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Old 02-15-2022, 06:25   #31
Badger52
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With the usual skeptical eye toward the source, the ownership of the moment would seem to not be in DC or Brussels:

RT article with photos depicting armor loading and a Defense Ministry statement.

Another one.

Ukraine President Zelensky predicted tomorrow as a likely invasion date and declared it a Unity Day for Ukrainians. Remains to be seen where the trains are headed.
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Old 02-15-2022, 06:28   #32
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Quote:
Originally Posted by The Reaper View Post
One point to demonstrate how woefully unprepared we are to confront this single threat.

The Russkies appear to have between nine and eleven divisions of troops around Ukrainian borders. These are mostly heavy divisions with a lot of armor.

That is more combat power than we have in our entire active military. As we used to say, quantity has a quality all its own.


TR
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Does the Ruskie massive heavy armor build-up not set the stage for the exact problem the Germans run into in WWII.

I'm thinking the Eastern Europe transportation infrastructure has improved somewhat, but those improvements will focus that armor into limited and concentrated roads as the Spring thaw starts.

Effectively making the armor easy targets,, not unlike the "Highway of Death" between Kuwait and Basra in 1991.




Quote:


Rasputitsa – Quagmire on the Eastern Front, 24 Mar 2018 by Steven Thomas

The rasputitsa are severe weather conditions occurring in Eastern Europe, particularly in areas that were part of the Soviet Union during WW2.

The rasputitsa occurs twice a year, in the spring and autumn.

The spring rasputitsa occurs when the surface level ice and snow starts to melt over ground that is still frozen.

The Autumn rasputitsa occurs because of the rainy season. Although the cause is different the effect is the same.

The ground, including unpaved roads, dissolve into mud and rivers can become enlarged. The result is transport bogs down, making troop movement and logistics very difficult.

The Russian term ‘time without roads’ very aptly describes the conditions.

https://balagan.info/rasputitsa-quag...-eastern-front

from: Steven's Balagan, Spanish and Portuguese Military History, Wargaming, and other stuff
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Old 02-15-2022, 10:03   #33
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How many A-10's do we have? Better start making more.
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Old 02-15-2022, 10:21   #34
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How many A-10's do we have? Better start making more.
No kidding. They shouldn't have stopped; I imagine some of those original airframes are getting pretty creaky. I miss seeing them up here, lining up inbound on the Chief of Staff's 2nd-story office...


Personally I think Putin's going home, having achieved the high-RPM count on the west's emotional tachometer & will have a good laugh.
Besides, it's too warm for a mechanized party, as JJ points out. I've not been there but have heard that mud is like grease.
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Old 02-15-2022, 10:38   #35
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Quote:
Originally Posted by The Reaper View Post
One point to demonstrate how woefully unprepared we are to confront this single threat.

The Russkies appear to have between nine and eleven divisions of troops around Ukrainian borders. These are mostly heavy divisions with a lot of armor.

That is more combat power than we have in our entire active military. As we used to say, quantity has a quality all its own.

We went from forward deployed forces configured to fight and win two major simultaneous conflicts to one that has largely been focused on counter-insurgency for the last 20 years, and appears to now be focused on feelings.

Stand by, this one (and potentially a second one courtesy of the Chinese) could leave a mark.

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Old 02-15-2022, 14:48   #36
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Originally Posted by mark46th View Post
How many A-10's do we have? Better start making more.
Remember the old ADA adage?

If it flies, it dies.

The Russians have made a lot of crap, but their integrated air defense systems are pretty good and there are lots of them.

I hope we have some super secret high tech we have been hiding, but if we did, the Chinese have probably already stolen it and shared it with the Russians.

Time to get some of the M1 Abrams back out and in the depots in Europe.

Of course, it takes balls to make that call.

TR
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Old 02-15-2022, 15:11   #37
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I consider myself fortunate to enjoy both borsht and rice. Not looking forward to the lines, though.
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Old 02-15-2022, 15:46   #38
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Not looking forward to the lines, though.

Just pretend it is spring of 2020 you are in line for toilet paper and hand sanitizer - you wont even notice the inconvenience.
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Old 02-15-2022, 16:05   #39
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Just pretend it is spring of 2020 you are in line for toilet paper and hand sanitizer - you wont even notice the inconvenience.
Thank you, Comrade Box, I will of course learn to appreciate the opportunity to spend time with my fellow citizens awaiting public assistance that will address my every need.
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Old 02-16-2022, 20:02   #40
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Quote:
Originally Posted by The Reaper View Post
One point to demonstrate how woefully unprepared we are to confront this single threat.

The Russkies appear to have between nine and eleven divisions of troops around Ukrainian borders. These are mostly heavy divisions with a lot of armor.
That is more combat power than we have in our entire active military. As we used to say, quantity has a quality all its own.

We went from forward deployed forces configured to fight and win two major simultaneous conflicts to one that has largely been focused on counter-insurgency for the last 20 years, and appears to now be focused on feelings.

Stand by, this one (and potentially a second one courtesy of the Chinese) could leave a mark.

TR
TR,

Those 9-11 divisions, allegedly focused on Ukraine*, are soldiers from only Mother Russia.

To show how far we have fallen, Imagine how this would focus our attention (pre-Xmas 1991),if there were combined forces from the former USSR (with all the +/-)

But, Diversity is our strength

Something else to remember is that Putin is not taking OJT. On 7 May, President Putin will celebrate 10 years in office (if you count is time as Prime Minister under Medvedev.)

*Some think that Putin already has what he wants with Donetsk, Crimea and Nord Stream, leaving the Ukraine as a runner up to Moldova as the poor neighbor who can be bribed with 20 kopeks.

SnT
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Old 02-21-2022, 20:18   #41
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Klaxons

Well, it's 0400 tomorrow over there, I guess we all should've been loaded out & rollin' by now... oh, WAIT - this is 2022.

A handful of articles that some may find interesting given the current kerfuffle now that Putin has recognized the eastern areas as legitimate independent republics - and is, by all accounts, inserting some "peacekeepers."

ZeroHedge discusses an article from Der Spiegel that asks "Is Vladimir Putin right?"

An addendum to that is an article from Dec 2017 regarding (at the time) newly declas docs that indicated pretty clearly that Gorbachev & Russia were given assurances that NATO had no intentions of moving eastward at all. (Always get that shit in writing, no?)

Finally an interesting article that interviews Finnish President Sauli Niinistö regarding his impressions of Putin, garnered over quite a few years of visits, meals, and even some shared ice hockey.
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Old 02-23-2022, 20:52   #42
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Looks like it may have started...

"Looks like the cameras at the Kalanchak border post to Crimea went offline a few minutes ago right after the Ukrainian troops and staff there could be seen running away and leaving it empty".

"Reports that the frontline at Mariupol on the Sea of Azov coast is under heavy indirect fire at the moment."

Interesting post by one of you guys...

CAN UKRAINIAN RESISTANCE FOIL A RUSSIAN VICTORY?
BRIAN S. PETITFEBRUARY 18, 2022
https://warontherocks.com/2022/02/ca...ssian-victory/


Retired Colonel Petit
https://missionsixzero.com/our-team/brian-petit/
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Old 02-23-2022, 21:05   #43
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Well:
Attached Images
File Type: jpg FMT_2M4VIAADQF9.jpg (46.4 KB, 64 views)
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Old 02-23-2022, 22:22   #44
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This from a Ukraine International Airline pilot I follow:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9UHMPZ5qqA
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Old 02-26-2022, 06:35   #45
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End of day 2 recap from a non-MSM Russian blogger, former analyst, now living in the west.


Quote:
Today was only day two of the Russian military operation. And yet, what a day it was!!!

First, a quick update on the progress of Russian forces. Here is a bulletpoint summary for today:

Kherson: liberated
Nikolaev: fighting taking pace in outskirts
Konotop: taken by Russians
Chernigov: blocked by all sides by Russian forces
Melitopol: surrounded
Mariupol: is under attack, street fighting
Severodonetsk: under attack
Kharkov: very heavy mopping up operation
Suma: mopping up operations
Kiev: blocked from the West and under attack, the authorities are distributing weapons
Gostomel airport has been captured by Russian forces
Zaporozhie: Russian forces expected there tomorrow
A land corridor from Crimea to Russia should be opened by tomorrow.
Odessa: big question mark – so far, not Russian attacks reported (that I know of!)
Terminology used (viewpoint) is interesting in the denigration of the current apparatus running Ukraine.
Remainder of article at the link above.
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