Russia

[dawg80]

A person-in-the-know goes to a town's mayor and warns him the dam up the valley is on the verge of collapse. The mayor laughs, why that dam has been there for years and it's doing just fine. Yeah, the mayor admits, there have been a few small cracks now and then, but our town engineers have always been able to plug them. The in-the-know person shakes his head, no Mr. Mayor, the dam won't fail incrementally in the eyes of the ignorant...no offense intended. He continues, what you don't understand is all those small cracks you can see are mere symptoms of a much bigger problem, and one day, Bam! there will be a total and catastrophic collapse.

Yes sir, Mr. Doubting Thomas, you are on the verge of losing that dam.

[dawg80]

Ukrans hammer targets in Crimea with missile and drone attacks. The drydocks at Sevastopol are on fire and two Russian navy vessels, an LST and a Kilo-class submarine are on fire too. Extent of total damage to the facility won't be known until the smoke clears. Ukrans also struck an inland Russian army base with a drone attack. This base is situated in a valley, surrounded by mountains/tall hills and thought to be well-protected with AA batteries. The amount of damage is unknown at first reports, but clearly this attack surprised the Russians who thought the Ukrans incapable of striking it. Two coastal communities, mostly used by Russian civilians for vacations, were also struck last night with drones. Good job Ukrans! Smash 'em!

Ukrans are now using incendiary cluster bombs too. East of Bakhmut these new munitions completely wiped out a Russian defensive line burning the woods to a crisp, and apparently some unfortunate Russian soldiers too...boo hoo. The Ukrans have also discovered another benefit to using these "fire bombs" as they clear the ground of the tall grass, in which the Russians have placed mines. In one video a whole line of anti-tank mines is revealed now just sitting on the scorched earth. The Ukrans, ever clever with their inventions, have equipped their soldiers with a simple disarming tool for the mines. It's a simple device with a line, like thick fishing line, which is hooked to the detonator and with a push of a button the device spins the firing pin off the mine rendering it harmless. Then the Ukrans take the mines for their own use later.... thank you Mr. Putin for supplying Ukraine with hundreds of tank mines!

Both Russia (Putin) and Ukraine have rejected the G20's proposal to restore the grain trade coming across the Black Sea. President Erdogan made a separate proposal which greatly benefitted Turkey, but that was rejected by all nations.

[dawg80]

Tunnel rats! Similar to the Viet Cong, the Russkies have constructed tunnels as part of their defenses. Not sure how extensive they are, but we do know they had a series of tunnels east of Bakhmut...said tunnels now in the hands of the Ukrans. These tunnels were abandoned without a fight. They appear to be well-built as video shot by bodycam from an officer of the Azov Brigade demonstrates. They are large enough that a normal man can easily walk through them without having to stoop. They ran electricity via generators throughout the tunnels, and there is running water and sanitation facilities too. Obviously spent a great deal of time and resources constructing the tunnels but didn't bother to even try to defend them. Are there such tunnels elsewhere along the Russian defense lines? Guess we'll soon find out after other Russians scurry away without a fight.

The attack on the Russian navy yard at Sevastopol was aided by Crimean partisans. Fires continue to burn. The Kilo-class sub has been pushed away from the burning docks by a tugboat. It has been damaged but how badly remains unknown. The fate of the LST is not known as it is still clouded by smoke from the raging fires. Partisan activity is picking up on Crimea. Russia has laid claim to Crimea for some 150 years. It was the war for Crimea which spurred the "Charge of the Light Brigade" as Britian and France tried to take it from Russia. Yeah, I expect Putin to try to keep Crimea, but it belongs to Ukraine, and Russia, if not Putin, will give it up eventually.

[dawg80]

Tunnel rats! Similar to the Viet Cong, the Russkies have constructed tunnels as part of their defenses. Not sure how extensive they are, but we do know they had a series of tunnels east of Bakhmut...said tunnels now in the hands of the Ukrans. These tunnels were abandoned without a fight. They appear to be well-built as video shot by bodycam from an officer of the Azov Brigade demonstrates. They are large enough that a normal man can easily walk through them without having to stoop. They ran electricity via generators throughout the tunnels, and there is running water and sanitation facilities too. Obviously spent a great deal of time and resources constructing the tunnels but didn't bother to even try to defend them. Are there such tunnels elsewhere along the Russian defense lines? Guess we'll soon find out after other Russians scurry away without a fight.

The attack on the Russian navy yard at Sevastopol was aided by Crimean partisans. Fires continue to burn. The Kilo-class sub has been pushed away from the burning docks by a tugboat. It has been damaged but how badly remains unknown. The fate of the LST is not known as it is still clouded by smoke from the raging fires. Partisan activity is picking up on Crimea. Russia has laid claim to Crimea for some 150 years. It was the war for Crimea which spurred the "Charge of the Light Brigade" as Britian and France tried to take it from Russia. Yeah, I expect Putin to try to keep Crimea, but it belongs to Ukraine, and Russia, if not Putin, will give it up eventually.

The sub is toast too! It's a complete loss, according to sources. Ukraine has accomplished something the US hasn't, and actually what no NATO country has ever done, taken out a Russian nuclear-powered sub in combat. And there was a third Russian ship destroyed in the attack, but it has not been identified. One YouTuber speculates it might be a combination tug/repair boat used for out-to-sea repairs by the Russian navy. Satellite images show this ship was docked next to the LST the day before the attack and it did not appear in a follow-up photo taken 24 hours later.

Sweden, set to become the 32nd NATO member, has issued some stern warnings to Russia re: it's navy's operations close to their territorial waters. Sweden is also indicating it may change its policy toward Russia, as in the past a Russian navy ship had only to contact one of its harbor authorities and be granted admission, but now Sweden is considering Russian navy ships having to follow a more stringent procedure prior to being granted permission. Naturally, Russian officials protested and issued a veiled threat, to which Swedish officials yawned. The walls are closing in on Putin.

[dawg80]

Azerbaijan threatens to invade Armenia. They have been feuding over a province for decades.

Wow! in a complete departure from their recent/usual tough talk, the Kremlin released an official statement saying Russia stands ready to support Armenia in the case of a military attack from its much larger neighbor Azerbaijan. The statement points out the long historic ties of the two nations (yeah, the USSR invaded and occupied Armenia after WWI and held it until the USSR's collapse in the early 1990's), and that there are more ethnic Armenians currently living in Russia than the population of Armenia. Yep, and that is the subject of contention as Russia is occupying land claimed by Armenia as theirs. Iran issued a statement saying it will support Azerbaijan as it claims sections of Armenia as theirs, and Turkey reiterated its warning to Iran to stay out of the conflict, should one happen.

Presently Russia maintains a small military presence in Armenia, which the Kremlin call "peacekeepers." A small contingent of US soldiers have just landed in Armenia to take part in a joint military exercise. Moscow issued a rather calm...even sheepish...statement of protest saying the US's presence in the region will only heighten tensions. Given that Putin has already removed troops from the border region with Armenia and sent them to their deaths in Ukraine, the Kremlin knows its bark is worse than its bite, and that is why they are behaving so diplomatically.

The world teeters on the edge of World War III. Ah, not really. I don't think so. If Putin's blatant aggression against Ukraine didn't spur a wider conflict, nothing happening in the Middle East or sectors of the old Soviet Union will. I can say it's because cooler heads will prevail, but really, it's because the world simply doesn't give a shit and won't get involved. Now...China's invasion of Taiwan has a greater potential to escalate into a world war, but even then it is very, very possible nations like Japan, Australia, India, and the US will simply blink.

[dawg80]

Has Wagner joined with Ukraine? That has been the rumor for weeks since Prigozhin's murder, er, death. But now a YouTuber is making the claim that Wagner soldiers attacked a Russian army base/POW camp and freed 110 Ukranian soldiers being held there. This base/camp is near the Belarus border. There is video of the event, reportedly showing the Ukran POWs getting into trucks for the trip back home.

An even wilder rumor has ole Priggy still alive and living on a tropical island, somewhere. Topless native girls! Doesn't get much better than that .

Back to the Wagner rumors, whatever is actually true it is confirmed there is high tension between the Wagnerites and Putin. Putin wants all Wagner soldiers to willingly join the regular Russian army, but most, like 90%+, have flatly refused preferring to remain an independent mercenary organization or quitting the career as paid soldiers. The Russian chapter of Wagner has always been separated from the larger worldwide organization, not seeing itself as being a part of it. Wagner, partially funded by the Soros Foundation, has operations in Africa, Middle East, and in South America, especially Brazil and Venezuela.

[dawg80]

Russia's elite 72nd Brigade ceased to exist after the remaining units were wiped out. The 3rd Assault Brigade (Azov) had the privilege and the pleasure of delivering the fatal blow to the 72nd at the village of Andriivka south of Bakhmut. Last report said many dozens of the 72nd accepted an offer to surrender, but some refused and were killed to a man. The Russians were warned via a speaker on a drone to surrender or perish. Those who did surrender will eventually be used in a prisoner exchange. Members of an elite unit like the 72nd are prized and the Russians will be willing to exchange Ukran POWs from their better units. This has been the practice for almost a year, ever since Russia started losing the war.

The Ukrans are slowly, but surely, making progress south of Bakhmut, but north of the city it is a stalemate. The Russians occupy key high ground giving them a huge advantage on the defensive. The offensive in the northern area has effectively ground to a halt. Twice in the past few months the Russians tried to counterattack north of Bakhmut and both times they were pummeled. Neither side can advance against the other. The Ukrans had hoped to close around Bakhmut from both directions, but the terrain greatly favors the Russians to the north, so it is from the south that the Ukrans will get around Bakhmut and force its defenders to surrender or perish.

What the Ukrans are learning is that the Russians, for the past year, have built incredible defensives, including a bunker at Andriivka that was not, could not be, taken by military operations but rather its occupants accepted the offer of surrender. The extent of trenches, concrete structures, and bunkers the Russians have built is amazing. In open combat the Ukrans are slaughtering the Russians, but tucked behind their works, the Russians offer tough resistance.

[dawg80]

Two more Russian ships videoed being towed by tugboats, obviously damaged and unable to move on their own. One is a corvette and the other a frigate. The Ukrans claim the ships were attacked by sea drones, but the Russians deny it, but offering no explanation why the ships cannot proceed under their own power. There is video from two nights ago of the corvette engaged in heavy combat with something. Its automatic weapons and its rapid-fire cannon were blazing away at the surface of the water near it. The Ukrans say it was sea drones, at least one of which struck the ship. And the Russians are evacuating their navy base at Sevastopol, at least removing its surface vessels, and moving them to a base on the Sea of Azov.

The Ukrans announced part of the attack on Sevastopol was conducted by 10 British-built Storm Shadow cruise missiles, launched from circling Ukran SU-24 (1970 era Soviet-built) fighter-bombers from a distance greater than 300 miles away. The jets were over Ukraine when the cruise missiles were launched. France is still considering selling Ukraine their version of the jet-launched cruise missile, nicknamed "The Stinger," or "SCALP" by the French. It has a greater range than the Storm Shadow. This demonstrates the Ukrans can strike Russian targets from jets that are behind a wall of ground-to-air missiles, protected.

[dawg80]

General Kadyrov, commander of the Chechen forces allied with Putin, and whom had assumed the "hero" role vacated by Priggy, is reported dead. Kadyrov was hospitalized with reported kidney failure, and just now a usually reliable source is reporting he passed away from complications. The past several days the Chechen battalions, who had been located near Bakhmut, have been seen withdrawing. Also, all kinds of Chechen officials, in fancy cars, have been coming and going from the Moscow hospital where Kadyrov had been admitted just three days ago. If the reports are true, this is yet another blow to Putin who is losing the few remaining allies he has left. Will the Chechen units remain in Ukraine to continue fighting or return to Chechnya? The Chechens have not been as effective as Wagner was, but they have generally been tougher than the regular Russian army.

[dawg80]

Russian soldiers, most from the destroyed 72nd Brigade, were shelled by Ukran artillery and by Russian artillery. Those poor saps were caught in a murderous crossfire and very few, if any, survived. Reports are the Russians purposely targeted their own troops, calling them traitors, as a lessen to other units not to surrender. There is some horrendous video captured by drones of dozens of these Russians, their hands in the air, clearly surrendering when a barrage of shells hit, wiping out all those who had just been seen by the drone. Those shells came from the Russians. The Ukrans shelled retreating Russians, who had not surrendered but who were trying to withdraw.

The Russian 31st Brigade was sent in a few days ago to try to support the 72nd, but it has suffered so many casualties that it too has lost its combat effectiveness. If they attempt to surrender, watch out! their own guys will shell them too.

This is barbaric and makes you wonder just how long will the Russian army continue to fight for Putin. Surely the artillery units can't be thrilled firing on their own troops. Of course, if they don't, they will be shot on the spot.

[dawg80]

A Newsweek writer, patting himself on the back, wrote a follow-up article to his April, 2023 prediction that the Ukran offensive would be slow and costly, and now that it has, he thinks he has come on some secret revelation. Well, duh! He questions Washington's strategy, and that of NATO, in continuing to support Ukraine in this war. A national poll, cited separately as an insert in his article, shows that 62% of Americans support the west's strategy of supplying Ukraine and not committing our own troops as "boots on the ground." I am one of these 62%.

According to this writer, Ukraine has lost 70,000 KIA and 120,000 wounded in the war, with the vast majority occurring in this offensive. Well, that's another Duh! Prior to the offensive there was practically no Ukran army and that they did have was fighting a defensive war. If one wants to point fingers or attach blame to the number of losses, then NATO (the West) is square in those crosshairs. The whole world knew...watched and did nothing...as Putin built up his invasion forces on the border for months. President Z asked for, begged for, support while there was still time for Ukraine to mount a proper defense. But, alas, the West did nothing. The Russians were soundly defeated, crushed in open combat and driven from central and northern Ukraine, especially those poor suckers west of Kyiv, but it took time, about a year, for the under-manned Ukrans to accomplish all of this. Meantime the Russians in the east (Donbas) were left unmolested for a full year, allowed to build their extensive defensive works.

Now, this moron, and others are advocating for a new direction, one that hands "victory" to Putin allowing him to keep Donbas and Crimea, which given recent events, Putin would jump at. That is "negotiating with a terrorist" which the civilized world has heretofore refused to do. It is unfortunate...no, that is not a strong enough term...it is tragic, disgusting, despicable, dastardly, criminal, EVIL! what Putin has done. Ukraine did not start this war, Putin did, and he did it for evil purposes, a land grab, imperialistic ambitions to expand his influence and subjugate another nation. Very few sane people excuse Putin's actions, but some want to turn a blind eye towards it and allow him to reap the benefits.

As for all this concern for the Ukrainians who have been lost/suffered in this war, well, they are more than willing to fight for their sovereignty, no one is putting a gun to their heads and forcing them to fight. They are just asking for material support to do so. If we fancy ourselves to be "good and righteous" then we have a moral obligation to support them.

[Blue Dawg]

Ukrainian press gangs are literally putting guns to heads and forcing them to the front lines.

[dawg80]

Ukrainian press gangs are literally putting guns to heads and forcing them to the front lines.

Literally, utter bullshit. Please keep your Putin propaganda off this thread. There are false/fake news outlets, including YouTube channels, chock full of Putin lies, so go hang out with your commie comrades over there.

[dawg80]

Denmark is donating 45 tanks to Ukraine, 30 Leopard I and 15 T-72s. All have been improved with enhanced armor and electronic targeting systems. The German-built Leopard I is a good tank. First introduced in 1965, it has been a mainstay in the German army. Now, with improvements, it will do well in Ukraine. Its biggest asset is its speed, capable of hitting 45mph on flat terrain or roads.

Sources report that Russia has ramped up production of its T-80 tank, this time including a real reverse gear. Currently the T-80 has only a very low reverse gear, maybe up to 5mph, just used to back up a little. But they have found it has cost them losses, so the new version will be capable of going in reverse up to 25mph. Want to be able to get out of trouble as quickly as you got into it. Pundits say the factory geared up to produce this new T-80 will be able to build about 100/month once fully operational. Russia has lost an average of 290 tanks per month since the war started.

[SicemDawgz]

Ukrainian press gangs are literally putting guns to heads and forcing them to the front lines.

Saw your signature and had to smile. Sure do miss ole 65 being on the board.