This might be a little tougher than Putin thought...

[h-hawk]

"Broken fiber optic cable off Gotland: perpetrator identifiedAccording to information from Latvia, the cable was damaged by the "Michalis San" under the Malta flag on its way to Russia.Maintaining them requires "a common and clear NATO position".

 

[h-hawk]

"The tank crew of the commander of the 60th Motorized Infantry Brigade, nicknamed "Shvachik", is engaged in dismantling enemy infantry"

 

[h-hawk]

"Saudi Arabia agreed to pay sanctioned Russian arms companies more than 2-billion euros for an air defense system, according to leaked documents. Trade data shows that some equipment was delivered in 2023, the year after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The contract was signed on 8 April, 2021, but the leaked documents show that the agreement stretches into 2026. This means the Russian defense firms have likely continued to work with Saudi Arabia even after a raft of sanctions were imposed by the European Union, the U.S. and other countries following the assault on Ukraine.

Trade data shows that, in 2023, companies named in the contract delivered trucks to Saudi Arabia. The vehicles are the same type that carry components of the air defense system, including missiles and radio communications.

Details about arms sales to Saudi Arabia and other countries are included in leaked emails and internal documents from Roselectronics, which were obtained by OCCRP and analyzed by the Kyiv Independent.

Roselectronics is a subsidiary of Rostec, a Russian state-owned defense conglomerate. Under the agreement, Saudi Arabia agreed to pay 2.2 billion euros (about $2.3 billion) to Rosoboronexport, another Rostec subsidiary, which would then transfer the funds to companies manufacturing the weaponry." (More)

https://www.occrp.org/en/scoop/sanc...-system-to-saudi-arabia-leaked-documents-show

 

[h-hawk]

(Chechnya paramilitary.)

 

[h-hawk]

Don't know if I ever saw the total number we are sending before. This comes from a story on the US replacing each one with the more modern AMPV.

"The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) announced this significant commitment to Ukraine’s defense efforts at the beginning of January 2025, revealing that 900 M-113 armored personnel carriers (APCs) and 300 armored medical treatment vehicles will be transferred to Ukraine. This donation is part of an ongoing U.S. effort to bolster Ukraine’s military capabilities in its conflict with Russia."



https://armyrecognition.com/news/ar...ine-with-next-generation-ampv-combat-vehicles

 

[GES4]

Good book review dubunking the tired trope (often expressed here) that the U.S., Europe and NATO are somehow responsible for the Russians invading Ukraine.

https://www.thebulwark.com/p/russia-invaded-ukraine-blame-america

 

[h-hawk]

 

[h-hawk]

 

[Bonerfarts]

 

[seminole97]

And it is Europe that is at stake, not the US. Unless trump is going to help Ukraine defeat the Russians he should let western Europe take the lead in negotiations along with Ukraine.

Ironic.

"So that would be great, I think, to help glue this thing and to have the UN help glue it and, you know, **** the EU."

 

[h-hawk]

 

[h-hawk]

 

[h-hawk]

According to the French defense news portal Opex360, the French air force has only 20 Mirage 2000-5s that are due to be decommissioned by 2030, which is presumably the maximum number of planes Ukraine can expect from France. However, the Ukrainian air force doesn't want to rely on F-16s and Mirages alone.Oct 11, 2024-

Will French Mirage bombers boost Ukraine's air defenses? – DW – 10/11/2024

France is set to send Mirage fighter jets to Ukraine after they have been upgraded, a few months later than planned. What does Ukraine hope these planes will be able to do?

www.dw.com

 

[h-hawk]

Presume they mean a "Leopard" tank.

"From the Legendary Tank Commanders Series .This is what happens when a "Tiger " detects you and attacks, this entire column was destroyed at Kurakhovsky... you will not see anything else like it....Give it another go until not even the ashes remain..."

 

[Tenacious E]

 

[SA_Hawk]

View embedded media

According to the French defense news portal Opex360, the French air force has only 20 Mirage 2000-5s that are due to be decommissioned by 2030, which is presumably the maximum number of planes Ukraine can expect from France. However, the Ukrainian air force doesn't want to rely on F-16s and Mirages alone.Oct 11, 2024-

Will French Mirage bombers boost Ukraine's air defenses? – DW – 10/11/2024

France is set to send Mirage fighter jets to Ukraine after they have been upgraded, a few months later than planned. What does Ukraine hope these planes will be able to do?

www.dw.com

Potential maintenance nightmare. Better of with more F-16’s.

 

[binsfeldcyhawk2]

Potential maintenance nightmare. Better of with more F-16’s.

I agree with this.

Ukraine would be better served settling on a couple air frames to build up their Air Force. Having a hodge podge of platforms from different countries and manufacturers will create a lot of problems logistically.

 

[noleclone2]

View embedded media

Today’s perspective on loss: Russia already has a male population decline issue predating the war. There were 66 million of them.

Male and female population by age Russia 2024 | Statista

In all age groups starting from 30 years, the female population outnumbered the male population in Russia. Over six million Russian men were 35 to 39 years old.

www.statista.com

Using this information about 30% of them, 19,800,000, are ages 20-49 which I assume makes up the majority of the ages. So (833,000 casualties / 19,800,000) x 100 = 4.2% of Russian males 20-49 now dead or wounded in a 3 year war they started in a neighboring country which only has gained them an extra 46,000 square miles of land (size of PA) from what they already held (16,000 square miles) to now hold a mere 27 percent of the country the size of Texas that they thought they could take with ease.

Imagine sacrificing 4.2% of your sons and fathers for that. And on top of all this, they have completely depleted their land army equipment and munitions to a point they need aid from Iran and North Korea. It is pretty incredible to watch. They are not likely to recover anytime soon.

 

[h-hawk]

I agree with this.

Ukraine would be better served settling on a couple air frames to build up their Air Force. Having a hodge podge of platforms from different countries and manufacturers will create a lot of problems logistically.

I know you guys know this but the problem is the US won't give them any F16s and is still slow playing other countries contributing them.

 

[h-hawk]

 

[h-hawk]

 

[binsfeldcyhawk2]

I know you guys know this but the problem is the US won't give them any F16s and is still slow playing other countries contributing them.

Unfortunate.

I know they're in take what they can get mode but hopefully down the road they're able to build up their Air Force with a more sustainable plan. A solid Air Force will be a pretty good security guarantee down the road.

 

[seminole97]

Good book review dubunking the tired trope (often expressed here) that the U.S., Europe and NATO are somehow responsible for the Russians invading Ukraine.

https://www.thebulwark.com/p/russia-invaded-ukraine-blame-america

The Bulwark was created to be a neocon mouthpiece, of course it will find no fault with the neocon’s provocations that many people accurately predicted would lead to this war.

This piece managed to mention the Russia actions in 2014 with no mention of the coup in Kiev that prompted them.

At the end of the day our current CIA Director is among the people who pleaded with both Democratic and Republican administrations to avoid the steps that provoked this conflict.

Bill Kristol and his neocon friends wanted this war. It’s the most succinct explanation for taking the course against all advice that led to it.

 

[Tenacious E]

Good book review dubunking the tired trope (often expressed here) that the U.S., Europe and NATO are somehow responsible for the Russians invading Ukraine.

https://www.thebulwark.com/p/russia-invaded-ukraine-blame-america

The book review itself was some pretty damn good. Some good ACT/SAT words: paroxysm, tendentious, slake, depredations, revanchism

 

[h-hawk]

 

[h-hawk]

Maybe trump can get us into a war with NATO

 

[jonesy5960]

Maybe trump can get us into a war with NATO

Well he and his ilk are probably closer to siding with Putin than he is with NATO in any conflict.

 

[h-hawk]

Another source saying Israel is sending captured material to Ukraine.

 

[GES4]

The Bulwark was created to be a neocon mouthpiece, of course it will find no fault with the neocon’s provocations that many people accurately predicted would lead to this war.

This piece managed to mention the Russia actions in 2014 with no mention of the coup in Kiev that prompted them.

At the end of the day our current CIA Director is among the people who pleaded with both Democratic and Republican administrations to avoid the steps that provoked this conflict.

Bill Kristol and his neocon friends wanted this war. It’s the most succinct explanation for taking the course against all advice that led to it.

like clockwork.

 

[seminole97]

like clockwork.

If Ron Paul creates a foreign policy rag, you’d have a pretty decent idea which way it would lean before ever reading it.
The Bulwark is the ‘never Trump’ neocon foreign policy mouthpiece. Which is why it discusses the events of 2014 without mentioning Victoria Nuland’s efforts to ‘**** the EU’.
At least on that front, the neocons can unfurl their Mission Accomplished banner again.

 

[h-hawk]

 

[h-hawk]

 

[Bonerfarts]

 

[h-hawk]

Great!

 

[jonesy5960]

Great!

View embedded media

This is going to really piss off the Putin fanboys on here.

 

[h-hawk]

 

[h-hawk]

This is going to really piss off the Putin fanboys on here.

Maybe Putin just heard about it -

 

[billanole]

like clockwork.

The bat signal works relentlessly.

 

[billanole]

View embedded media

Like, wow. Just, wow.

 

[h-hawk]