February 24th is the likely day it seems, the 1 year anniversary of the the start of the war and to a man like Putin and his team of old Communist party members the anniversary of the beginning of the 1917 Revolutionary year that led to the creation of the USSR.
It will be a bloodbath on both sides.
Russians are the complete opposite of conscientious objectors in this war and in their own political environment. Slaves in other words.
This is how desperate for tanks Russia is. Using museum pieces
The problem there is throw enough orcs at a wall repeatedly and cracks and breaks eventually appear ,
Unfortunately modern firearms don't to so well in sustained fire fights as seen from Iraq to Afghanistan,
I wouldn't be so sure. The guardian today have an article about fatigue and suicides among Ukrainian forces and that if the war drags on through 2023 (which everyone thinks it will apart from a small group here always predicting imminent Russian collapse on all fronts since May 2022) it is very unclear who will emerge victorious. Most likely neither side but it is clear that a long war works in Russia's favour and to have any chance of victory Ukraine needs much more weapons much sooner than it is getting. The US and EU really, really need to increase their level of support
Looks like ukraine are getting the nod to join the EU ,
This is going to trigger a few people
Ukraine has way more trained reserves than Russia believe it or not. War is Hell but this is an existential crisis for Ukrainians they will never stop fighting ever. This lulls in war always brings out the chicken littles, the sky isn't falling just wait until Ukraine feels like the right time to go on offence next.
An article on Zelensky's ratings within Ukraine shortly before the war and the reasons for it:
You're the one trying to rewrite history (why?).
As said previously, I think Zelensky has got his act together since and should be applauded for it
Folks, quick question.
As I understand it Germany holds the licensing for the leopard tanks so decides if other European countries can send in the leopard tanks they bought from Germany. (We have seen Germany allow other countries send in their leopard tanks)
What tanks do NATO own?
If NATO have leopard tanks do they need permission from Germany to use them?
Do they have a stand alone amount of tanks or are germanys, polands, Frances tanks part of natos inventory?
Sorry if this has been answered already.
Let's check back in 6 months and see where we are. I predict, sadly, many more dead and war no closer to being over, just as I did 6 months ago. Neither side can win in any outright sense, and neither can afford to lose (Ukraine for genuine, existential reasons, Putin because his vile regime would collapse).
The only hope is Putin's downfall from within Russia. Would love it to happen, but would be surprised
NATO have no tanks as such. It is just the inventory of the member states.
Sometimes countries might deploy their assets in a NATO mission role temporarily eg UK aircraft on air patrol over Baltics states or Bulgaria.
Nice one right up my alley
Nato's main tank force is leopards unfortunately , more accurately the countries who form the nato alliance use leopard 2 tanks for defense purposes and while they take part in exercises together no individual state can sell their Leopards or export them overseas without express permission from Berlin first,
The french have their own home grown tank ,
For instance it looks like Switzerland are willing to sell their 90 + mothballed tanks to Poland for €1 /franc and other countries to cover what they sent to Ukraine being Switzerland staying neutral cant send tanks themselves
Oh right I see.
I’m watching the four cast from channel four here and it’s saying Germany have about 300 leopard tanks with there being about 2k in Europe at the minute as far as I remember.
So if we are giving 140 of them to Ukraine- will these be given back to the eu countries once the Russians are kicked out, thus bringing member states plus NATO back to full strength?
Is there a plan to increase production of these tanks in case some are lost in Ukraine?
I think the intention is to replace them with newer NATO standard tanks such as US Abrams or latest Leopard version from Germany. So production will need to ramp up.
Realistically the only foe for most of NATOs tank forces is Russia so if it is in Ukraine it is still part of that strength - well if not lost in combat.
And the joke was Putin.
Has anyone else seen the apparently high suicide rates amongst Ukrainian soldiers,
Now where else saying it other than some rag
Yeah, really good guest on tonight's podcast from the Guardian
Tymofiy Mylovanov who was a professor of economics who went back to Ukraine post Maiden to help with market reform and the attempt to purge the country of corruption. Like Wibbs has said, this war is going to be the making of Ukraine as a modern European liberal democracy. He tells the story of how, two years ago he was in the Ukrainian parliament delivering a speech on land reform and the pro-russian MPs where ganging up behind him to punch him in the kidneys and kick him in the legs! Of course all these goons have since departed back to the Russian mothership post invasion and good riddance.
Another interesting point he brings up is the drive to eliminate corruption, a lot of the higher courts system and police service have been cleaned up but he says the energy sector is still a problem and something that will ring a bell with us is the corruption is the planning system where rezoning and windfall profits are an issue (apparently Zelensky has hired an expert investigator from Ireland to investigate: former TD Dermot Ahern, who is currently looking up every tree in north Kyiv for evidence of wrongdoing).
But seriously, he was saying that Ukraine now is far less corrupt now than it was post Maiden and getting better as there's serious political and civic will to reform the country and get away from the Russian model of Oligarchs and Autocrats. Speaking of which he mentions that he recently looked at some the shenanigans that our friend Victor Orban and his cronies are getting up to in Hungary (an EU and NATO member) and states that this level of graft would no longer be tolerated by the Ukrainian government or people.
That was quick
AAAAwwwww the poor russian people, maybe so many of them are just misunderstood and us bold westerners arent thinking of their feelings, my heart bleeds for them...actually no..**** them and their feelings
Gatling I said this exact thing over the last few weeks.
Was it not you among others telling me to stop peddling pro Russian propaganda?
Did you I don't recall you saying that
Very informative post. Thanks Dufflecoat.
Jesus what a take. When I think of the horror of a Russian victory over Ukraine I think of no democratic freedoms there, no human rights, torture and murder commonplace and Putin and his carpetbagger cronies impoverishing everyone grabbing everything that is and isn't nailed down. If I think of Ukrainian refugees I'm thinking more of how sh1t it is for them, not that my life might be a little less comfortable for their arrival. I think Putin should be defeated as a matter of principle, and because the lessons of history have taught us thus, not because it would be more economically convenient.
Russia won't win but there is still a big risk that not winning means they control the 4 annexed oblasts and maybe even a good bit more, that may be long term or take a few years to dislodge.
Collapse they will eventually but a lot can happen till that.
Another player joins the Russian circus, north Korea to send hundreds of soldiers or police officers (one in the same) to help in the reconstruction of parts of Ukraine bombed by the Russians.
That's some serious funny ****.
Funny thread dispelling the myth that Russia contributes anything of value to the world:
Wouldn't be surprised to see Galloway on next, followed by Daly or Wallace.
TIL that not even the Molotov cocktail is russian.
The fiat 124 sold to the Russians, for a pretty lira
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