[Politics] Russia invades Ukraine (24/02/2022)

[Rugrat]

They didn’t send in poorly trained troops tbf. The 1st Guards Tank Army (Usually used for the defense of Moscow) were highly trained and well equipped. They suffered two heavy defeats, one in particular was Kharkiv where they were decimated. The Russians do have a lot of conscripts, but they still have some highly trained divisions in play.

You're right about the 'quality' of troops, my mistake. But I still believe they failed largely due to a piss poor strategy and the belief that the Ukrainians would just roll over. Long lines of troops and supplies that were sitting ducks and when they did establish a front line then their supply lines were cut leaving them isolated.

I doubt they will make mistakes on the same scale again

 

[SeagullinExile]

You're right about the 'quality' of troops, my mistake. But I still believe they failed largely due to a piss poor strategy and the belief that the Ukrainians would just roll over. Long lines of troops and supplies that were sitting ducks and when they did establish a front line then their supply lines were cut leaving them isolated.

I doubt they will make mistakes on the same scale again

Absolutely right. WW2 tactics and a massive underestimation of Ukrainian resistance.

 

[Weststander]

You're right about the 'quality' of troops, my mistake. But I still believe they failed largely due to a piss poor strategy and the belief that the Ukrainians would just roll over. Long lines of troops and supplies that were sitting ducks and when they did establish a front line then their supply lines were cut leaving them isolated.

I doubt they will make mistakes on the same scale again

We can hope.

Putin doesn’t value the lives of Russians, he won’t care if vast numbers are lost as cannon fodder, in trying to keep his claws on the 4 oblast.

We also need to remember that Ukraine had second rate hardware in February 2022, much of from the Soviet era. Contrast to now, a long list of incredible Western weaponry, held in big numbers with trained personnel. They’ve also had training from experts on all types of warfare from the West.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

We can hope.

Putin doesn’t value the lives of Russians, he won’t care if vast numbers are lost as cannon fodder, in trying to keep his claws on the 4 oblast.

We also need to remember that Ukraine had second rate hardware in February 2022, much of from the Soviet era. Contrast to now, a long list of incredible Western weaponry, held in big numbers with trained personnel. They’ve also had training from experts on all types of warfare from the West.

Yes superiority in weaponry, especially long range, should end up trumping large numbers of soldiers.

 

[Weststander]

Yes superiority in weaponry, especially long range, should end up trumping large numbers of soldiers.

Large numbers of (only recently trained) soldiers mean nothing without armour. The Ukrainians even with rudimentary weapons destroyed 1,000’s of pieces of Russian hardware all the way up to T90 tanks and KA-52 attack helicopters.

Now Ukraine has the very best equipment. Ready and waiting to reap carnage.

SkyNews meanwhile can continue to get rather excited about “100,000’s of Russian troops massing behind the lines”. They love the word massing and have been saying this for almost 2 months.

 

[sparkie]

Lol.

 

[Albion in the north]

Its a year on Friday since the "Special Military Operation" began. Anyone else doing anything to commemorate? (If thats the right word)

 

[A1X]

Interesting piece about how the Biden trip happened

US informed Russia of Joe Biden’s Kyiv visit hours before departure

Details emerge of how White House planned ‘unprecedented’ visit and meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskiyy

www.theguardian.com

 

[A1X]

Its a year on Friday since the "Special Military Operation" began. Anyone else doing anything to commemorate? (If thats the right word)

Chicken Kyivs all round

 

[Rugrat]

We can hope.

Putin doesn’t value the lives of Russians, he won’t care if vast numbers are lost as cannon fodder, in trying to keep his claws on the 4 oblast.

We also need to remember that Ukraine had second rate hardware in February 2022, much of from the Soviet era. Contrast to now, a long list of incredible Western weaponry, held in big numbers with trained personnel. They’ve also had training from experts on all types of warfare from the West.

Not valuing the lives of his citizens is a given.

Let's hope the superior equipment that the Ukrainians now have is going to prevail over the vastly superior numbers that will shortly be unleashed on them.

 

[Triggaaar]

You're right about the 'quality' of troops, my mistake. But I still believe they failed largely due to a piss poor strategy and the belief that the Ukrainians would just roll over. Long lines of troops and supplies that were sitting ducks and when they did establish a front line then their supply lines were cut leaving them isolated.

I doubt they will make mistakes on the same scale again

I agree, but although their tactics should improve from the disaster we saw a year ago, they still won't be great because the whole decision making structure of the Russian forces is flawed (waiting for decisions from the top rather than local commanders being empowered to make decisions, with good intel). And then you have to factor in that the Ukrainians who started well, are now even more experienced and have even better weapons than they started with. For example, they didn't have Himars a year ago.

 

[Albion my Albion]

Lol.

Finnish your damn translation you f**king Russians or you will never be downloaded.

 

[Nicks]

My son is currently training Ukrainian Special Forces about the use of Drones.

 

[jakarta]

I see both Biden (in Poland) and Putin making keynote speeches today.

Will be interesting to hear Vlad the Lad spinning how the 'Special Military Operation' is getting on...

As a matter of interest haven't heard much about Finland and Sweden's applications to join NATO lately - presume Turkey are still playing silly buggers?

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

My son is currently training Ukrainian Special Forces about the use of Drones.

Excellent. Good for him.

 

[Psychobilly freakout]

I see both Biden (in Poland) and Putin making keynote speeches today.

Will be interesting to hear Vlad the Lad spinning how the 'Special Military Operation' is getting on...

Apparently according to Vlad the mad, they started it....

Good Ol' fashioned Bullshite, nowt like it to confuse the ill informed, uneducated and oppressed masses.

Works every time.

 

[raymondo]

Its a year on Friday since the "Special Military Operation" began. Anyone else doing anything to commemorate? (If thats the right word)

On Friday we'll be attending a concert of Ukrainian songs and music at Bath Abbey, the main singer (truly excellent) being a wonderful 1/2 Ukrainian girl (born and raised in UK) who is a family friend. Proceeds going to buy generators for a town in eastern Ukraine.

 

[JamesAndTheGiantHead]

Putin’s begging the Oligarchs to return to the motherland to share the wealth and admire the views from their 6th floor balconies.

 

[jakarta]

Very nostalgic speech, glorious victories over the Nazis, record grain harvests etc. etc.

Uncle Joe would be proud.

 

[jcdenton08]

Nothing new really, exactly as I would’ve expected beforehand. East = good, West = bad. Just the usual rhetoric of the Russian government but in a two hour spoken form.