? Let that roll around in your head for a moment. Never mind that Russia has been using weapons made in China, North Korea*, and Iran to attack Ukraine, oh! and never mind that Russia is the antagonist in this conflict, the evil invader. Go home! I bet the attacks will stop then.

* Using North Korean weapons, especially artillery shells, is like playing Russian roulette. They are just as likely to malfunction and kill the crews as they are to harm Ukrainians.

Apparently the ever-clever Ukrans have fit a different warhead on the US-built ATACMS missiles. This is just speculation as it appears they used ATACMS missiles to attack and sink the latest Russian ships to be lost. A British weapons' expert was a guest on a YouTube channel and he was analyzing the recent attack that has sunk the minesweeper and the guided-missile "cutter." Given their location at the time of the attack, which has been confirmed, the Ukrans had to have either used a cruise missile or the ATACMS system. Video footage released, though of a poor quality, does not show a cruise missile approaching the ships. Cruise missiles are large and rather slow and can be easily videoed. Instead, all that can be seen prior to something striking the ships is a blurry streak of light, which the exhaust of the ATACMS would have, and a thin trail of white smoke. However, the US supplied only cluster-bomb warheads to the Ukrans with the delivery of the ATACMS systems. This strike was clearly not a cluster-bomb warhead as it penetrated the deck and exploded inside the ship(s). Next, the ATACMS missiles are not very accurate at long range. Well, at 180 miles, the approximate distance of this attack, the system is rated to be within 90 meters of accuracy, which is why the ATACMS sports the cluster-bomb warhead and is intended for known, stationary targets. Both of the Russian ships were sitting at anchor and had been for over a week, they were spotted by Ukran drones. Still, if it were the ATACMS system the Ukrans must have done something different with it, like providing an armor-piercing warhead.

The loss of these two combat vessels brings the total to 12, out of 25 combat ships, in Putin's pre-war Black Sea fleet. The Ukrans have also sunk/damaged another 17 support/supply ships of the Black Sea fleet since the war began.

Tidbits...

Russia is being its antagonist self by claiming islands as their own in the Gulf of Finland, connected to the Baltic Sea. They are isolated and uninhabited rocks in the gulf, small islands. Finland has an unmanned lighthouse on one, to warn ships, and a communication microwave tower on another one of the islands. The world has recognized these islands as belonging to Finland since the 1920's when an international treaty made it so. Putin doesn't care about treaties. He is threatening to attack Finland if they interfere in Russian soldiers and engineers occupying the islands. We shall see.

Ukraine has launched a drone "mother ship" designed to carry an array of drones, including the kamikaze drones. Actually, this is their second attempt at this. About 18 months ago they experimented with the concept, but the "mother ship" drone was too slow and unwieldy and was an easy target. This latest version is much improved.

Speaking of attack drones, there is video footage of a Ukran drone dropping grenades on African mercenaries fighting for Russia. It's rather pathetic and somewhat disturbing. Four Africans get spotted in a destroyed village, apparently without guns because they were not holding any, instead they picked up boards from a wrecked house and were swatting at the drones hovering overhead. There was a scouting drone recording the video and an attack drone carrying grenades, which would swoop down just out of reach of the Africans swinging the boards at it. This went on for some 15 minutes, as the Africans kept walking along a road through the destroyed village. Finally, tired of the game, the grenades were dropped killing all four Africans. The Ukran drone operators were toying with them.

The Ukrans have foreign soldiers too, but they are professional and well-equipped. The International Legion is composed of three battalions of four companies each of infantry, as well as an artillery battalion and an armored vehicle battalion. Not sure of the total numbers, but a typical battalion in Ukranian doctrine has about 700 soldiers. These may not be that large. Video footage of a platoon of these soldiers shows them cleaning up an area near Chasiv Yar. These soldiers spoke Spanish, but their country of origin was not disclosed. In one sequence they surround a building occupied by Russian soldiers, toss grenades through the windows and a firefight ensues. Finally, grenades have the desired effect. One of the legionnaires enters then steps out and reports there are wounded Russians, he is ordered to kill them, which he does with his automatic rifle. I know enough Spanish and seeing what was happening it was easy to follow their progress.

Elsewhere Russian advances at Robotyne and at Krynky have been reversed. Ground seized during the last several days has been taken back by the Ukrans.

No longer "news" as this is the same ole, same ole with the evil Putinites. Overnight a Russian cruise missile struck a venue, a restaurant/meeting place being used by a family to celebrate a couple's 50th anniversary. About 250 people were gathered, there were some deaths and lots of injuries, no confirmed numbers yet. This was a deliberate terrorist attack designed to frighten the Ukrainian people into demanding their government surrender to Putin. Putin has spies in Ukraine whose job it is to report events like this so they can be targeted for a terrorist attack. PURE EVIL!

Putin is making overtures for "peace" which he really is not interested in, but rather he wants a pause in the war so he can rebuild his wrecked military. This shows Putin knows he is losing the war, otherwise he wouldn't be offering an end to hostilities. His wanting the border to be fixed based on current ground being held is pure bullshit! No way. Get your sorry ass out of Ukraine, including Crimea, and then peace can be addressed. The Russians have completely abandoned their main airbase in Crimea. Those planes still operational have been relocated to bases much deeper inside of Russia. They have lost all of their air defenses, including the radar sites, and are defenseless against Ukran drone and missile attacks in Crimea.

Putin's big push in Kharkiv has run into a solid brick wall as the Ukrans have counter-attacked and settled the frontline. Putin's offer of "peace" is an admittance of weakness. Nope! Kick his ass!

Putin's much-ballyhooed offensive in Kharkiv has ground to a halt. The Ukrans are counterattacking and driving the evil invaders back. Putin rushed this offensive; pundits agree he lacked sufficient forces to undertake such an ambitious offensive. He had only 40,000 troops to participate in the actual attack, plus some reserves and support troops. Experts projected he needed over 120,000 troops.

Russians did seize another village west of Avdiivka, but this was expected as the position had become untenable for the Ukranians who withdrew in good order.

Ukrans liberated more ground near Krynky, in the Kherson region.

And Ukraine attacked more bases and military installations inside of Russia, while the Putinites conducted more terrorist attacks against civilian targets, four separate attacks in Kharkiv City. Reports of deaths among women and children.... PURE EVIL!

Biden referred to Putin as a "cruel tyrant." Congrats Joe, you got something right. Of course, TASS, Putin's propagandists took issue with it. But acknowledged Putin prefers Biden as US POTUS over Trump. Notwithstanding the crooked US lamestream media trying to make the case for the opposite.

The Russians are pulling back in the Kharkiv Oblast. Their initial thrust has utterly failed, and they are regrouping. They are holding some Ukrainian territory along the northern edge of Kharkiv, but it is tenuous at best. The Ukrans have chosen not to launch a full-scale counterattack, choosing instead to shore up their defenses in the area. The Russians are not holding ground of any strategic significance anyway.

Putin ordered the attack prematurely, as even his own generals advised against it. They were not ready for such an ambitious offensive. Now, with their losses, they won't be ready by July which was the original launch date. Putin fears the West getting off its ass and actually aiding Ukraine. He thought he had to strike, seize Kharkiv, and then pursue a peace plan which would have allowed him to keep the territory he has invaded so far. Poland, France and the Baltic States are openingly talking about sending troops to fight in Ukraine. They haven't yet, but preparations are being made. France is establishing a base of operation in western Ukraine to serve as a supply base for their troops there.

The US needs to become more proactive too. It is time to end this madness and put Putin in his place...which should be on gallows in front of thousands of people to witness his execution.

Putin has declared war on Ukraine. Yeah, I know, he's been at war with Ukraine already. But, up till now, he and the Russkis have called it a "special police action" or some such nonsense as that. Putin is putting the whole country on a military standing, leading to marshal law, and a 100% militarized economy.

Meanwhile...the Kerch Bridge was struck again overnight, bridge closed to traffic pending investigation/repairs. Two ferry boats near the bridge were damaged, the extent unknown at this time.
Ukrans attacked Russian HQ and base in Luhansk, causing severe damage and casualties.

Sweden has sent an airborne radar system (a plane), two mobile radar units, and are still considering sending the Griffon Fighter Jets, but are waiting to see if the F-16s will be sufficient. Spain is sending more Leopard II tanks, and also supplying other equipment, ammo, and supplies. Turkey is building and will donate two corvettes to Ukraine...that's navy ships, not the Chevy car. They are the very modern, state-of-the-art ships, armed with missiles and a rapid-fire cannon, torpedoes, and depth charges. Last year Britain donated, or tried to, three attack gunboats to Ukraine but Turkey blocked their passage into the Black Sea. Maybe they'll allow them through now.

The ever-clever Ukrans strike again! They have unleashed a new brand of attack drones, dubbed "Wild Hornets." They are small, very, very fast kamikaze drones designed to deliver rapid and unstoppable attacks on non-armored targets. They are anti-infantry, can hit trenches, and also destroy unarmored vehicles like trucks. One source says they will be attached to the Ukrans' new drone mothership and then released for attacks. But, initially the Ukrans launched the "Wild Hornets" from a flatbed truck near the front. I think they are still in the testing stage, but after their first use they appear to be very effective. These drones are 10 inches in diameter, can carry a grenade, and are short-range for use in a tactical application on the battlefield.

One of the ferry boats damaged at Kerch was no ordinary ferry boat. It carries railcars, up to 18 at a time, across the channel. This boat (ship, it's bigly!) has rails in the deck and railcars are pushed onto it, 3 tracks with 6 cars each, and then transported back and forth from Crimea to the Russian mainland. There is also a railroad bridge, part of the Kerch Bridge, but it is under constant attack, often shut down for days at a time under repair. The railroad ferry boat has kept supplies moving when the bridge is closed, well, not anymore. The damage was not severe, the boat is not under a threat to sink, but the decking was destroyed, and the boat is being sent to a docking facility for repairs. When it returns the Ukrans will strike it again. The Ukrans need to take out the Kerch Bridge, but it will take an enormous warhead or a series of strikes with heavy weapons.

Putin's mountain palace completely destroyed by fire. There is also a nuclear war bunker at the location. The palace, a huge structure with a private residence and guest quarters, is a total loss. Cause of fire is unknown and under investigation. Too bad!

More attacks on Russian infrastructure (oil facilities) and military installations overnight. Ukrans used their own domestically-manufactured Neptune Missiles to attack and destroy more of Putin's stuff. Well done!

Russians made small gains in some isolated places along the 900-mile front, nothing significant. Of course, as always, they suffered losses in doing so. The Kharkiv region has been relatively quiet the past 48 hours or so. The Russkis got their asses kicked and have fallen back to regroup. If Ukraine starts attacking the Russians in Belgorod, using US and French-made weapons, that will be a complete game-changer and end the threat toward Kharkiv City indefinitely. The Russians must think that is about to happen as intelligence reports show they are pulling reserves out of Belgorod, further back into Russia. There is too much stupid politics involved in this war, as there is in other wars. The Biden administration has to make a public statement "allowing" Ukraine to strike targets inside of Russia with US-made weapons. Well, even the stupid Russians can see that and take steps to try to protect their resources. What Ukraine can do, however, is destroy the Russian bases, storage facilities, etc. that serve the Russian army in that sector. Knock out the railroad line, take out key bridges, etc. Even if they are not inflicting losses directly on the Russkis' military assets, they can render the sector unusable in the near-term and end the threat to Kharkiv.

As the world remembers the sacrifice of those who participated in the D-Day landings, 80 years ago today, let us not forget the present danger, the present evil that exists today. I see politicians, historians, reporters saying the D-Day invasion was heroic as it led to the defeat of fascism. Well, that is exactly what Putin's regime is, as is Xi and the Chicoms, fat boy in North Korea, as well as the Islamic extremists...all fascists. Fascism is a political system whereby there is one party rule and the single head of that party. Oh, they try to masquerade as something else by having figurehead parliaments. But these "governing bodies" have no power and simply do the will of the man in charge. So, yes, let's all remember and honor the brave soldiers who stormed the beaches of Normandy leading to the defeat of Hitler's fascism** but not forget that very danger is still with us today.


** Italy's fascist leader, Bennito Mussolini, said: Hiter is no fascist, he is a socialist, I am the only true fascist.

Leveling the playing field! For the first time since the war began in February 2022, the rules of engagement are finally equal. Up to now Russia enjoyed the HUGE advantage of operating with no restrictions, they could attack any and all targets in Ukraine, while the Ukrans had only their drones to retaliate with. While their drones are good weapons, they are limited in the size of the warheads they can carry. So, Russia could operate with relative impunity inside their borders, while Ukraine was having to deal with cruise missile strikes against their infrastructure and military installations. That has all changed with several western countries, led by France, and now followed by the US and the UK, and perhaps even Germany as well soon, allowing their long-range weapon systems to be used to strike targets inside of Russia. Heretofore Ukraine was restricted to using allies' weapons only against occupied Ukraine, including Crimea. This is a game changer!

And...IT'S ABOUT FRICKIN' TIME!