Russia-Ukraine War (continuing)

Another absolute staggering decision.

https://www.thejournal.ie/high-court-rules-boy-must-return-to-ukraine-6555262-Nov2024/

“I take these objections seriously and have considered his view very carefully. His only objection to return is based on his personal safety. Anyone would sympathise with this view, but it does not appear, on the evidence before me, to be one that has been formed on a sound factual basis,” Mr Justice Gearty said.

What an absolute imbecile. 🙄

In the 30's the UK was facing invasion, hence the massive rearmament. A very different situation.

For your last paragraph - NATO troops are not going to fight Russia in Ukraine. Apart from some rhetoric from politicians, that's not happening.

If NATO did somehow get into a direct conventional confrontation with Russia, then Russian forces would be obliterated. There's no comparison.

The Russian military was massively larger than Ukraine when it invaded. Ukraine got helmets, small arms ammunition, and piecemeal equipment when the defense mattered most. They still get equipment piecemeal. They've done wonders with the small military they had and also with the limited supplies they've received - not to mention with both hands tied behind their back (e.g. not being able to strike at Russian logistics in Russia until only recently)

Russia are not fighting NATO as you are attempting to imply, they are fighting a Ukraine which has been let down internationally and had to do the heavy lifting themselves.

The Russians have long secured the land bridge with Crimea so the bridge is not as strategic as it once was. It's increasingly a symbolic target. They are opening new highway sections for the landbridge too.

And again, glorifying Russian advancements.

Just do us all a favour, just admit you are supporting Russia here.

I think you're being very disrespectful to the competency and sacrifice of the Ukrainian military if you believe the British, French or Germans would outperform them. The Ukrainians have been the beneficiary of at least 10 years of investment by NATO in their military training, organisation and equipment. Over the last 2-3 years they've been donated hundreds of billions worth of NATO weapons. They're arguably far more capable and effective than any NATO force.

The British participated in a wargame with the US and French in March 2021. The exercise was planned to run for 10 days They ran out of ammunition in 8 days. When I say "they", I don't mean the unit, I mean the British Army. The British Army's entire stock of ammunition was projected to be exhausted in 8 days. And this was in 2021 before the British sent everything they had to Ukraine so have even less now. If I recall correctly, the British only have 40 operational tanks available. The French aren't much better - its already recognised by the French government that their ammunition stocks have fallen far too low to sustain peer-to-peer fighting.

The German is so short of equipment that its soldiers participated in NATO exercises with severe shortages of equipment, and resorted to using broom handles painted black to simulate basic equipment they didn't have. These soldiers were supposed to be a rapid reaction force, and yet they lacked for almost everything. Only a small fraction of its "on paper" military equipment (i.e. just 42 of 109 Typhoon jets) is actually useable because of various shortages. Back in Dec 2022, they were again humiliated when all of the new Puma vehicles broke down when deployed to a peace time exercise. All of them out of action, without a shot being fired.

And ultimately, NATO was defeated in places like Afghanistan by untrained farmers with no artillery, no air support and no vehicles better than civilian cars. In Iraq, the British army had to sue for peace with the Basra militia to allow them to retreat out of the city the same way defeated armies were allowed by victors to withdraw centuries ago. There is nothing to evidence them being exceptionally capable. The Ukrainians at least have been fighting the Russians for close to three years now even if it was always doomed. They deserve a little more respect than thinking any of the British, French or Germans is going to massively outperform them. Plenty of war tourists from NATO militaries have gone to fight for Ukraine and most of them have either left or died.

In the 30's the UK was facing invasion, hence the massive rearmament. A very different situation.

You're right - in the 1930s, it was a very different situation. Then they had the industrial capability to use the increased funding and churn out military equipment. Now they don't.

And isn't the UK facing invasion today? The UK is committed - on paper at least - to defending the borders of all NATO states. Their borders are the UK's borders effectively.

What the term ‘escalation’ gets wrong about Ukraine striking Russia

That's just it fake red lines from Russia. Putin is all gruff with little left in the 'tank' the west need not worry do much about all the fist pounding and loud wailing

https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/28/europe/ukraine-russia-escalation-atacms-intl-latam

Why would you suggest that NATO would be involved in an attritional ground war when their air power would obliterate Russia on day one?

It's that simple.

Russian can't even establish air superiority over Ukraine. And suddenly they're going to take on NATO's overwhelming air power…..?

One thing that they learned from the 2023 counteroffensive, and put it into effect in the Kursk offensive was mission silence. Top Secret from the ground up, and it worked as we have seen. The 2023 offensive leaked information like a sieve leaks water. The Russians knew well in advance what was coming, when it was coming and where it was coming from and where it going to. But since then, all of these weapons, tanks and missiles etc. have proven their worth, and more.

This rings a little bit how hollow when Zelensky himself said that Russia's actions this week have been a significant escalation.

If the Russians target the Ukrainian parliament and other government infrastructure as they are threatening it will also be a major step. I hope they don't or that if they try that Ukraine has the air defences to take out any incoming weapons.

Again and again I am struck by the difference between the support the West gives Israel to defend its skies versus the support they give Ukraine, and it makes me angry, although I also assume the Russian weapons are more sophisticated than what Hamas or Hezbollah ever use