Ukraine - somebody explain to me

[BigPiney]

This doesn't seem good. I don't follow Indian politics closely, but they seem to do a great job at playing Russia, China, and the US off each other.

Modi is essentially Indian Trump.

[SteelBlue]

[QUOTE=Uncle Ted;n2319016]I wonder how much longer until Putin pulls a "Krazy Ivan" on the US...

Russia says US is responsible for deadly Ukrainian attack on Crimea

• Russia says US is responsible for strike on Crimea
• Ukraine struck Crimea with U.S.-supplied ATACMS
• Russia says U.S. personnel input flight coordinates
• Russia says at least four people killed, 124 injured

Russia said on Sunday that the United States was responsible for a Ukrainian attack on the Russian-annexed Crimean peninsula with five U.S.-supplied missiles that killed four people, including two children, and injured 151 more.

The Russian Defence Ministry said four of the U.S.-delivered Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missiles, equipped with cluster warheads, were shot down by air defence systems and the ammunition of a fifth had detonated in mid-air.
[...]
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe...ea-2024-06-23/

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You are the most echo chambered soul I’ve come across in a long while. Can’t remember you ever citing a real source.

[Shaka]

[QUOTE=SteelBlue;n2319937]

I wonder how much longer until Putin pulls a "Krazy Ivan" on the US...



You are the most echo chambered soul I’ve come across in a long while. Can’t remember you ever citing a real source.

Kim Dotcom was all the rage in the late nineties. He had some Shockwave/Flash vids that were somewhat entertaining. Back in the day he was one of the best white hat hackers on the planet as well as being a very in-demand network security expert. Here's one of his vids:

[frank ryan]

I know a few Indian-American folks and when politics come up, I am always shocked how sympathetic they are to Putin/Russia.

Indian politics are fascinating and frustrating. Their connections to Russia run deep. It goes back to early Indian statehood. The USSR was a close ally of India, who while never communist, was non-aligned and not exactly warming embraced by the west, in part because of the UK and Pakistan. To put it in perspective. In the days of Stalin, some Indian films were shown in Cinemas at the height of censorship. Somewhat of an anti-Colonialist perspective. Those ties have remained strong, even as Russia has cozied up to China, which remains India's most pressing adversary and ally of Pakistan. India is absolutely playing the West and Russia. They are helping Russia skirt the sanctions while not encouraging the war or supplying the Russian army. The US would like closer military relations with India, but aside from aligning to contain China they are not in a hurry.

Modi is by no means a good guy. He is a Hindu-Nationalist and has instituted some fascistic and draconian policies that are overtly discriminatory and has even flirted with changing the name of the state India into something more Hindu. If you check out English-language Indian media, you can see how overtly pro-Russian it is.

[frank ryan]

Russia is stepping up its antics:

"CNN —
US intelligence discovered earlier this year that the Russian government planned to assassinate the chief executive of a powerful German arms manufacturer that has been producing artillery shells and military vehicles for Ukraine, according to five US and western officials familiar with the episode.

The plot was one of a series of Russian plans to assassinate defense industry executives across Europe who were supporting Ukraine’s war effort, these sources said. The plan to kill Armin Papperger, a white-haired goliath who has led the German manufacturing charge in support of Kyiv, was the most mature.

When the Americans learned of the effort, they informed Germany, whose security services were then able to protect Papperger and foil the plot. A high-level German government official confirmed that Berlin was warned about the plot by the US."

http://www.cnn.com/2024/07/11/politi...lot/index.html

[YOhio]

We got our hostages back from Russia! May Putin forever rot in spirit prison because nobody did his baptism for the dead!

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[BlueK]

We got our hostages back from Russia! May Putin forever rot in spirit prison because nobody did his baptism for the dead!

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And if you're an American just don't go to Russia. For any reason.

[falafel]

We got our hostages back from Russia! May Putin forever rot in spirit prison because nobody did his baptism for the dead!

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Can't wait until MAGA finds a way to use this against Harris. I have a feeling it will involve the release of a convicted KGB contract killer.

[frank ryan]

Sounds like Malian forces and Russian Wager guys took a big L in Mali. Ukrainian intel isn't denying responsibility.
We have so much going on in the US and the West we don't pay a lot of attention to Africa, but Russia has been toppling governments left and right. That matters because it will impact access to resources.

Wagner, especially since their leader is basically the Russian military.

Ukraine has done things like this in Sudan.
It will be interesting to see what happens.

Geopolitically, Africa and Oceania are two fronts where Russia and China are trying to wrest influence away from the US and traditional colonial powers. And the Russians and Chinese are less restrained in terms of graft, violence and bribery.

Whataboutism from Cold War antics don't really apply. One of the reasons Russia has been able to flip previously friendly regimes is that the US and EU have restrictions about militarily supporting those who seize power non-democratically.


https://www.voanews.com/a/russia-s-w...-/7724747.html

[tooblue]

Russia says Ukrainian troops crossed into its territory and launched ‘massive attack’

https://www.cnn.com/2024/08/07/europ...ntl/index.html

"Russian authorities and military bloggers said Ukrainian forces attacked by land and air to enter Russia near the town of Sudzha, a town of 5,000 that lies about 6 miles (10 kilometers) from the border."

[Goatnapper'96]

Russia says Ukrainian troops crossed into its territory and launched ‘massive attack’

https://www.cnn.com/2024/08/07/europ...ntl/index.html

"Russian authorities and military bloggers said Ukrainian forces attacked by land and air to enter Russia near the town of Sudzha, a town of 5,000 that lies about 6 miles (10 kilometers) from the border."

I know some paramilitary units, mostly comprised of ethnic anti-Putin Regime Russians, attacked a couple of small Russian towns a year ago but this is the first incursion into Russia's territory by a a Ukrainian commanded ground force. Likely an effort to force some of the supposed Russian troop amassments away from other border areas, where the Russians could potentially launch attacks into Northern Ukraine, to protect Russian territory-but an interesting development in this war- especially in light of Ukraine getting the F-16's into action over the next few months which ought to give Ukraine some significant air advantages.

I got bored with following this war daily last winter, but my understanding is the Russian's are still in a counteroffensive that is likely starting to run out of steam. Perhaps Ukraine, now equipped with F-16s and far more familiar with the armor NATO donated, can counterattack and actually take some territory back. Time will tell but we can hope, right?

[tooblue]

I know some paramilitary units, mostly comprised of ethnic anti-Putin Regime Russians, attacked a couple of small Russian towns a year ago but this is the first incursion into Russia's territory by a a Ukrainian commanded ground force. Likely an effort to force some of the supposed Russian troop amassments away from other border areas, where the Russians could potentially launch attacks into Northern Ukraine, to protect Russian territory-but an interesting development in this war- especially in light of Ukraine getting the F-16's into action over the next few months which ought to give Ukraine some significant air advantages.

I got bored with following this war daily last winter, but my understanding is the Russian's are still in a counteroffensive that is likely starting to run out of steam. Perhaps Ukraine, now equipped with F-16s and far more familiar with the armor NATO donated, can counterattack and actually take some territory back. Time will tell but we can hope, right?

It's into its third day, and despite Russian claims to the contrary Ukraine still seems to be on the offensive:

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy0ngzg9754o

[Goatnapper'96]

It's into its third day, and despite Russian claims to the contrary Ukraine still seems to be on the offensive:

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy0ngzg9754o

I think it is now up to the 6th or 7th day. They have taken some decent territory and some reports indicate "thousands" of Ukrainian soldiers in Russia. The appearance is that Ukraine is serious about this counter-offensive. The sluggish Russian response is providing Ukraine the chance to strike hard-strike fast-HUAH!

I think the goals are two fold from a strategic/political perspective: 1.) Force Russia to defend its territory and thus relieve pressure along the front by forcing Russia to redeploy combat hardened units back home to the Motherland instead of on the front lines attacking. 2.) Take territory that it can then use when and if there is a negotiation to end this war.

Tactically, this could be a pretty interesting fight. Ukraine has had NATO armor for more than a year now and the F-16's are arriving now. No longer does Ukraine lack for any equipment to prevent them from instituting a NATO style of fighting-which includes air-land integration. Further, Russia really ignored the northern border and did not spend the time and resources to employ the heavy defensive fortifications they emplaced along the front lines of the land they took in Ukraine. That means that if Ukraine has figured out how to use the NATO donated armor and jets to their full measure they ought to be able to maneuver more freely as there is no Survokin Line to slow them down.

[tooblue]

I think it is now up to the 6th or 7th day. They have taken some decent territory and some reports indicate "thousands" of Ukrainian soldiers in Russia. The appearance is that Ukraine is serious about this counter-offensive. The sluggish Russian response is providing Ukraine the chance to strike hard-strike fast-HUAH!

I think the goals are two fold from a strategic/political perspective: 1.) Force Russia to defend its territory and thus relieve pressure along the front by forcing Russia to redeploy combat hardened units back home to the Motherland instead of on the front lines attacking. 2.) Take territory that it can then use when and if there is a negotiation to end this war.

Tactically, this could be a pretty interesting fight. Ukraine has had NATO armor for more than a year now and the F-16's are arriving now. No longer does Ukraine lack for any equipment to prevent them from instituting a NATO style of fighting-which includes air-land integration. Further, Russia really ignored the northern border and did not spend the time and resources to employ the heavy defensive fortifications they emplaced along the front lines of the land they took in Ukraine. That means that if Ukraine has figured out how to use the NATO donated armor and jets to their full measure they ought to be able to maneuver more freely as there is no Survokin Line to slow them down.

Ukraine forces continuing to advance into Russian territory, says Zelenskiy

https://www.theguardian.com/world/ar...elenskiy-kursk

"According to Russian military bloggers, several irregular units that had been deployed to fight in Donetsk were being sent to Kursk, including the so-called Russian Volunteer Corps and a drone unit associated with a Russian biker gang."

Did Russia really believe it could prosecute a war and not protect its borders? The Ukrainian incursion is a huge gamble, but at this point the forces opposing Ukrainian troops do not seem capable of doing much other than evacuating civilians.

[Jeff Lebowski]

This is fascinating. I hope it works.