Ukraine

[Unagi]

Putin is starting to lash out internally. It is hard to say where it'd go if this is accurate but more indication that this isn't going to plan.

Would these be people that are blamed for failing to control the public opinion / PR part of it all?
nvm

[Kurth]

Putin is starting to lash out internally. It is hard to say where it'd go if this is accurate but more indication that this isn't going to plan.

At a dinner last night, I was speaking to someone who is connected and informed about what's going on in Ukraine right now, and he told me there is no question that sources in the FSB have been feeding the Ukranians intel about Russian troop movements, strategy and specific attempts to take out Zelensky. I've seen this reported elsewhere, but I was always a little skeptical.

If Putin is now lashing out at the FSB, that would certainly tend to lend that some credibility.

[Unagi]

Ahhh, in the Ukraine. I missed that part.

very interesting indeed.

Looks like blood is thicker than toxic tea?

[El Guapo]

If Putin is now lashing out at the FSB, that would certainly tend to lend that some credibility.

Some, although rumor + failures in Ukraine may be sufficient evidence for Putin to do something like this even if it's not ultimately well founded.

[malchior]

Putin is starting to lash out internally. It is hard to say where it'd go if this is accurate but more indication that this isn't going to plan.

At a dinner last night, I was speaking to someone who is connected and informed about what's going on in Ukraine right now, and he told me there is no question that sources in the FSB have been feeding the Ukranians intel about Russian troop movements, strategy and specific attempts to take out Zelensky. I've seen this reported elsewhere, but I was always a little skeptical.

If Putin is now lashing out at the FSB, that would certainly tend to lend that some credibility.

FWIW I found that reporting to be more likely than not - mostly because we're seeing broad indications that the US had developed deep insight into Russian planning which meant it was leaky to begin with. There seem to be no end to embarrassing material coming out which is just ... weird. We have the FSB leak letter for example complaining bitterly about leadership. It isn't hard to see that the mid-tier rubber meets road officials and analysts might be fed up or warring with the top-tier in these organizations for following Putin into self-destruction. There is much indicating that the rot has caught up to them.

[Daehawk]

Red October -

Dr. Jeffrey Pelt:
Andrei... you've lost another one?

Third Russian general 'killed' in Ukraine in eight days: Commander of armoured unit is the latest senior officer to be claimed dead by Ukrainian forces

[Unagi]

I'm trying not to get too emboldened by the (great) news of Russian commanders/generals being taken out... as I suspect it will be countered by bad news from our side as the days grow on and they start to actually knock right on the door of Kyiv.

But, keep the good news coming.

[LordMortis]

I'm none to bright on military stuff but is it ever a good idea to go into an enemy controlled zone in a tank column? Aside from having a nice road to drive on, what's the reason to do this? Next man up seems like a worst way possible to advance tanks.

[YellowKing]

I'm none to bright on military stuff but is it ever a good idea to go into an enemy controlled zone in a tank column? Aside from having a nice road to drive on, what's the reason to do this? Next man up seems like a worst way possible to advance tanks.

I watched a retired general's response to this "strategy" and he said the only way you can do it is with strong infantry support. Of which they apparently had none. Fish in a barrel.

[Isgrimnur]

Infantry support just adds casualties if you take artillery fire.

[dbt1949]

Infantry support is for keeping enemy infantry and their ATM away from your vehicles. It of course does nothing for artillery strikes.

[Blackhawk]

Which is why you neutralize anti-air first, then artillery, and then you move your ground forces forward.

The rock/paper/scissors against tanks are infantry and close quarters. You want your tanks in the open where they can see and maneuver, not trapped on a road, not driving through a city. And you use them as part of a combined force, not as a standalone force.

[ImLawBoy]

Which is why you neutralize anti-air first, then artillery, and then you move your ground forces forward.

The rock/paper/scissors against tanks are infantry and close quarters. You want your tanks in the open where they can see and maneuver, not trapped on a road, not driving through a city. And you use them as part of a combined force, not as a standalone force.

Actually, I saw a documentary that showed that Russian tanks perform quite well driving through city streets.

[LawBeefaroni]

RFE

Kyiv has accused Russia of firing at a settlement in Belarus near the border with Ukraine in a “false flag” attempt to draw Minsk into joining Moscow’s unprovoked invasion of its neighbor.

Ukraine’s Air Command said in a statement on March 11 that border authorities received information detailing how Russian aircraft took off from an airfield in Belarus, crossed into Ukrainian airspace, and then fired back across at the Belarusian village of Kopani.

[LawBeefaroni]

[Max Peck]

I've seen a report that Russian pilots are relying on civilian GPS receivers for navigation. Maybe they just got lost and hit the wrong target...

[RunningMn9]

I have seen more than once this week people pointing out how cheap gas was in 2020. Holy hell nobody was driving. Another pointing out how cheap it was before Obama got into office. THE ENTIRE COUNTRY COLLAPSED. I really just need to get off social media. It's disgusting. And get a new job. Everyone is a Trump supporter. So frustrating.

The summer of 2008 (before Obama got elected) was the highest gas prices we’ve ever paid, with a national average around $5.30 in today’s dollars.

[Daehawk]

None of those Ruskies have played Command & Conquer ...I can tell.

[Archinerd]

I have seen more than once this week people pointing out how cheap gas was in 2020. Holy hell nobody was driving. Another pointing out how cheap it was before Obama got into office. THE ENTIRE COUNTRY COLLAPSED. I really just need to get off social media. It's disgusting. And get a new job. Everyone is a Trump supporter. So frustrating.

The summer of 2008 (before Obama got elected) was the highest gas prices we’ve ever paid, with a national average around $5.30 in today’s dollars.

It's a few days old, but the Quartz poll suggests most Americans (71%) are willing to pay higher gas prices (for now).

[Carpet_pissr]

Now that the Saudis opened up the faucet a bit, I am already noticing the prices moving back down. Could be completely anecdotal/local only/coincidental of course.

[LordMortis]

I have seen more than once this week people pointing out how cheap gas was in 2020. Holy hell nobody was driving. Another pointing out how cheap it was before Obama got into office. THE ENTIRE COUNTRY COLLAPSED. I really just need to get off social media. It's disgusting. And get a new job. Everyone is a Trump supporter. So frustrating.

The summer of 2008 (before Obama got elected) was the highest gas prices we’ve ever paid, with a national average around $5.30 in today’s dollars.

It's a few days old, but the Quartz poll suggests most Americans (71%) are willing to pay higher gas prices (for now).

Absolutely, but it doesn't stop at gas. Higher gas means more expensive logistics means fuel to the inflation fire. But I can be unhappy about it and accept it's for a cause. Or it better be. If it's to support war for the sake of war and getting people killed, mamed, and displaced then I'd have a problem. I support Ukraine but I still remember the US in Iraq all too well.

[raydude]

I'm none to bright on military stuff but is it ever a good idea to go into an enemy controlled zone in a tank column? Aside from having a nice road to drive on, what's the reason to do this? Next man up seems like a worst way possible to advance tanks.

It can be done. It requires speed, firepower, good equipment, and a sufficiently trained force that can cover their sectors and knows how to react to problems. Good optics, like thermal vision, also helps. And it doesn't hurt to have a tank that can shrug off RPGs. See the Thunder Run into Baghdad.

[LordMortis]

In one of the boldest gambles in modern military history

Shows what I know, which isn't much.

[Carpet_pissr]

In one of the boldest gambles in modern military history

Shows what I know, which isn't much.

[Defiant]

“Now about Ukraine. I agree with Karen. We had prior experiences of bringing in our troops, destroying the military infrastructure and leaving. I think that our army fulfilled their task of demilitarization of the country by destroying most of their military installations... To restore their military they will need at least 10 years... Let Ukrainians do this denazification on their own. We can’t do it for them... As for their neutrality, yes, we should squeeze it out of them, and that’s it. We don’t need to stay there longer than necessary... Do we need to get into another Afghanistan, but even worse? There are more people and they’re more advanced in their handling of weapons. We don’t need that. Enough already... As for the sanctions, the world has never seen such massive sanctions".

If doing enough damage to a military that it takes a decade to restore is a victory in demilitarization, maybe you could even argue they demilitarized two countries. So that's *two* victories they've won.

[Isgrimnur]

As for the sanctions, the world has never seen such massive sanctions

Did Trump write that?

[hepcat]

If true, that’s pretty amazing. I didn’t think we’d ever see Putin’s grip lessen even that much.

[Unagi]

I apologize if this has been shared already.

edit:: Icebear, you do not want to watch this.

In an interview for the upcoming FRONTLINE documentary “Putin’s Road to War,” journalist Julia Ioffe discusses Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine — and why she believes the Russian leader is now “more dangerous than he’s ever been at any point in the last 22 years.

Great part about Putin's 'on-air' dress-down of his top FSB agent, just in the first 30 seconds...

the ending is absolutely chilling.


This will be part of the documentary coming out on, I think, the 18th.

[Daehawk]

As for the sanctions, the world has never seen such massive sanctions

Did Trump write that?

Best sanctions ever.

Why not just stab or shot the him when in there. Geez. So basically the Russian Gov is a stupid and paranoid dumbass.

Sounds like Putin is a egotist. Trump is a fucktarded son of a bitch.

[Zaxxon]

As for the sanctions, the world has never seen such massive sanctions

Did Trump write that?

I think you've got it backwards. The folks who wrote that also write dialog for the Trump NPC.

[hepcat]

It would also include the line "a lot of people are saying".

[Max Peck]

Russia’s disinformation machinery breaks down in wake of Ukraine invasion

For decades now, Vladimir Putin has slowly, carefully, and stealthily curated online and offline networks of influence. These efforts have borne lucrative fruit, helping Russia become far more influential than a country so corrupt and institutionally fragile had any right to be. The Kremlin and its proxies had economic holdings across Europe and Africa that would shame some of the smaller 18th-century empires. It had a vast network of useful idiots that it helped get elected and could count on for support, and it controlled much of the day-to-day narrative in multiple countries through online disinformation. And many people had no idea.

While a few big events like the US’s 2016 election and the UK’s Brexit helped bring this meddling to light, many remained unaware or unwilling to accept that Putin’s disinformation machine was influencing them on a wide range of issues. Small groups of determined activists tried to convince the world that the Kremlin had infiltrated and manipulated the economies, politics, and psychology of much of the globe; these warnings were mostly met with silence or even ridicule.

All that changed the moment Russian boots touched Ukrainian soil. Almost overnight, the Western world became overwhelmingly aware of the Kremlin’s activities in these fields, shattering the illusions that allowed Putin’s alternative, Kremlin-controlled information ecosystem to exist outside its borders. As a result, the sophisticated disinformation machinery Putin spent decades cultivating collapsed within days.

[Carpet_pissr]

I apologize if this has been shared already.

edit:: Icebear, you do not want to watch this.

In an interview for the upcoming FRONTLINE documentary “Putin’s Road to War,” journalist Julia Ioffe discusses Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine — and why she believes the Russian leader is now “more dangerous than he’s ever been at any point in the last 22 years.

Great part about Putin's 'on-air' dress-down of his top FSB agent, just in the first 30 seconds...

the ending is absolutely chilling.


This will be part of the documentary coming out on, I think, the 18th.

Just watched that whole thing. Both fascinating and terrifying.

I’m almost ashamed to have the thought ‘I wonder if the world would be cheering on Ukraine so much if they realized how potentially dangerous a cornered Putin is to THEIR lives’

Jesus, man. If she’s right, we’re as close to the brink as we’ve ever been.

I guess the only non-horrific resolution is that Ukraine visibly falls, or Putin is killed.

[Daehawk]

Russian soldiers retreat from stiff Ukrainian resistance.

[IceBear]

I apologize if this has been shared already.

edit:: Icebear, you do not want to watch this.

In an interview for the upcoming FRONTLINE documentary “Putin’s Road to War,” journalist Julia Ioffe discusses Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine — and why she believes the Russian leader is now “more dangerous than he’s ever been at any point in the last 22 years.

Great part about Putin's 'on-air' dress-down of his top FSB agent, just in the first 30 seconds...

the ending is absolutely chilling.


This will be part of the documentary coming out on, I think, the 18th.

Pretty sure I was reading articles that essentially said the same stuff...which is why I am freaking out

[Jaymann]

Russian soldiers retreat from stiff Ukrainian resistance.

What that drives home for me is they share the same language and culture. It would be like storming your grandparents' house.

[hepcat]

Actually, Ukrainians have their own language.

[Jaymann]

Actually, Ukrainians have their own language.

True, but the USSR tried to force Russian down their throats. This policy was not reversed until 1991, so I imagine Grandma and Grandpa can speka de Rusky.

[xwraith]

[xwraith]

Fallout was supposed to be a gritty RPG, not a 2022 simulator.