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

[Eric the meek]

(Obviously ignore the car symbol), for the first time Ukrainian forces have probed through all defensive lines in a sector, creating panic. They’re finding Russian conscripts with horrific injuries, yet more cannon fodder to Putin.

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Sky reporting fierce fighting on that road you highlighted, around Robotyne, around 100km from the sea.

Ukraine-Russia war latest: US to allow American defence contractors to work in Ukraine for first time

President Joe Biden's administration has decided to allow US defence contractors to work in Ukraine, officials announce. Wondering what Trump's return to the White House means for the Ukraine war? Submit your question below for our experts to answer.

news.sky.com

 

[Weststander]

Sky reporting fierce fighting on that road you highlighted, around Robotyne, around 100km from the sea.

Ukraine-Russia war latest: US to allow American defence contractors to work in Ukraine for first time

President Joe Biden's administration has decided to allow US defence contractors to work in Ukraine, officials announce. Wondering what Trump's return to the White House means for the Ukraine war? Submit your question below for our experts to answer.

news.sky.com

The land bridge is threatened.

Putin will react in a cowardly Hitler-esque vengeance manner. Murdering Ukrainians in churches or hospitals.

 

[Eric the meek]

The land bridge is threatened.

Putin will react in a cowardly Hitler-esque vengeance manner. Murdering Ukrainians in churches or hospitals.

What is going on in Samara? It is deep inside Russia, presumably way outside Ukraine's reach.

I remember Putin promising a new motorway from Moscow to Kazan, capital of Tatarstan. He promised this motorway at the same time as increasing the budget for internal security by 40%. In other words, he predicted internal unrest, and needed to placate the Tatars. Samara is to the south of Tatarstan, lying between it and Kazakhstan.

 

[Weststander]

What is going on in Samara? It is deep inside Russia, presumably way outside Ukraine's reach.

I remember Putin promising a new motorway from Moscow to Kazan, capital of Tatarstan. He promised this motorway at the same time as increasing the budget for internal security by 40%. In other words, he predicted internal unrest, and needed to placate the Tatars. Samara is to the south of Tatarstan, lying between it and Kazakhstan.

Putin’s spinning too many plates.

I suspect Belarus (pretending to be just Wagner mercenaries) will attack Ukraine at some stage, giving Putin a second front. I hope Zelensky and his western expert advisors/satellite imagery have a phalanx of surprises to destroy them within days.

In Feb 2022 Ukraine did an incredible job, operating with relative buttons. Brave units with shoulder held Javelin missiles. Now they have the experience, training and 21st Century hardware.

 

[peterward]

My hope is that Russians have been sending most of the troops in the rear defence lines to plug gaps in the first line. They can't report bad news upwards so have kept doing this.

Once the first line is breached hopefully it is just cardboard cut outs manning the 2nd and 3rd line defences.

From everything I've read. I believe the 2nd "surovikhin" line is meant to be the strongest?

But certainly many accounts on last 48 hours, Ukraine are through first and on up towards second in Zaporizhia direction.

 

[Eric the meek]

What's all this? Is Putin appealing to the non-western world (Africa, China) to broker a peace deal? Freeze the conflict where it is?

Ukraine war: Putin says Russia does not reject peace talks

The Russian leader also sought to justify the arrest of critical voices, claiming they were harming the country from inside.

www.bbc.co.uk

Consider the backdrop to this development.

Ukraine has recently hit the Kerch bridge, hit a bridge between Kherson and Crimea, and made reported breakthroughs in Zap and Donetsk, with Zelensky announcing that Ukrainian soldiers will soon be in Crimea. Together, they point to a possible recapture of Crimea by Ukraine.

It would mean a reversal of the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014, a strategic defeat for Putin and perhaps hasten his removal from power.
No wonder he says he's open to peace talks!

 

[Icy Gull]

Is this the sort of leader we can expect to emerge when Putin is assassinated/removed. Pretty damn scary as the guy seems to have no grip on reality

MSN

 

[Eric the meek]

Is this the sort of leader we can expect to emerge when Putin is assassinated/removed. Pretty damn scary as the guy seems to have no grip on reality

MSN

Standard Russian diplomacy.

We should expect all kinds of threats as Russia continues to lose the war and the pressure on Putin and the inner circle intensifies.

 

[vegster]

Standard Russian diplomacy.

We should expect all kinds of threats as Russia continues to lose the war and the pressure on Putin and the inner circle intensifies.

Medvedev lost his marbles way back. Always trying to raise the ante, might be time for him to grab a rifle and head for the front and do his bit!

 

[Eric the meek]

Medvedev lost his marbles way back. Always trying to raise the ante, might be time for him to grab a rifle and head for the front and do his bit!

Would he have any ammo if he did?

 

[raymondo]

What is going on in Samara? It is deep inside Russia, presumably way outside Ukraine's reach.

I remember Putin promising a new motorway from Moscow to Kazan, capital of Tatarstan. He promised this motorway at the same time as increasing the budget for internal security by 40%. In other words, he predicted internal unrest, and needed to placate the Tatars. Samara is to the south of Tatarstan, lying between it and Kazakhstan.

He will need to placate their ethnic minorities more and more as this conflict goes on. They form a disproportionate (as far as I know) % of conscripts and their lives on the fringes of Russia were not great to begin with. Power to the minorities to cause unrest in potentially many regions.

 

[vegster]

Would he have any ammo if he did?

Just the one bullet I'd hope.

 

[JamesAndTheGiantHead]

Watching ‘Threads’ to cheer myself up and get some tips.

 

[GT49er]

Good to see Ukraine hitting back - still rather worrying, though, how the mad dog in the Kremlin will react.

Zelensky after Moscow drone attack: War coming back to Russia

Ukraine's president speaks of an inevitable process, hours after buildings were hit in the Russian capital.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Sirnormangall]

Good to see Ukraine hitting back - still rather worrying, though, how the mad dog in the Kremlin will react.

Zelensky after Moscow drone attack: War coming back to Russia

Ukraine's president speaks of an inevitable process, hours after buildings were hit in the Russian capital.

www.bbc.co.uk

I’m intrigued to know how they are doing this. Presumably the attacks are launched from inside Russia as the drones would otherwise be intercepted or wouldn’t have the range? The Russians must be going nuts trying to track them down. Wonderful timing too - humiliating for Putin and takes the gloss off his naval display today.

 

[raymondo]

I’m intrigued to know how they are doing this. Presumably the attacks are launched from inside Russia as the drones would otherwise be intercepted or wouldn’t have the range? The Russians must be going nuts trying to track them down. Wonderful timing too - humiliating for Putin and takes the gloss off his naval display today.

I thought they were launched from within Ukraine but I'm ready to be corrected by someone!

 

[Sirnormangall]

I thought they were launched from within Ukraine but I'm ready to be corrected by someone!

I’m no expert on drones but I recall one of the many military experts suggesting that you’d expect any drone launched from Ukraine to be intercepted long before reaching Moscow ( and other targets in Russia). Perhaps it’s possible that Ukrainian “SAS” type units are operating inside Russia?

 

[raymondo]

I’m no expert on drones but I recall one of the many military experts suggesting that you’d expect any drone launched from Ukraine to be intercepted long before reaching Moscow ( and other targets in Russia). Perhaps it’s possible that Ukrainian “SAS” type units are operating inside Russia?

Could be and that would be good, but I think it's also possible the Russian air defense systems are a bit poor on some routes into Moscow.

 

[raymondo]

A high level look at possibilities. Each option will of course take time and incur many losses.

 

[Titanic]

BBC News - Ukraine war: 'People call us the Ghosts of Bakhmut'

Ukraine war: 'People call us the Ghosts of Bakhmut'

The BBC is given exclusive access to a team of elite Ukrainian snipers on night raids near Bakhmut.

www.bbc.co.uk