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

[Scappa]

I was thinking last night, that we hadn't had a 'big bang' from Ukraine for a few days. Well here we have it.

Ukraine seems to have almost bypassed the front line and is focusing on a series of strikes on military targets deep inside Russia.
I assume it is all designed to degrade Russia's ability to supply its front line (by hits on oil refineries and arms depots). But why the attacks on landing craft? Unless Russia is planning to land (or re-land) anywhere, they're a bit superfluous. Is Ukraine clearing the decks? Taking risk off the table?

I wonder if Ukraine is planning anything to help Russia celebrate the presidential election in March?

Great news if they have taken another out of the fight, but it should be pointed out that a) this is not a new tactic and b) these Ropucha class vessels are large ships capable of (and have been used extensively for) shifting multiple fighting vehicles and hundreds of troops and/or cargo, and firing grads and strela missiles.

Novocherkassk and Olenegorsky Gornyak have been hit and taken out of service for long periods of repair, while the Minsk was ostensibly destroyed in dry-dock in the Stormshadow strike that also took out the Kilo class submarine Rostov-on-Don.

 

[Eric the meek]

Great news if they have taken another out of the fight, but it should be pointed out that a) this is not a new tactic and b) these Ropucha class vessels are large ships capable of (and have been used extensively for) shifting multiple fighting vehicles and hundreds of troops and/or cargo, and firing grads and strela missiles.

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Novocherkassk and Olenegorsky Gornyak have been hit and taken out of service for long periods of repair, while the Minsk was ostensibly destroyed in dry-dock in the Stormshadow strike that also took out the Kilo class submarine Rostov-on-Don.

There's good detail in there - thanks.

You're quite right about the landing craft. I was thinking about troops, and it was remiss of me not to think about the ships' capacity to carry cargo, arms, fighting vehicles, not to mention firing missiles. All of which make them a target.

Amongst the relative gloom and doom of the ground war, and lack of funding from the US, there have been - and continue to be - some high profile successes for Ukraine on other fronts.

 

[Scappa]

 

[St Leonards Seagull]

I did smile at this this from BBC news
“There was no confirmation from Russia's navy that the Caesar Kunikov had been sunk in the Black Sea, merely that six Ukrainian drones had been destroyed.”
I’d guess drones were destroyed most likely by hitting the ship. It’s a positive spin on the event from a Russian perspective.

 

[raymondo]

Very interesting video, thanks . The author is very good, lots of detail and a dry sense of humour.
Good that there was no incoming fire on the drones - the ship had no idea they were coming .

 

[Sirnormangall]

In more directly related news.

Another bullseye for the good guys. Another Russian Cruiser goes down

Ukrainian forces destroy large Russian landing ship off Crimea – as it happened

Hit on Tsezar Kunikov, in waters off the occupied peninsula, hailed by Ukrainian military

www.theguardian.com

It's naval losses which have really hit Russia hard in the last few months

Good news - keep chipping away. the value in these attacks is not just a further degrading of Putin’s resources but further international embarrassment for him and his invincible navy.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

Good news - keep chipping away. the value in these attacks is not just a further degrading of Putin’s resources but further international embarrassment for him and his invincible navy.

Well yes. Putin can't back down on Ukraine and in my view this will be fought to the bitter end one way or another.

But all the resources like this which are destroyed will make nations like Estonia, Poland and Finland sleep easier, whatever happens in Ukraine.

 

[Eric the meek]

Good news - keep chipping away. the value in these attacks is not just a further degrading of Putin’s resources but further international embarrassment for him and his invincible navy.

Absolutely.

The more that it is highlighted to the world that the Russian military is actually not that good, it further diminishes Russia's reputation as a super power, and alerts regional warlords in far-flung republics of the Russian Federation that there may a power vacuum in Moscow in the not-too-distant future.

I am a believer in the disintegration of the Russian Federation. Nothing is forever.

 

[US Seagull]

I thought this was a nice piece

https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/13/sport/ukraine-shakhtar-donetsk-palkin-ceo-spt-intl/index.html

 

[Titanic]

Russian opposition leader Navalny has died​

Putin critic Alexei Navalny dies in Arctic Circle jail, says Russia

Jailed Russian politician Alexei Navalny has died in a penal colony, the country's prison service says.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Mellotron]

Navalny was 47 years old. No doubt "natural causes" and that'll be that...

 

[BHANSC]

Russian opposition leader Navalny has died​

Putin critic Alexei Navalny dies in Arctic Circle jail, says Russia

Jailed Russian politician Alexei Navalny has died in a penal colony, the country's prison service says.

www.bbc.co.uk

Heaven only knows why he chose to go back to Russia after being poisoned.

 

[peterward]

Russian opposition leader Navalny has died​

Putin critic Alexei Navalny dies in Arctic Circle jail, says Russia

Jailed Russian politician Alexei Navalny has died in a penal colony, the country's prison service says.

www.bbc.co.uk

Tragic. A real hero of the Russian opposition. A brave, fearless, freedom loving hero of Russia.

Murdered by a vile piece of cowardly fascist scum

 

[The Clamp]

He was never going to leave that prison alive. To be honest. I’d rather die (be murdered) early on in a 19 year sentence at a gulag in the Arctic circle.

 

[essbee1]

Could this bring the masses onto the streets of Moscow? Surely they'll smell a rat, irrespective of the risks.

 

[peterward]

Heaven only knows why he chose to go back to Russia after being poisoned.

History will record Navalny as a hero of Russia.

Putin will be ranked alongside Hitler, Pol Pot and other despicable despots.

And the speaker of the US House and many within it, actively work in his interests.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

Russian opposition leader Navalny has died​

Putin critic Alexei Navalny dies in Arctic Circle jail, says Russia

Jailed Russian politician Alexei Navalny has died in a penal colony, the country's prison service says.

www.bbc.co.uk

******* gangster state

 

[chickens]

Navalny was 47 years old. No doubt "natural causes" and that'll be that...

Fell out of a window didn’t he? In his subterranean arctic jail cell.

There was a man who believed in his country, the ultimate sacrifice to return to Russia after his poisoning.

Plenty of cowardly scum still willing to carry out Putin’s wishes.

 

[Insel affe]

Could this bring the masses onto the streets of Moscow? Surely they'll smell a rat, irrespective of the risks.

sadly no, he has been much maligned on Russian state tv and is portrayed as a Ukrainian and domestic terrorist sympathiser.

 

[The Clamp]

I fear this may be the beginning of the end for Ukraine.

Ukraine Russia war: US warns Avdiivka could fall

The US and Ukraine admit Ukrainian troops are running out of ammunition in the eastern town of Avdiivka.

www.bbc.co.uk