Русский корабль - иди нахуй

[atomheartbevo 89304]

 

[956 Worldwide 34241]

Lol. Cope and seethe. 
 

wha

[Trey3216 15321]

19 minutes ago, Orange&White said:

Yeah, Prigozhin won't be with us much longer.

Waylon Jennings sang a song: "Ain't livin' long like this am I baby?"

One of Rodney Crowell's finest works.  

 

"You know the story of how the wheel goes 'round

Don't let 'em take you to the man downtown

Can't sleep at all, in the jailhouse baby..." 

[DefinitelyNotHollywoodColt 12301]

The Wagner dude’s total shock that his backstabbing thug buddies have now stabbed him in the back is borderline erotic.

[956 Worldwide 34241]

19 minutes ago, atomheartbevo said:

Damn, head of Ukrainian railway system has a long and awesome thread about yesterday.  He apologized that only 90% of the trains were running on time to accommodate Rail Force One.

Also, it's a big fucking deal for the Secret Service to sign off on alternate modes of travel for a POTUS, and especially in a literal war zone. 

Some Biden-world figure who is not officially in government needs to start talks NOW to get that locomotive and sleeping car for his library museum. 

[Chad Fuck 17455]

8 hours ago, atomheartbevo said:

 

I feel like he might try to launch a massive air offensive with actual aircraft entering Ukrainian air space, but then it would be embarrassing as fuck absolutely fucking awesome to see a bunch of irreplaceable Russian aircraft shot down.

FIFY.  Not least because I want one of those luggage tags made from downed Russian aircraft but they're super expensive.  Maybe shooting a lot of them down would bring the price down.  

[Gatorubet 30023]

The Big Event - what will happen after Biden’s Tea Bag of Putin

then

[atomheartbevo 89304]

Seems everybody wants the Ukrainian running their rail system to come to their country and run their rail systems.

 

[956 Worldwide 34241]

37 minutes ago, atomheartbevo said:

What's telling is that they'll only join if Ukraine attacks them.  Putin has to be fuming a bit, but even Lukashenko knows that'll be a bridge too far for a lot of Belarusians. 

 

Hyello. I am ordinary Belarus soldier here to talk to American TV “NBC.” I am speak for all powerful Belarus military soldiers. Great President, Aleksandr Grigoryevich does not tell me what to say. 

[Chad Fuck 17455]

41 minutes ago, KYHorn said:

Seems like it'd be a good time to counter-attack all Wagner areas. 

That's the obvious take, unless this is some sort of rope a dope plan by the Russians.  

[Trey3216 15321]

1 minute ago, Chad Fuck said:

That's the obvious take, unless this is some sort of rope a dope plan by the Russians.  

I'm almost certain it's partially that.  But it's also partially Putin ridding himself of a billionaire with his own army.   

[Gatorubet 30023]

25 minutes ago, 956 Worldwide said:

Lol. Cope and seethe. 
 

wha

[Chad Fuck 17455]

3 minutes ago, Trey3216 said:

I'm almost certain it's partially that.  But it's also partially Putin ridding himself of a billionaire with his own army.   

I can totally see a mafioso "why not both?" plan here.  Good call. 

[956 Worldwide 34241]

I kind of hate LinkedIn and especially flexing on LinkedIn but I’ll allow this one. 
 

[Trey3216 15321]

1 minute ago, Gatorubet said:

Has to be one of my alltime favorite gifs.  

[Gatorubet 30023]

1 minute ago, 956 Worldwide said:

I kind of hate LinkedIn and especially flexing on LinkedIn but I’ll allow this one. 
 

“In person. On the ground” seems like a not-so veiled reference to cowardly Puti-tang who will not visit the front and stays home at the other end of a 30 foot table. Nice shiv work.

 

[956 Worldwide 34241]

5 minutes ago, Gatorubet said:

I’ve been noticing recently more grammar and spelling issues in their English social media as well as a general “a really fluent speaker wouldn’t say that” feeling.
 

This one is great because “serves you right” has strong “huffy church lady” vibes as opposed to “high ranking official of a nuclear power.”

[956 Worldwide 34241]

Here’s another example of just bad comms at the highest level. Putin withdrew from New START, which superseded SORT, the treaty that’s referenced in this tweet. 
 

 

[BehoId, The Underminer! 11667]

40 minutes ago, 956 Worldwide said:

Lol. Cope and seethe. 
 

wha

Lulz at us getting what we deserved.  It’s 12 hours later and I’d already forgotten they did anything aimed at the us. 

[Gatorubet 30023]

Even though I know nothing about Russian politics, how in the world can people listening and watching Putin speech in Russia be happy?  

Thanks to Russian TV, everyone in Russia knows Biden was dragging his large balls around Kyiv while Sirens were going off.  And his TV hosts were clearly upset and unhappy at Biden upstaging the boss.     We have heard that the pro nationalist Mil bloggers have been upset at the way things are going and expected a big shake up and a massive invasion to teach that fake country a lesson.

Everybody else in the country who is personally subject to mobilization (or affected by mobilization) who were  probably hoping to have their fears assuaged or confirmed with information on future mobilizations have to be unhappy too. 

The only reason I can come up with for his tepid response is “because he can”.    He answers to himself.  And it certainly looks like he feels supremely confident doing whatever the hell he wants.  Maybe he has all the power he needs and doesn’t need to mind anyone else’s opinion. Or maybe he is making miscalculations that will hurt him down the road. Our normal political intuition is completely useless in Russia.

 

[JesusSweatDuck 17780]

48 minutes ago, DefinitelyNotHollywoodColt said:

The Wagner dude’s total shock that his backstabbing thug buddies have now stabbed him in the back is borderline erotic.

Now let's just hope his head meets the business side of a sledgehammer. 

[Gatorubet 30023]

8 minutes ago, BehoId, The Underminer! said:

Lulz at us getting what we deserved.  It’s 12 hours later and I’d already forgotten they did anything aimed at the us. 

“I’d like to speak to the manager of START! “

[Royalfan5 2344]

1 hour ago, Orange&White said:

Yeah, Prigozhin won't be with us much longer.

Waylon Jennings sang a song: "Ain't livin' long like this am I baby?"

Written by Houston's Rodney Crowell too. (got beat to posting it)

Edited February 21, 2023 by Royalfan5

[atomheartbevo 89304]

25 minutes ago, Gatorubet said:

Even though I know nothing about Russian politics, how in the world can people listening and watching Putin speech in Russia be happy?  

Thanks to Russian TV, everyone in Russia knows Biden was dragging his large balls around Kyiv while Sirens were going off.  And his TV hosts were clearly upset and unhappy at Biden upstaging the boss.     We have heard that the pro nationalist Mil bloggers have been upset at the way things are going and expected a big shake up and a massive invasion to teach that fake country a lesson.

Everybody else in the country who is personally subject to mobilization (or affected by mobilization) who were  probably hoping to have their fears assuaged or confirmed with information on future mobilizations have to be unhappy too. 

The only reason I can come up with for his tepid response is “because he can”.    He answers to himself.  And it certainly looks like he feels supremely confident doing whatever the hell he wants.  Maybe he has all the power he needs and doesn’t need to mind anyone else’s opinion. Or maybe he is making miscalculations that will hurt him down the road. Our normal political intuition is completely useless in Russia.

It was a weird as hell speech, and a lot of the analysts were way off on it, in terms of not being the "we're going to full mobilization and a wartime footing, and yes this means it's officially a war".

Maybe Putin is constrained in terms of declaring war, kind of like American Presidents are?  Seems like he gets whatever he wants.  Or maybe he's reading the tea leaves and knows that declaring a full war after his 3-day SMO has been going to smoothly for a year won't play well with the populace.

Either way, he was humiliated by Biden, and it's nearly the anniversary.

Hell, maybe he's saving it for the anniversary in a few days.

Still a weird speech.

[956 Worldwide 34241]

37 minutes ago, Gatorubet said:

Even though I know nothing about Russian politics, how in the world can people listening and watching Putin speech in Russia be happy?  

Thanks to Russian TV, everyone in Russia knows Biden was dragging his large balls around Kyiv while Sirens were going off.  And his TV hosts were clearly upset and unhappy at Biden upstaging the boss.     We have heard that the pro nationalist Mil bloggers have been upset at the way things are going and expected a big shake up and a massive invasion to teach that fake country a lesson.

Everybody else in the country who is personally subject to mobilization (or affected by mobilization) who were  probably hoping to have their fears assuaged or confirmed with information on future mobilizations have to be unhappy too. 

The only reason I can come up with for his tepid response is “because he can”.    He answers to himself.  And it certainly looks like he feels supremely confident doing whatever the hell he wants.  Maybe he has all the power he needs and doesn’t need to mind anyone else’s opinion. Or maybe he is making miscalculations that will hurt him down the road. Our normal political intuition is completely useless in Russia.

 

This type of speech is a narcotic for Russians.  We pay attention to the routine denunciations of The Gays and the American Imperialists but much of the speech was reminiscent of the soporific sermons Putin heard growing up in the Soviet Union. Praise for the annual grain harvest and the like. Past the acknowledgment of “this is a tough time” what they heard was the usual litany— we are doing great, and we are going to be doing even better, and this strong man in the Kremlin is giving directives to fix your road and make the village school roof stop leaking.” 
 

And it’s all bullshit and Russians know it’s bullshit but most importantly it’s the NORMAL bullshit and you know things are fucked but it’s the comfortable kind of fucked up that you’re used to. Vague promises are the best, because Russians know explicit and precise promises will be broken. 
 

Had he trotted out and given a real stemwinder with lots of real news and decisions, that’s a flag for Russians that things really are in the ditch. Russians don’t even have a positive word for “excitement,” it’s all negative and so Putin wants to deliver the somnambulant. Russians won’t be happy but Russians are never happy, you just don’t want them furious. 
 

He’s a man that built his image on “stability and telling the West to fuck off,” both boxes ticked. 

Edited February 21, 2023 by 956 Worldwide

[956 Worldwide 34241]

6 minutes ago, atomheartbevo said:

It was a weird as hell speech, and a lot of the analysts were way off on it, in terms of not being the "we're going to full mobilization and a wartime footing, and yes this means it's officially a war".

Maybe Putin is constrained in terms of declaring war, kind of like American Presidents are?  Seems like he gets whatever he wants.  Or maybe he's reading the tea leaves and knows that declaring a full war after his 3-day SMO has been going to smoothly for a year won't play well with the populace.

Either way, he was humiliated by Biden, and it's nearly the anniversary.

Hell, maybe he's saving it for the anniversary in a few days.

Still a weird speech.

Follow the surly analysts, what can I say 😉 

[The Dog 43716]

 

[MissingInAction 24746]

Perfection

Edited February 21, 2023 by MissingInAction

[Gatorubet 30023]

43 minutes ago, 956 Worldwide said:

This type of speech is a narcotic for Russians.  We pay attention to the routine denunciations of The Gays and the American Imperialists but much of the speech was reminiscent of the soporific sermons Putin heard growing up in the Soviet Union. Praise for the annual grain harvest and the like. Past the acknowledgment of “this is a tough time” what they heard was the usual litany— we are doing great, and we are going to be doing even better, and this strong man in the Kremlin is giving directives to fix your road and make the village school roof stop leaking.” 
 

And it’s all bullshit and Russians know it’s bullshit but most importantly it’s the NORMAL bullshit and you know things are fucked but it’s the comfortable kind of fucked up that you’re used to. Vague promises are the best, because Russians know explicit and precise promises will be broken. 
 

Had he trotted out and given a real stemwinder with lots of real news and decisions, that’s a flag for Russians that things really are in the ditch. Russians don’t even have a positive word for “excitement,” it’s all negative and so Putin wants to deliver the somnambulant. Russians won’t be happy but Russians are never happy, you just don’t want them furious. 
 

He’s a man that built his image on “stability and telling the West to fuck off,” both boxes ticked. 

Boy, do we appreciate your knowledge of Russia and the politics in that part of the world.  But it still seems a bit confusing to me.   Happily confusing, I admit.  Because, unless there is something going on in the background, shouldn’t status quo be seen as a Ukrainian positive? One of the much discussed concerns was a giant Russian offensive before new Western kit and tanks arrive, with an additional goal of preventing an organized Ukrainian spring offensive.

So, if Putin is not rounding up more unwilling citizens to the grinder, and if the same shit show commanders continue their incompetent command of the still ill-equipped troops, how long can that situation last before some rumblings are heard?   Is there any strategic lesson to be gleaned from this speech?  Could this represent a decision to focus on holding on to territory they have for some future resolution - after some epiphany that they don’t have their shit together enough to have a successful, combined arms offensive?

Could it have been false hopes that Belorussia would finally agree to take part in military operations against Ukraine - and that commitment was withdrawn or never formally given?

Maybe it’s rose colored glasses, but it is hard to see where Russia has done anything to solve its multiple on the ground problems, despite a year to do so, while Ukraine is getting stronger by the day.  I’m sure I’m wrong, but having a cup of coffee I’m feeling pretty good. 

[956 Worldwide 34241]

2 minutes ago, Gatorubet said:

Boy, do we appreciate your knowledge of Russia and the politics in that part of the world.  But it still seems a bit confusing to me.   Happily confusing, I admit.  Because, unless there is something going on in the background, shouldn’t status quo be seen as a Ukrainian positive? One of the much discussed concerns was a giant Russian offensive before new Western kit and tanks arrive, with an additional goal of preventing an organized Ukrainian spring offensive.

So, if Putin is not rounding up more unwilling citizens to the grinder, and if the same shit show commanders continue their incompetent command of the still ill-equipped troops, how long can that situation last before some rumblings are heard?   Is there any strategic lesson to be gleaned from this speech?  Could this represent a decision to focus on holding on to territory they have for some future resolution - after some epiphany that they don’t have their shit together enough to have a successful, combined arms offensive?

Could it have been false hopes that Belorussia would finally agree to take part in military operations against Ukraine - and that commitment was withdrawn or never formally given?

Maybe it’s rose colored glasses, but it is hard to see where Russia has done anything to solve its multiple on the ground problems, despite a year to do so, while Ukraine is getting stronger by the day.  I’m sure I’m wrong, but having a cup of coffee I’m feeling pretty good. 

Remember, average Russians aren’t on the mil blogger telegrams and they get their news from the nightly news and state outlets. And “we have always been at war in the Donbas” isn’t the worst thing Putin can do to settle on. 
 

I do think that Putin was surprised that Kyiv didn’t crumble and his lightning attack on the capital got crushed at the airport battle.  So it’s taking him some time to reorient and decide what the strategic goal really is. And here’s something to remember- winning this war was never the most important thing to him. Being in power is. And if the cost of winning the war is full mobilization and crashing your image as a successful ruler and maybe admitting failure—- he won’t do it. 
 

But the other thing to remember is that these types of speeches aren’t designed to inspire and rally and inform. They’re designed to soothe and feed prejudice and keep the status quo. This was never the venue to make a dramatic announcement. He may still do so, or (more likely) he will seek more boring administrative solutions to address his manpower issues. 

[Brisketexan 104230]

10 hours ago, atomheartbevo said:

That's larger than Belarus's active duty army, and there's no way in hell they will just take anybody (what if a bunch of anti-Lukashenko types get in the mix and get armed).

Odd.

Luka is fucked, Belarus is fucked.  He would have lost power had it not been for strong Russian backing.  He owes everything to Russia, and Russia/Putin is not the kind of guy you want to owe a favor to -- that means he owns you.  

And it would be dumb as fuck to arm 150k Belarussian civilians, because it's guaranteed that a sizable percentage would be quite happy, when the time comes, to turn those guns on Luka and his boys.

7 hours ago, Bevo said:

Can Lukashenko stand if Russia falls? I don't think so. I think his only way to stay in power is if Putin stays in power.

 

7 hours ago, 956 Worldwide said:

I don’t believe Lukashenka’s regime is robust enough to survive if they actually enacted this mobilization plan. It’s all a bunch of talk. It almost tanked in 2020 after elections, Belarusians won’t put up with this shit for sure. 
 

Lukashenka is hooked to Putin now, he’s gone in a few months if regime change happens in Russia. 

Correct.  If Putin's Russia falls so that Russia no longer props up Luka, his days are numbered.

2 hours ago, DefinitelyNotHollywoodColt said:

The Wagner dude’s total shock that his backstabbing thug buddies have now stabbed him in the back is borderline erotic.

Play psychopath games, win psychopath prizes.  Which, coincidentally, is the centuries-old Russian national motto.  It is literally their national character.

[Etexhorn13 3022]

As a quick aside, it is hilarious to me that we have an Aggie in here running circles around nearly everyone else in this thread. No one alert the football board!

Edited February 21, 2023 by Etexhorn13

[Neonmoon 38127]

12 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

And it would be dumb as fuck to arm 150k Belarussian civilians, because it's guaranteed that a sizable percentage would be quite happy, when the time comes, to turn those guns on Luka and his boys.

Yeah...I don't think he's thought this one through. 

[Gatorubet 30023]

4 minutes ago, 956 Worldwide said:

 And here’s something to remember- winning this war was never the most important thing to him. Being in power is. And if the cost of winning the war is full mobilization and crashing your image as a successful ruler and maybe admitting failure—- he won’t do it.

Great point.   I need to get my brain around the concept that there are little consequences to Putin for his failures to date…or at least not the consequences that would occur to a western country’s leader delivering similar continual military failures. 

How glorious if he ultimately ran Russia into the pariah ditch for many decades for no actual discernible positive benefit to Russia. 

 

 

[Orange&White 5516]

12 minutes ago, Etexhorn13 said:

As a quick aside, it is hilarious to me that we have an Aggie in here running circles around nearly everyone else in this thread. No one alert the football board!

The key thing to remember here is that there is only ONE aggie in here.

If there were two or more aggies in here, they would not be able to control themselves calling us all sips and blaming is for the entire Ukrainian invasion.

[Brisketexan 104230]

Just now, Gatorubet said:

How glorious if he ultimately ran Russia into the pariah ditch for many decades for no actual discernible positive benefit to Russia. 

Yeah, I mean.....he's already done that.  As just one example, Russia is a mafia-run gas station, and it has lost its most important customer (western Europe).  For good.  Because if he's still in power after the war ends, nobody sane would enter into a trade relationship with him for anything essential, as he has demonstrated an absolute willingness to use it for blackmail purposes.  And, sanctions against the import of materials used for the manufacture of sophisticated weapons platforms won't be going away anytime soon.  And NATO will soon have two new, potent members, and one member (Poland) who will absolutely be the first one to unleash the thunder against Russia if the call ever comes (and Poland is busy stocking up and up-arming to do so).  The best and the brightest - who would be helpful in rebuilding a post-war economy - fled, and won't return.  The demographic crisis is only getting worse, both because of that and because of the body count of killed/wounded Russians.

Russia, as a country, has lost a great deal with this war.  Putin, on the other hand, has lost nothing, because he only cares about two things: holding onto his power and his wealth.  And both of those remain firmly in hand.  Putin can tolerate a LOT of pain suffered by other people, it's no skin off his nose.  You and I, if leaders of a nation, would give a fuck about the suffering of our people.  But when you take that concern off the table, well, it's quite liberating in terms of how you can govern.

Putin is succeeding, because he retains a firm grip on power, the only metric that matters.   Russia, on the other hand, is fucked.

[956 Worldwide 34241]

19 minutes ago, Etexhorn13 said:

As a quick aside, it is hilarious to me that we have an Aggie in here running circles around nearly everyone else in this thread. No one alert the football board!

Ummm….12-7! Doesn’t matter, got Jimbo! 
 

 

[RDCanecutter 26198]

3 hours ago, 956 Worldwide said:

Lol. Cope and seethe. 
 

Oh please, Medvedev. You weren't even the real Russian President. You were just the cackling space-monkey standing next to Jabba the Putin.

[BehoId, The Underminer! 11667]

49 minutes ago, Gatorubet said:

Boy, do we appreciate your knowledge of Russia and the politics in that part of the world.  But it still seems a bit confusing to me.   Happily confusing, I admit.  Because, unless there is something going on in the background, shouldn’t status quo be seen as a Ukrainian positive? One of the much discussed concerns was a giant Russian offensive before new Western kit and tanks arrive, with an additional goal of preventing an organized Ukrainian spring offensive.

So, if Putin is not rounding up more unwilling citizens to the grinder, and if the same shit show commanders continue their incompetent command of the still ill-equipped troops, how long can that situation last before some rumblings are heard?   Is there any strategic lesson to be gleaned from this speech?  Could this represent a decision to focus on holding on to territory they have for some future resolution - after some epiphany that they don’t have their shit together enough to have a successful, combined arms offensive?

Could it have been false hopes that Belorussia would finally agree to take part in military operations against Ukraine - and that commitment was withdrawn or never formally given?

Maybe it’s rose colored glasses, but it is hard to see where Russia has done anything to solve its multiple on the ground problems, despite a year to do so, while Ukraine is getting stronger by the day.  I’m sure I’m wrong, but having a cup of coffee I’m feeling pretty good. 

I agree.  If Putin's message is keep on keepin' on, great.  We know how to handle that.

[SmokeyTheBear 5562]

34 minutes ago, Etexhorn13 said:

As a quick aside, it is hilarious to me that we have an Aggie in here running circles around nearly everyone else in this thread. No one alert the football board!

No one understands Russia culture like aggy

[Gatorubet 30023]

9 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

Yeah, I mean.....he's already done that. 

 Russia, on the other hand, is fucked.

yupyupyup.   After announcing the addition /absorption of Ukrainian territory they have failed to take completely, they are fucked even if they devote all of their military power to obtain those disputed areas and somehow succeed. 

I was just thinking how glorious if even that minimal accomplishment was denied Putin after 100k dead - and he achieved exactly zero squat nada and Russia  still had to eat the decades long pariah shit sandwich.  

But you are right, Russia’s eating it either way. 

[956 Worldwide 34241]

28 minutes ago, Gatorubet said:

Great point.   I need to get my brain around the concept that there are little consequences to Putin for his failures to date…or at least not the consequences that would occur to a western country’s leader delivering similar continual military failures. 

How glorious if he ultimately ran Russia into the pariah ditch for many decades for no actual discernible positive benefit to Russia. 

 

 

The best way to think about this is that losing would be catastrophic for him, but (likely) so would doing what it takes to actually win. So he’s in a shitty spot, which is awesome, but he remains dangerous mostly due to his demonstrated ability to show terrible fucking judgment. I really believe that if he’d been told his little gambit to decapitate Kyiv would fail, he’d have taken his tanks and gone home. Or at least restricted his aims to the areas claimed by what were then the DNR/LNR “authorities”. 

[956 Worldwide 34241]

Biden in Warsaw now. Gotdam the Poles always deliver for us. Za naszą a waszą wolność! 
 

[MillerEP 30311]

 

[InkaUtexas 25289]

In case anyone is feeling generous today here is an interesting group. They are in a shitty situation and have over 500 animals in care. 

Dropped in a small contribution vs. taking GF out to dinner. She loves animals so hope I still get laid. 

 

 

[Scheiss Meister 8390]

6 minutes ago, MillerEP said:

 

They've been fighting for years for the chance to be Russian vassals, and actually have been.  Now it's official.

[MillerEP 30311]

 

[MillerEP 30311]

 

[MillerEP 30311]

 

[dimyh 1874]

Medusa article about Navalny clarifying his position about this SMO. Changes some of his previous statements that Crimea is Russian. Now, it very clearly belongs to Ukraine. Also talks about paying reparations to them. Overall an excellent strongly worded letter to management. 

https://meduza.io/feature/2023/02/20/aleksey-navalnyy-opublikoval-15-printsipov-svoey-politicheskoy-platformy-o-voyne-i-poslevoennom-ustroystve-rossii