Russia - threadbanned users in OP

Best news of the day.

I am sure behind-the-scenes work is being carried out on those F-16s.

They might ask another, even more awkward, question:

"where did the money go and who has it?"

Yes, we kinda gathered that from your various postings over the full course of this thread.

Question that has been raised though, is Russian society capable of change or condemned to support autocracy and the strong man mentality forever.

You couldn't rule it out. Like when James Cleverly announced that the UK had finally decided to supply Storm Shadows. Less than 24 hours later, while everyone was wondering how long it would take to train, modify aircraft etc, the Ukrainians were already hitting Russian targets with Storm Shadows. Clearly the decision had been made many months before the announcement.

Sky News reports that the west is giving short range anti aircraft missiles. No doubt this is to counter the Russian helicopters. Better late than never...

Fair enough. I'd also like to see the current Russian regime and its enablers destroyed and brought to justice and a more enlightened Russia emerge, as happened with Germany and Japan post WW2.

This war has been going on since 2014, when russian proxies were in a "civil war" in Ukraine.

It can go on a lot longer still, until US/NATO give Ukraine enough to end it - they are still dragging their feet and giving the bare minimum of arms to Ukraine.

It wont end this summer with the Crimea beach party, and I'd be surprised if it ended by christmas 23 either.

Would the absolute same go for any other announcement from any country supplying arms/equipment to UKr. Does it not make perfect sense if only for the element of surprise. Such countries could also say that they will supply B52 bombers- only to be used within the Ukr - but never supply them. Done just to put the ‘shirt ‘ up the Russians. Sure is not Putin already doing it with his nuclear arms - we don’t know how many he has , where they are and would they even fire , how well are they maintained. He was all Shock and Awe at the start of the Special Mission Operation . He threatened any county that was even thinking about helping Ukr

It reveals nothing - "they're hardly going to state the real reasons in a press conference". So there you go.

Just that you viewed the press conference through the prism of an already held opinion.

You were unable to support your claims with direct reference to the press conference. Which proves my point. I didn't dodge your question, I was sticking to the main point.

And besides, if they were about to give some new weapons -> they'd hardly give any hints of that in a press conference. Catch 22.

As for your question, you have expressed a wish to Russia to be 'destroyed' and rebuilt like Japan and Germany after WWII. Your posts seem to ignore the geopolitical reality that Russia is nuclear and WMD armed and if it thinks it is danger of suffering a 'killer blow' from Ukraine or NATO may resort to their use.

On top of that, I can imagine a whole host of reasons why certain weapons are held back -> fears of advanced systems falling into Russian hands, shortage of equipment, need to keep reserve for other threats, complexity of training, logistics, supply.

I don't think it reflects some conspiracy / agenda to deliberately draw out the war. If I'm to be convinced of that, need a lot more.

So I will take the comments at face value.

Merkava tanks maybe on the way (or used as backfill to allow other tanks to be sent to Ukraine)

Hard to believe that Uke has ,to some extent , the same strategy/philosophy re conducting a war/battle. I thought that Uke with much, much, much less soldiers and equipment were able to shu The Russians out of Kiev and work them ALLthe way back to the Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts. And Uke is , IMO, deeply aware that it must use what it has very sparingly and economically .

I wonder what would the Americans do DIFFERENTLY if it was in Ukrain’s shoes with the same manpower and equipment or for that matter France, Germany Spain, etc.?

Really interesting if true

sorry link doesn't appear for some reason

There is leadership but if it/they are lucky they are in jail otherwise they are 6 feet down. Anyone who is even THINKING of putting their heads above the proverbial parapet it will be immediately ‘ chopped off’. You need only look at the lady who held up a blank piece of paper on a stick in Moscow a few months ago was ‘ arrested.. IMO , the barriers towards change are insurmountable because at least FIVE sides must agree on a basic strategy towards a democracy / a more equal society / or whatever , Namely :- Putins/ his replacement inner circle, the olegarcs, the security /secret service, the army and Wagner and similar groups. They all have a certain amount of sway/power and can probably thwart any move to change because of loss of wealth, power, tradition

r groups

I think this is it Netherlands to supply 200 Stinger anti-aircraft missiles to Ukraine (aa.com.tr)