Русский корабль - иди нахуй

[Rimbo 25921]

> 🎉 The Associated Press just updated its style guide. It now officially recommends avoiding the term ‘former Soviet republic(s)’.

I cannot tell you how often I’ve had to struggle with editors over this. My only solution is to insist any use of “United States” or “America” be accompanied by “former British colonial holding.” I still lose the argument, although perhaps that will change now…

[Rimbo 25921]

looks like Mick Ryan has made it to Threads: https://www.threads.net/@warinthefuture

 

[Rimbo 25921]

I found this a very moving article about Victoria Amelina, one of the thousands of Ukrainians senselessly killed by the Russian military, and also someone who expressed, maybe better than anyone else, what Ukraine is fighting for.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jul/06/victoria-amelina-novelist-kramatorsk-russia-ukraine-war-meaning-of-home

Quote

Before she was killed by a Russian missile strike, the acclaimed novelist and war crimes researcher wrote about growing up in Moscow’s shadow, and how she came to understand what being Ukrainian really meant

by Victoria Amelina

Quote

Victoria Amelina, an award-winning novelist, essayist and poet, died on 1 July from injuries sustained in a Russian missile attack on a restaurant in eastern Ukraine. Generous, talented and funny, Victoria also had an extraordinary moral clarity and commitment, underpinned by vast reserves of unshowy courage.  After the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022, she trained as a war crimes researcher, which meant travelling to frontlines and bearing witness to extreme violence and suffering.  A Ukrainian homeland, where all citizens were free, was so important to her that she did not hesitate to give up her own home to fight for it, taking her son to safety outside Ukraine then returning to follow the trail of Russian destruction.  In her travels and work she tried to counter horror with hope, documenting atrocities but also organising aid and cultural activities, which she insisted were as important to Ukraine’s fight as physical sustenance. This is an essay she wrote reflecting on her early life in Lviv and the evolution of her Ukrainian identity. May her memory be an inspiration to Ukrainians and those who share her ideals.

Emma Graham-Harrison, senior international affairs correspondent

The rest of the article is the late Victoria's writing, and too long for me to copy-paste.

[SmokeyTheBear 5562]

5 hours ago, KYHorn said:

Hahaha

 

[956 Worldwide 34705]

4 hours ago, Rimbo said:

> 🎉 The Associated Press just updated its style guide. It now officially recommends avoiding the term ‘former Soviet republic(s)’.

I cannot tell you how often I’ve had to struggle with editors over this. My only solution is to insist any use of “United States” or “America” be accompanied by “former British colonial holding.” I still lose the argument, although perhaps that will change now…

Hmm, I struggle with the best alternatives. The Baltics should never be called “former Soviet Republics” because we and most of the world never recognized their annexation as legal. 
 

It’s usually safer to talk about regions (Central Asia, the Baltics, the Caucasus). It used be be OK to refer to “Russia and the newly independent nations” when you want a grouping but independence isn’t new anymore. 

[956 Worldwide 34705]

As I mentioned last year about this time, Russia has a very good and technocratic central bank and they were able to juice the ruble back up. But it wasn’t sustainable. It’s falling off a cliff, not that there’s much foreign stuff for Russians to purchase.

[KYHorn 17041]

 

Edited July 6, 2023 by KYHorn

[KYHorn 17041]

 

 

 

 

[KYHorn 17041]

Welp, that would be helpful.

Is this practical for mine clearing too?

[KYHorn 17041]

 

Edited July 6, 2023 by KYHorn

[Pato del Muerto 52489]

That’s a lot of pallets. 

[KYHorn 17041]

 

[MissingInAction 25043]

I'll go ahead and state the obvious that drones are the most significant revolution in combat tactics since the jet engine.

Edited July 6, 2023 by MissingInAction

[Neonmoon 38129]

2 minutes ago, MissingInAction said:

I'll go ahead and state the obvious that drones are the most significant revolution in combat tactics since the tank.

Agree

Once they develop mid-size drones that can attack with targeted munitions. Game changer. 

Right now they have drones that drop grenades and kamikaze exploding drones. Drones are great because they're too small for anti-aircraft stuff and too big for small arms fire (typically)

If you could load up a mid-size drone with smart missiles or targeting 50 cal. Oh boy

[BamaATL 16593]

9 minutes ago, MissingInAction said:

I'll go ahead and state the obvious that drones are the most significant revolution in combat tactics since the jet engine.

One might argue gps guided munitions as an in between step, but yes, a huge deal.  

[Parliament 14256]

13 minutes ago, MissingInAction said:

I'll go ahead and state the obvious that drones are the most significant revolution in combat tactics since the jet engine.

 

8 minutes ago, Neonmoon said:

Agree

Once they develop mid-size drones that can attack with targeted munitions. Game changer. 

Right now they have drones that drop grenades and kamikaze exploding drones. Drones are great because they're too small for anti-aircraft stuff and too big for small arms fire (typically)

If you could load up a mid-size drone with smart missiles or targeting 50 cal. Oh boy

Have we learned nothing?!

[Gatorubet 30219]

30 minutes ago, MissingInAction said:

I'll go ahead and state the obvious that drones are the most significant revolution in combat tactics since the jet engine.

But….but…..we have ‘Elan Vital!

[BamaATL 16593]

 

[MissingInAction 25043]

5 minutes ago, Gatorubet said:

But….but…..we have ‘Elan Vital!

Great for pallets of all shapes and sizes.

[SquishMitten 10403]

 

17 hours ago, SydneyCarton said:

I brought my sand to this beach, sir. Or more accurately my sand brought me. 

No fair. CTJ never takes me anywhere

[Viking 301]

47 minutes ago, MissingInAction said:

I'll go ahead and state the obvious that drones are the most significant revolution in combat tactics since the jet engine.

Yup and this is just the beginning.

In the future we'll flood an area with a drone swarm that's AI controlled to provide complete visual coverage. Pilots will only be needed to press the fire button.

[SquishMitten 10403]

1 hour ago, KYHorn said:

Welp, that would be helpful.

Is this practical for mine clearing too?

Good question. I bet we wouldn’t use them that way, but I won’t be surprised at all to see UK try it. Probably depends on how big those bomblets are since the problem with them is that allegedly a lot don’t detonate on impact. So you’d be blowing a lot of mines while also planting new (presumably less deadly) ones. 
 

But that might not even be worth it. If you blast the shit out of all the defensive lines covering a mine-field, then you can bring in the stuff designed for clearing those fields without worrying about heavy counter fire. 

[The Dog 44020]

 

Edited July 6, 2023 by The Dog

[956 Worldwide 34705]

Zelenskyy is in Prague on a surprise trip. He will meet with President Pavel and Prime Minister Fiala. Clearly a move to buck up his friends in Europe and embolden them before the NATO summit next week. 

[Parliament 14256]

Hopefully be gives dipshit Orban a stern talking to at that Summit.

[956 Worldwide 34705]

Just now, Parliament said:

Hopefully be gives dipshit Orban a stern talking to at that Summit.

Dipshit was doing dipshit things today— they hosted the Russian health minister in Budapest, the first cabinet-level visit to a NATO nation from a Russian since last February.  There’s not a good solution to Orban. 

[Born to Run 6569]

Dipshit was doing dipshit things today— they hosted the Russian health minister in Budapest, the first cabinet-level visit to a NATO nation from a Russian since last February.  There’s not a good solution to Orban. 

I think denfrenastration would be a perfect solution.

[Catpfish 618]

16 hours ago, Deej said:

 

They aren't sticking around SA for the fat chicks?

[Schulz2.0 28951]

https://www.wsj.com/articles/ukraine-nears-nuclear-deal-with-bulgaria-in-fresh-blow-for-russian-influence-e9c083ab

[956 Worldwide 34705]

 

[ABSR 5309]

14 hours ago, cactusflinthead said:

I know we want to see the Ukes blitz the lines and run for the sea.

It might happen some day, but I don't think it will be soon. This is a grinding war. The Ukes have the patience to work a rope a dope. Let them engage and show a response, then pull back to safety while they're letting fly in response. It's slow and incremental. But, it's working. Bite and hold. It's not going to make news. It's boring. Ok, they took a village. Woo. Oh that river crossing was a few boats and not an entire division? Yeah, they got some dudes and blew up some shit. But, we didn't lose hardly anything. 

Patience and perseverance are our best tools. Keep grinding away at that stump. It's getting turned into sawdust a little at a time. One spoon gouge tooth full at a time. They keep targeting civilians because they are dicks and stupid. All it does is reinforce the idea that those fuckers need a beating and we're going to give it to them. That shit is still news. Atrocious behavior gets eyeballs. Meanwhile back at the front those Ukes are wearing them down one day, one kilometer at a time. 

I ain't fond of being patient either. But, it's our best bet.

The bolded part has been said by many people, but I believe it is wrong.  Well, it is true, but their targeting of civilians and infrastructure is from the Russian play book.  They have been doing it all over and most recently if you look at Syria they especially did it there.

The intention is first that they don't care about bad publicity or people, they just want to win and get capitulation.  So while they target fighters, they also intentionally target Hospitals, schools, civilian living places etc.  They do this because while it makes people hate the Russians, what they are working to achieve is a point where people say "I'd rather know my kids are safe and we can get medical care and live with these totalitarian assholes in charge, than worry every day about my kids, parents, medical care etc."   If they are attacking your country you may support a fight, but if they attacking your ability to help your kids, family and provide them with basic necessities to live and survive then you may stop resisting, and just admit that while the Russians dominating you is a bad option, but it is better than constant fear and death for kids, families etc.

[atomheartbevo 89656]

So Russia wants to mobilize 500,000 additional soldiers.  They can barely equip/supply their existing soldiers, and fill out existing units, and that's with them bringing in convicts (the Duma recently voted to allow some criminals to join the Russian Army).

About 15% or so of their 140 million (plus or minus millions) residents are men within the 18-44 range, so around 20 million men - possibly less, Russian men's lifespans are bad and as Zeihan has pointed out, Russia has lied about their demographics.  

• They lost up to 1 million who fled the country last fall and this spring. 
• It's known that there are hundreds of thousands who are hiding from mobilization within Russia
• They mobilized 300,000 last fall
• They had 150,000 or so who aged into their required year of conscription in spring of 2022
• They had another 150,000 or so this past spring who aged into their required year of conscription.
• Prior to February, 2022, they had around 350,000 in the Russian Army (and Airborne units)
• They have/had 160,000 in the Navy.
• They have/had 160,000 in the Russian Air Force
• They have/had 50,000 in their strategic forces (Rocket whatever, their nuke forces)
• Wagner had 50,000 - 75,000 members (including convicts)
• National Guard (Rosgvardia) has around 340,000 (and many of these are already in Ukraine, but after Wagner's move, many may have been brought back)

They've had to continually expand the pool of eligibility - in May of last year, they raised the eligibility to serve in the Army up to age 65, and as mentioned, they now allow convicts in the Russian Army, not just Wagner).

I feel like it's safe to say that the 600,000 or so that they mobilized last year, or that were in their mandatory conscription in 2022 and 2023, have probably not been allowed to leave service (at least not intact).

Now their economy has taken a huge hit, so there's a lot of unemployment, probably hitting the 18-44 range pretty hard, so they've possibly got men to spare.

They've got hundreds of thousands who have either been killed or who are now incapable of front-line service due to injuries.

I'm curious where they find these 500,000, and get them to the front lines any time soon, let alone equip them.  Feels like if they had a ready pool, they would have already tapped it long before now.

Edited July 6, 2023 by atomheartbevo

[atomheartbevo 89656]

20 minutes ago, ABSR said:

The bolded part has been said by many people, but I believe it is wrong.  Well, it is true, but their targeting of civilians and infrastructure is from the Russian play book.  They have been doing it all over and most recently if you look at Syria they especially did it there.

The intention is first that they don't care about bad publicity or people, they just want to win and get capitulation.  So while they target fighters, they also intentionally target Hospitals, schools, civilian living places etc.  They do this because while it makes people hate the Russians, what they are working to achieve is a point where people say "I'd rather know my kids are safe and we can get medical care and live with these totalitarian assholes in charge, than worry every day about my kids, parents, medical care etc."   If they are attacking your country you may support a fight, but if they attacking your ability to help your kids, family and provide them with basic necessities to live and survive then you may stop resisting, and just admit that while the Russians dominating you is a bad option, but it is better than constant fear and death for kids, families etc.

I still wonder if some of it is due to a lack of accuracy - it's easy to hit a city, hard to hit smaller targets (such as military units that may be on the move). In their eyes, it's a waste of a missile of it hits an empty field, but if they point it at a city, they know they'll kill some people.  Not to mention Putin maybe in "If I can't have it, neither can you" mode.

[BehoId, The Underminer! 11669]

20 minutes ago, atomheartbevo said:

So Russia wants to mobilize 500,000 additional soldiers.  They can barely equip/supply their existing soldiers, and fill out existing units, and that's with them bringing in convicts (the Duma recently voted to allow some criminals to join the Russian Army).

About 15% or so of their 140 million (plus or minus millions) residents are men within the 18-44 range, so around 20 million men - possibly less, Russian men's lifespans are bad and as Zeihan has pointed out, Russia has lied about their demographics.  

• They lost up to 1 million who fled the country last fall and this spring. 
• It's known that there are hundreds of thousands who are hiding from mobilization within Russia
• They mobilized 300,000 last fall
• They had 150,000 or so who aged into their required year of conscription in spring of 2022
• They had another 150,000 or so this past spring who aged into their required year of conscription.
• Prior to February, 2022, they had around 350,000 in the Russian Army (and Airborne units)
• They have/had 160,000 in the Navy.
• They have/had 160,000 in the Russian Air Force
• They have/had 50,000 in their strategic forces (Rocket whatever, their nuke forces)
• Wagner had 50,000 - 75,000 members (including convicts)
• National Guard (Rosgvardia) has around 340,000 (and many of these are already in Ukraine, but after Wagner's move, many may have been brought back)

They've had to continually expand the pool of eligibility - in May of last year, they raised the eligibility to serve in the Army up to age 65, and as mentioned, they now allow convicts in the Russian Army, not just Wagner).

I feel like it's safe to say that the 600,000 or so that they mobilized last year, or that were in their mandatory conscription in 2022 and 2023, have probably not been allowed to leave service (at least not intact).

Now their economy has taken a huge hit, so there's a lot of unemployment, probably hitting the 18-44 range pretty hard, so they've possibly got men to spare.

They've got hundreds of thousands who have either been killed or who are now incapable of front-line service due to injuries.

I'm curious where they find these 500,000, and get them to the front lines any time soon, let alone equip them.  Feels like if they had a ready pool, they would have already tapped it long before now.

logistics and materiel is what is going to get them.  population wise, they'll be able to find enough dudes among the 140MM.

[atomheartbevo 89656]

10 minutes ago, BehoId, The Underminer! said:

logistics and materiel is what is going to get them.  population wise, they'll be able to find enough dudes among the 140MM.

And think about this: At this point, the gung-ho types have already joined. The rest are looking at a 3-week war that has instead lasted for nearly 18 months, and is going horribly wrong (not to mention the Wagner fiasco).  Any new dudes they pull in by force, and it will be by force at this point, I'm envisioning them using what amounts to press gangs, will be looking to surrender or weasel their way out of things.

[956 Worldwide 34705]

The man himself in there. Sorry for the shit pic, I know. 
 

[956 Worldwide 34705]

Prague doing it right for him:

[BehoId, The Underminer! 11669]

prague is ideal for euro spy thriller stuff.  hand someone on the street a folder and tell them 'yuri said the moon is full.'

[MagicSoccerSpray 1732]

1 hour ago, atomheartbevo said:

So Russia wants to mobilize 500,000 additional soldiers.  They can barely equip/supply their existing soldiers, and fill out existing units, and that's with them bringing in convicts (the Duma recently voted to allow some criminals to join the Russian Army).

About 15% or so of their 140 million (plus or minus millions) residents are men within the 18-44 range, so around 20 million men - possibly less, Russian men's lifespans are bad and as Zeihan has pointed out, Russia has lied about their demographics.  

• They lost up to 1 million who fled the country last fall and this spring. 
• It's known that there are hundreds of thousands who are hiding from mobilization within Russia
• They mobilized 300,000 last fall
• They had 150,000 or so who aged into their required year of conscription in spring of 2022
• They had another 150,000 or so this past spring who aged into their required year of conscription.
• Prior to February, 2022, they had around 350,000 in the Russian Army (and Airborne units)
• They have/had 160,000 in the Navy.
• They have/had 160,000 in the Russian Air Force
• They have/had 50,000 in their strategic forces (Rocket whatever, their nuke forces)
• Wagner had 50,000 - 75,000 members (including convicts)
• National Guard (Rosgvardia) has around 340,000 (and many of these are already in Ukraine, but after Wagner's move, many may have been brought back)

They've had to continually expand the pool of eligibility - in May of last year, they raised the eligibility to serve in the Army up to age 65, and as mentioned, they now allow convicts in the Russian Army, not just Wagner).

I feel like it's safe to say that the 600,000 or so that they mobilized last year, or that were in their mandatory conscription in 2022 and 2023, have probably not been allowed to leave service (at least not intact).

Now their economy has taken a huge hit, so there's a lot of unemployment, probably hitting the 18-44 range pretty hard, so they've possibly got men to spare.

They've got hundreds of thousands who have either been killed or who are now incapable of front-line service due to injuries.

I'm curious where they find these 500,000, and get them to the front lines any time soon, let alone equip them.  Feels like if they had a ready pool, they would have already tapped it long before now.

 

Moscow, St Petersburg, and Novgorod

[Neonmoon 38129]

Russia will have no problem finding 500,000 men. They still have the non-poor, the wounded, and lots more criminals. Will they be an effective fighting force? No, but I mean, a guy shooting a machine gun at you, even if it's because he has to or he will also get killed by his fellow Russians, is still a machine gun. 

[troph 24785]

17 hours ago, KYHorn said:

Interesting thread here. 

 

 

 

 

irrelevant to the discussion, but she's trans. fairly high profile in terms of being out and open about it too.

[956 Worldwide 34705]

I am not a gay man, but if I was or had to try…..

 

[troph 24785]

2 hours ago, ABSR said:

The bolded part has been said by many people, but I believe it is wrong.  Well, it is true, but their targeting of civilians and infrastructure is from the Russian play book.  They have been doing it all over and most recently if you look at Syria they especially did it there.

The intention is first that they don't care about bad publicity or people, they just want to win and get capitulation.  So while they target fighters, they also intentionally target Hospitals, schools, civilian living places etc.  They do this because while it makes people hate the Russians, what they are working to achieve is a point where people say "I'd rather know my kids are safe and we can get medical care and live with these totalitarian assholes in charge, than worry every day about my kids, parents, medical care etc."   If they are attacking your country you may support a fight, but if they attacking your ability to help your kids, family and provide them with basic necessities to live and survive then you may stop resisting, and just admit that while the Russians dominating you is a bad option, but it is better than constant fear and death for kids, families etc.

you're correct, but that's why the west needs to stay the course and even commit more.

[statsman 5457]

2 hours ago, ABSR said:

The bolded part has been said by many people, but I believe it is wrong.  Well, it is true, but their targeting of civilians and infrastructure is from the Russian play book.  They have been doing it all over and most recently if you look at Syria they especially did it there.

The intention is first that they don't care about bad publicity or people, they just want to win and get capitulation.  So while they target fighters, they also intentionally target Hospitals, schools, civilian living places etc.  They do this because while it makes people hate the Russians, what they are working to achieve is a point where people say "I'd rather know my kids are safe and we can get medical care and live with these totalitarian assholes in charge, than worry every day about my kids, parents, medical care etc."   If they are attacking your country you may support a fight, but if they attacking your ability to help your kids, family and provide them with basic necessities to live and survive then you may stop resisting, and just admit that while the Russians dominating you is a bad option, but it is better than constant fear and death for kids, families etc.

That strategy - “we will leverage our cruelty and willingness to commit atrocities, along with greater zeal for the fight, in order to force concessions from the enemy”  - is a real one, but it has had mixed results. 
 
1. The CSA was more about the zeal,but once the north got some hard SOBs (Gnt, Sherman) in charge of the US army, it didn’t matter. 
2. The Germans called it “total war”, this idea that a battle would end either in death or victory, and that they were harder than their foes, and more willing to do what it took. They were mistaken about their foes. 
3. The Imperial Japanese Army also thought their zeal and hardness would cause the US to shrink back. They badly miscalculated the seemingly civilized and Christian US willingness to slaughter. 
 
My point is- this strategy can backfire badly. 

[MissingInAction 25043]

Nothing more dangerous than the self righteous.

[Chad Fuck 17672]

6 minutes ago, MissingInAction said:

Nothing more dangerous than the self righteous.

Not just to others, but to themselves as well. 

 

[NorthLoop 14193]

1 hour ago, Neonmoon said:

Russia will have no problem finding 500,000 men. They still have the non-poor, the wounded, and lots more criminals. Will they be an effective fighting force? No, but I mean, a guy shooting a machine gun at you, even if it's because he has to or he will also get killed by his fellow Russians, is still a machine gun. 

A rusty machine gun with no bullets will only kill you with Tetanus. 

[locodos 5387]

https://www.npr.org/2023/07/06/1186171096/us-ukraine-cluster-munitions-russia

Quote

U.S. officials tell NPR that the Biden administration plans to send cluster bombs, or munitions, to Ukraine to target dug-in Russian forces. An announcement is expected tomorrow.

The controversial weapons drop dozens of bomblets that human rights groups say endanger civilians.

Ukraine and Russia are already using cluster munitions on the battlefield, but Ukraine is running low on ammunition and has pressed the U.S. to send such weapons.

Officials say the cluster bombs will be effective against Russian forces in strong defensive positions as well as command and control headquarters.

More than 100 countries ban such weapons because unexploded bomblets can be picked up by civilians, causing injury or death. Cluster bombs release a larger number of bomblets over a wide area, and they can continue to pose a deadly risk even long after the fighting has ceased.

The U.S. has a large stockpile of cluster munitions and used them in both the Afghan and Iraq wars.

 

Edited July 6, 2023 by locodos

[Pods 7552]

Ukraine has been a remarkably good judge of what they need to do so far in this war and I'm confident they'll be competent at cleaning up the battlefields after they force the Orcs back to Mordor. 

If Ukraine says they need them, give them the cluster munitions and anything else they are asking for.

[atomheartbevo 89656]

Just now, Pods said:

Ukraine has been a remarkably good judge of what they need to do so far in this war and I'm confident they'll be competent at cleaning up the battlefields after they force the Orcs back to Mordor. 

If Ukraine says they need them, give them the cluster munitions and anything else they are asking for.

Exactly where I'm at.  Ukraine is already having to (unfortunately) build out a robust EOD infrastructure.  We have a ton of them, and were apparently looking at disposing of them at some point in the near future, if Ukraine wants to accept the responsibility, start shipping.  We already know the Russians will do their best to get rid of these things either on foot or with vehicles.