Russia-Ukraine War (continuing)

Until I see they fully go for it, I won’t hold my breath.

It’s about damn time we took this seriously and ramp up as quick as possible.

We dropped the ball on this and subsequently we are at the bottom of the list when it comes to procurement.

We should have started this the moment Russia invaded 10 years ago and not now when the US has told Europe to **** off

Only to give the Russians easy targets

Earlier people were worried that western companies will come running back to Russia

Let this article dissuade you of any notions

even their “allies” in China who famously invest in every risky and questionable venture been staying out for most part

I'm of a similar mindset. Much like his talks with Kim Jong Un, I suspect Donnie's main focus on peace talks with Russia are the optics and possible kudos he can glean from signing some kind of peace treaty. Problem of course is that Donnie doesn't really care about the "hows" or "whys" of any agreement, and since there's no real strategy beyond making Donnie look good, there's likely little in the way of a plan or any real bargening position. I think that's why Russia gave the appearance of stearing the narritive with the Riyad talks. The Russians actually have objectives, where as Donnie's people were likely just told to "get a Deal done".

Thankfully, the pool of available adults (and by that I mean the bulk of democratic nations in the Europe and the world at large) know how to distract Donnie and keep him focused on the shiny tinfoil of mineral agreements and the like.

What I am hoping for, and what my guess is Europe's strategy in this, is for all of this to be drawn out far beyond what the Russians counted on. The Kremlin likely hoped that Donnie winning in 2024 would bring a swift end to the Ukrainian effort and award them with a win. But that hasn't happened yet, and way the things are going Ukraine might be well up for continuing the fighting for a long while yet.

As I've said before, and will say again now, victory in this war is about outlasting the Russian war effort. They are maintaining one over-extended frontline with an increasingly wasteful use of meatwave attacks and the sacrifice of nearly all of their useful armor. If the AFU can keep it up (possibly even with rear gaurd support from European partners in Western Ukraine) there will be a moment some point in the future (in a timeframe which is hard to predict) where the Russian frontline cannot be maintained, and will collapse. Thereafter they face possible rout all the way out of Ukrainian territory with the AFU's well equipped Armored Divisions and Airforce potentially pressing that advantage.

The key is to keep Ukraine in the fight long enough for Russia to lose their ability to. Despite their population, there is only so much the Russian Federation can do when their very means of warfare crumbles beneath them. A guy in a field is just a guy in a field if you can't hand him a rifle and a helmet, or even get him over to where the fight it.

If a current project is anything to go by, we can put that number at approximately one hospital.

I think we starting to see a unified approach to Trump by Europe

They realised Trump says and does whatever the last person he met with talked to him, so there is a whole procession of ministers, presidents and kings heading his way to tie up his calendar and ensure Putin is not the last one he spoke to

He already done several 180 degree U-turns in his rhetoric depending on whom he spoke to last in last month

I think we should all move past outrage which the MAGA trolls seem to love generating and hire and army of psychologists to analyse and identify how to play Trump, he almost reminds me of a puppy, keep waving a bone and treats and petting him (well maybe not last part 😂)

I would be very interested to see if King Charles get involved, Trump is absolutely obsessed with UK royalty and his British roots in his typical sad and pathetic way

It does remind of looking after a parent with Alzheimer's, we had a rota for checking in on them.

I wonder if macron, starmer and other European leaders are drawing up a rota for giving Trump a daily "Donald, you're the bestest" phone call.

Trump (dictator for a day life?) be happy to get slightly above 50% on any vote in congress or senate these days

Norway to help Ukrainians produce air defence missiles in Ukraine, they done same for artillery last year I think

The newly established Drone Systems Unit of the Ukrainian Armed Forces is testing a domestically developed laser weapon called Tryzub. This was announced by the unit's commander, Vadym Sukharevskyi.

"We can state that, as of today, Ukraine is, if I am not mistaken, the fifth country able to claim possession of a laser weapon. Currently, we can use this laser to shoot down aircraft at altitudes exceeding 2 kilometers,"

This is quite something, this would put them on par with other countries if that 2km claim is true, as it would require a 50Kw or more power output, not to mention very precise targeting and tracking. Apparently a major announcement might be made within a few months,which I would assume would be about actual deployment.

It is well within Norway's interest (not to mention Finland's and now Sweden's) to keep the pressure on the Russians down in Ukraine.

Thanks to Norway's unique configuration, depite the nation being very much in North-West Europe, Norwegian territory does also border Russia at the most extreme north near Kirkenes.

This had been one NATO's land frontiers against the Soviet Union throughout the Cold War, the area is typically a preferred survival training area to use with Norway's national service conscripts and regular army. The assumption and planning had been that in the event of an open war, the Soviets / Russians would likely overrun this area and get as far south as the Lofoton Islands.

However, things appear to be a little different. The forces that Russia might have used in such an assault are likely now entirely consumed by Ukraine, with a token Rosguardia force within the border area. So it is well worth Norway's time to keep the Russians focused south, in order to keep this area quiet. The Finns are probably thinking similar.

On one hand you have Russian propagandist 💩

On the other hand you have the last two ISW reports showing Ukrainian advances in Toretsk including geolocated footage near center

Now one of my hands smells and feels eeeky for even considering the weight of Russian 💩

She's a western MSM patsy.

And how exactly does one interview a representative of a war criminal objectively?

Would you be comfortable being asked to interview him? Would you not worry about the retribution to yourself and your family if you managed to do a good interview that actually got the truth out of him (e.g. an admission that Putin is a dictator, that Russia is a mafia state, that they invaded Ukraine with the intention of committing genocide)?

No, neither would I.

F you Trump. The meeting at the White doesn't seem great. Really not great, f u JD.

Sounds like a mass argument has kicked off at the White house. All sides seem to be having an argument but no live coverage yet.