Русский корабль - иди нахуй

[BehoId, The Underminer! 11668]

40 minutes ago, KYHorn said:

 

 

I’ve been wondering if we think we are trying to induce early offensives.  Put them in the position where they feel like they have to attack now or it’ll be too late in 6 months when all of NATOs arms are at the front line. Get a replay of their first half-ass unorganized offensive again. 

[Scheiss Meister 8399]

53 minutes ago, BehoId, The Underminer! said:

I’ve been wondering if we think we are trying to induce early offensives.  Put them in the position where they feel like they have to attack now or it’ll be too late in 6 months when all of NATOs arms are at the front line. Get a replay of their first half-ass unorganized offensive again. 

Probably not.  You never want to give the enemy the initiative so that you have to react to him.  You always want to dictate the where, when and how.  Inducing offensives may give some tactical advantages in some areas, but it risks allowing Russia to take the initiative somewhere.

[Captainant 27457]

17 hours ago, Brisketexan said:

Also, the Germans may be dithering twats who are way too cozy with the rooskies.....but gotdamn, their language and company names are so fucking metal.

Of course this is an arms manufacturer:

 

Fucking literally metal as hell.  They should do a dual bill with Rammstein.  Du hast.....TANKS.

Rheinmetall developed some of the first breach loading, recoil compensating, steel cannons back around the the 1890s/1900s. They've been making arms for a loooooooong time. Glad they're on the right side now

[Armybrat 40740]

If the new tanks fail to stop the Russians, there is always this Doomsday option from England…

 

[Ted Lange 16050]

 

[Gatorubet 30104]

 

Typical crazed Russian primetime TV.   The internal logic disconnect and hypocrisy is always stunning to watch. While he rants about Russia being this supreme military giant who can attack all of the NATO countries capitals and set them aflame with impunity, he also knowledges how they can’t hold ground in Ukraine and the border is too close to Russia. They talk about destroying the Abrams and Leopard tanks, but then whine with fear that “NATO has 3 1/2 times their equipment” and that mobilized soldiers “only have Kalashnikov, not antitank weapons.” They briefly talk about helicopters delivered to Ukraine while saying “this is not old Soviet stuff but new western NATO equipment.”  It is so weird to see how they can’t bring themshelves to accept the fact that they are inferior to the west.
In one breath they acknowledge that NATO has been kicking their ass and has better kit, and then the next breath they assure everyone that the Russian soldiers will be “marching in Berlin”.    He asks “why are the Baltics allowed to exist?”, given those countries support of Ukraine.   And of course he advocates strategic and tactical nuclear war and dropping bombs on everyone.  He briefly mentions that China and India might have an issue with that, but then says as soon as the west destroys Russia, they will go after China next so how could China mind?  Naturally, he surmises that they haven’t talked to China about that yet (after all, it’s only been a year….. what diplomat doing?), and just ignores the fact that the Chinese already told them to get the fuck out of Ukraine, and that China does not approve of the invasion.  
If you are some old impressionable Russians isolated from other media watching this shit every day on TV, you will definitely be terrified of NATO and your future.   It seems like he is preparing them to be willing to suffer bigly in order to keep what he calls “the Fourth Reich tanks “ (they also call it the “armada”) from attacking Russia again.  
I wonder if this whole kabuki theatre is a conscious effort to groom and prepare the public for the really shitty days ahead with shortages, bad war news and deaths to come.   They have called it “a continuation of the Great Patriotic War” (WWII).    Linking the coming misery to a global war on Russia may be an attempt to get the Russian population to accept their new, harsh, shitty reality by ginning up a patriotic fervor that prevents people from protesting said new shitty reality.
TL, DR:   Unhinged assholes are scared of NATO tanks and call for nuke strikes on NATO because our stuff is better….all while telling Russians their country to prepare for being invaded by German nazi tanks again. 

Edited January 28, 2023 by Gatorubet

[KYHorn 16864]

Newly elected Czech President. Ukrainians seem pleased.

 

 

[BehoId, The Underminer! 11668]

6 minutes ago, KYHorn said:

Newly elected Czech President. Ukrainians seem pleased.

 

 

I was really excited to see this.  I feel like it’s a harbinger of a big pro West democratic push in Europe. 

[KYHorn 16864]

 

 

[KYHorn 16864]

A few brave Russian citizens.

 

 

[MillerEP 30339]

 

[MillerEP 30339]

 

[Gatorubet 30104]

Damn it tapa

[The Dog 43804]

 

[MillerEP 30339]

Bakhmuta district. The contract is over

[MillerEP 30339]

 

[Gatorubet 30104]

1 hour ago, MillerEP said:

 

FYI, the PT-91 is the Twardy.  So it looks like Poland is giving 14 leopards, 30 Twardy upgraded T 72s, and 30 additional tanks (that I assume are T 72s with unknown degrees of modernization).  Hell, 30 T 72s are a welcome gift just by themselves.      

https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2023/01/04/poland-signs-deal-to-buy-2nd-batch-of-us-abrams-tanks/

Quote

Defence Minister Mariusz Błaszczak signed the $1.4 billion deal at a military base in Wesola, near Warsaw. The agreement foresees the delivery of 116 M1A1 Abrams tanks with related equipment and logistics starting this year.

Attending the signing ceremony were U.S. deputy chief of mission in Poland Daniel Lawton and U.S. Brig. Gen. John Lubas, deputy commander of the 101st Airborne Division, elements of which are stationed in southeastern Poland close to the border with Ukraine.

The deal follows last year’s agreement for the acquisition of 250 upgraded M1A2 Abrams tanks that will be delivered in the 2025-2026 time frame. Poland is also awaiting delivery of American High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems and has already received Patriot missile batteries.

Also, in addition to the 250 M1A2 Abrams ordered by Poland last year, they recently ordered an additional 116 M1A1s for 2023.    I’m not sure if the plan is to replace the tanks Poland is giving Ukraine, or whether the M1A1’s are intended for additional 2023 gifting to Ukraine.  I assume the 116 are clearing out old kit.   

 

Feel free to add some stock to the 401K. 

 

[KYHorn 16864]

 

 

 

[KYHorn 16864]

 

 

 

[KYHorn 16864]

 

 

 

 

[The Dog 43804]

 

[KYHorn 16864]

Long but informative and well-sourced article. Long-range missiles are also mentioned quite a bit...

At the Pentagon, push to send F-16s to Ukraine picks up steam

https://www.politico.com/news/2023/01/28/pentagon-send-f-16s-ukraine-00080045

Spoiler

At the Pentagon, push to send F-16s to Ukraine picks up steam

Kyiv has renewed its request for modern fighters in recent days after the U.S. and Germany approved transferring tanks.

 

 

Ukraine has kept American-made F-16s on its weapons wish list since the Russian invasion last year. | Master Sgt. Caycee Watson/U.S. Air National Guard

By LARA SELIGMAN, ERIN BANCO, CONNOR O’BRIEN, PAUL MCLEARY and LEE HUDSON

01/28/2023 03:41 PM EST

Updated: 01/28/2023 04:22 PM EST

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A contingent of military officials is quietly pushing the Pentagon to approve sending F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine to help the country defend itself from Russian missile and drone attacks, according to three people with knowledge of the discussions.

Ukraine has kept American-made F-16s on its weapons wish list since the Russian invasion last year. But Washington and Kyiv have viewed artillery, armor and ground-based air defense systems as more urgent needs as Ukraine seeks to protect civilian infrastructure and claw back ground occupied by Russian forces.

As Ukraine prepares to launch a new offensive to retake territory in the spring, the campaign inside the Defense Department for fighter jets is gaining momentum, according to a DoD official and two other people involved in the discussions. Those people, along with others interviewed for this story, asked not to be named in order to discuss internal matters.

 

Spurred in part by the rapid approval of tanks and Patriot air defense systems — which not long ago were off-limits for export to Ukraine — there is renewed optimism in Kyiv that U.S. jets could be next up.

 

 

Biden announces U.S. will send Abrams tanks to Ukraine

 

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“I don’t think we are opposed,” said a senior DoD official about the F-16s, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive debate. The person stressed that there has been no final decision.

However, Ukraine has yet to declare that fighter jets are its top priority, the official stressed, noting that the Pentagon is focused on sending Kyiv the capabilities it needs for the immediate fight.

 

But fighter jets may be moving to the top spot soon. Kyiv has renewed its request for modern fighters in recent days, with a top adviser to the country’s defense minister telling media outlets that officials will push for jets from the U.S. and European countries.

A top Ukrainian official said Saturday that Ukraine and its Western allies are engaged in “fast-track” talks on possibly sending both long-range missiles and military aircraft.

One adviser to the Ukrainian government said the subject has been raised with Washington, but there has been “nothing too serious” on the table yet. Another person familiar with the conversations between Washington and Kyiv said it could take “weeks” for the U.S. to make a decision on shipments of its own jets and approve the re-export of the F-16s from other countries.

“If we get them, the advantages on the battlefield will be just immense. ... It’s not just F-16s: fourth generation aircraft, this is what we want,” Yuriy Sak, who advises Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov, told Reuters.

A White House spokesperson declined to comment for this story, but pointed to remarks by deputy national security adviser Jon Finer. He said the U.S. would be discussing fighter jets “very carefully” with Kyiv and its allies.

“We have not ruled in or out any specific systems,” Finer said on MSNBC Thursday.

 

“We have nothing to announce regarding F-16s,” said a DOD spokesperson. “As always, we’ll continue to consult closely with the Ukrainians and our international Allies and partners on Ukraine’s security assistance needs to enable them to defend their country.”

Ukraine wants modern fighters — U.S. Air Force F-16s or F-15s, or their European equivalents the German Tornado or Swedish Gripen — to replace its fleet of Soviet-era jets. Dozens of the more modern planes will become available over the next year as countries such as Finland, Germany and the Netherlands upgrade to U.S. F-35 fighters.

Despite the age of Ukraine’s jets, Kyiv’s integrated air defenses have kept Russia from dominating its skies since the Feb. 24 invasion.

But now, officials are concerned that Ukraine is running out of missiles to protect its skies. Once its arsenal is depleted, Russia’s advanced fighter jets will be able to move in and Kyiv “will not be able to compete,” said the DoD official involved in the discussions.

Modern fighter jets could be one solution to this problem, argues a group of military officials in the Pentagon and elsewhere. F-16s carry air-to-air missiles that can shoot down incoming missiles and drones. And unlike the Patriots and National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems the West is currently sending, fighter jets can move around an area quickly to protect different targets.

 

“If they get [F-16] Vipers and they have an active air-to-air missile with the radar the F-16 currently has with some electronic protection, now it’s an even game,” the DoD official said.

Even if the U.S. decided not to send the Air Force’s F-16s, other Western nations have American-made fighters they could supply. For example, Dutch Foreign Affairs Minister Wopke Hoekstra told the Dutch parliament last week that his Cabinet would look at supplying F-16s, if Kyiv requests them. But the U.S. must approve the transfer.

Senior Pentagon officials acknowledge that Ukraine needs new aircraft for the long term. But for now, some argue that Ukraine has a greater need for more traditional air defenses, such as the Patriots and NASAMs that the U.S. and other countries are supplying, because jets may take months to arrive.

Sending Ukraine F-16s “does not solve the cruise missile or drone problem right now,” the senior DoD official said.

Big push for training

Others say the need for fighter jets is more urgent. Ukraine has identified a list of up to 50 pilots who are ready now to start training on the F-16, according to a DoD official and a Ukrainian official, as well as three other people familiar with the discussions. These seasoned pilots speak English and have thousands of combat missions under their belts, and could be trained in as little as three months, the people said.

Many of them have already trained with the U.S. military in major exercises before the invasion. In 2011 and 2018, Americans and Ukrainians participated in military drills in the skies over Ukraine. In 2011, the Americans brought over their F-16s and taught the Ukrainian pilots, in their MiG-29s and Su-27s, how to protect a stadium in preparation for the 2012 Euro Cup.

 

After Russia illegally annexed Crimea in 2014, the U.S. and Ukraine held a second joint 2018 exercise aimed at teaching Ukrainian pilots homeland defense tactics and controlling the skies. The American pilots used their F-15s to replicate Russian fighter tactics.

Ukraine is pushing the U.S. to start training its fighter pilots on the F-16s now, before President Joe Biden approves supplying the jets, according to the Ukrainian official and one of the people familiar. But there is no appetite in the Pentagon for this proposal, U.S. officials said. One alternative under discussion at lower levels is to start training Ukrainian pilots on introductory fighter tactics in trainer jets.

Ukraine has also considered contracting with private companies in the U.S. to begin training pilots, according to one of the people familiar with the matter.

It’s likely U.S. military training would not start without a presidential decision to supply American fighters. One concern for the Biden administration all along is that sending advanced weapons could be seen by Russia as an escalation, prompting Vladimir Putin to use nuclear weapons.

But officials point out that the F-16 was first built in the 1980s, and the Air Force is already retiring parts of the fleet. While sending Ukraine the stealthy American F-22s or F-35s would be considered escalatory, sending F-16s would not, they said.

 

“Let’s face it, a nuclear war isn’t going to happen over F-16s,” the DoD official said.

One European official agreed, saying F-16s “cannot be considered escalatory.”

“It’s simply part of the toolkit of having conventional weapons,” the person said.

Yet F-16s are complex systems that also require massive infrastructure and highly skilled technicians to operate and maintain. Training Ukrainian maintainers would likely take longer than training the pilots, and the U.S. may need to bring in contractors to do some of that instruction.

Lawmaker support

Providing F-16s is likely to win some support on Capitol Hill, where Democrats and Republicans alike have chided the administration for not moving quickly enough or for withholding certain capabilities, such as longer-range artillery. Sending Russian-made MiG fighters to Ukraine, via Eastern European countries that still fly them, won bipartisan support, though a weapons swap ultimately never came to fruition.

Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Ill.), who co-chairs the Congressional Ukrainian Caucus, said he’s “not against” providing F-16s to Kyiv, but broadly favors providing Ukraine with “whatever works.”

 

“You can’t half-ass a war. Putin’s not. You’ve got to meet Putin armor for armor, weapon for weapon, because there’s already an extraordinary disadvantage in number of troops,” Quigley said. “Whatever works, whatever they need, send to them.

“My message when I first started talking about this is what were once vices are now habits,” he said. “Everything we ever proposed was seen as escalatory.”

But the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, Rep. Adam Smith (Wash.), cast doubt on the need to send F-16s into the conflict, where fighters haven’t proved pivotal.

“I’m not opposed to it,” Smith said. “It’s just not at the top of the list of anybody’s priorities who’s focused on what [weapons] the fight really needs right now.”

He noted that F-16s, much like older MiG jets debated last year, would be vulnerable to Russian air defenses and fifth-generation fighters. Instead, Smith underscored the need to supply ammunition for air defense batteries, longer-range missiles, tanks and armored vehicles.

“What we really need to be focused on is air defense, number one,” he said. “And number two, artillery.”

 

[Gatorubet 30104]

18 minutes ago, The Dog said:

I said a couple days ago Russia has one of two bad choices: 1) wait till all the tanks arrive and then invade in the summer, or; 2) make a PR political decision to invade before the tanks all arrive, but also before the Russian army is remotely ready due to poor training and manpower, ammo, transportation and logistical competence issues. 

I sweatergawd, I think those morons have chosen door number two because every officer of a lower rank tells his superior they are good to go. 

 

[956 Worldwide 34443]

Czechs elected a new president. Former NATO military committee chief. 
 

 

[Schulz2.0 28770]

7 minutes ago, 956 Worldwide said:

Czechs elected a new president. Former NATO military committee chief. 
 

 

The guy Pavel was running against was likened to the Czech version of Orban. So yeah, good outcome.

[Schulz2.0 28770]

 

[KYHorn 16864]

 

[KYHorn 16864]

Explains recent challenges reported around Bakhmut.

 

 

[KYHorn 16864]

Interesting development:

 

Conflicting reports:

 

Edited January 29, 2023 by KYHorn

[NorthLoop 14092]

Here we go

[statsman 5425]

I read that a Ukrainian official said the other day that Israel was “helping in different ways”. 
 

Clever. Usually, everyone would give Israel shit for blowing up stuff in Iran, but in this case, they probably get away with it. 😄

Edited January 29, 2023 by statsman

[Nivek 16859]

I run into the same problem so just give him a hook em. But glad the man is doing what he is doing. Gives me more time to bonk vatniks on twitter. 
 

Easy, I rep the man and his work, not the content necessarily.

[SL Xpress 7505]

1 hour ago, KYHorn said:

Interesting development.

Conflicting reports:

 

 

My grandfather, Don Wolgamott, ran the big Iranian helicopter base in Isfahan for the Shah from 1972 to 1975. It's interesting to me that the drone manufacturing is located there. 

A couple of stories from that time. More than anything it was a training base. My grandfather was considered an expert trainer with extensive management experience both in the military and as a civilian, so that's the reason he was tapped for the job through his employment at Bell Helicopter based out of Fort Worth. 

He told me the trainees would come in and immediately ask, "Can you make us as good as the Israelis?" My grandfather was the blunt sort - charming, but extremely blunt. He'd tell them, "No. But I can help you be the best helicopter pilot you were meant to be."

Not to rag on any Muslims on the board, but to my grandfather, a part of the issue was the culture. When he'd try to exhort his students to pay attention to something that was critical to being a good pilot, too often he got the response, "God be willing. If God wants this to happen it will." For him too often their religious belief structure was getting into the way of their self agency. I'm not saying that was true for everyone, but for him it was true a lot of the time, and it hampered their ability to be good pilots. 

One of the stories he loved to tell is about one particular student. Granddad didn't spend much time on individual pilots, but he had a system where pilots would rotate through instructors, especially if they were struggling. In his experience different students responded differently to different instructors, and vice versa. If they struggled with multiple instructors he'd take them on a check ride to see if in his opinion there was potential there, or in his opinion they had to be washed out (pronounced warshed out, btw). His goal in these situations - and this wasn't just at the Iranian training base, this came from back when he was training US pilots for Vietnam - was to put the pilot in a situation where they realized if he wasn't there to bail them out, they would have died because they responded to the circumstances inappropriately. 

So he takes this guy who has been struggling - we'll call him Arash. He thinks, maybe it's a matter of confidence. So they go through some basic stuff pre flight, take off, and steady flight. Arash isn't exactly passing with flying colors, but he's surviving. Granddad gives him a bit of a compliment before they do some manuevers. "Son, it looks like you have the makings of a good pilot. You're handling yourself pretty well up here." And the guy responds, "Yes yes. I suppose I am." 

At which point Granddad figured out that whatever the guy's issues, confidence wasn't really one of them. BTW, the guy did warsh out that day. 

Edited January 29, 2023 by SL Xpress

[SL Xpress 7505]

Lots more rumblings about US fighter jets.

https://www.politico.com/news/2023/01/28/pentagon-send-f-16s-ukraine-00080045

This article even gives a number - 24 F16s. 

https://www.yahoo.com/now/ukraine-expects-receive-24-modern-145700504.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAABlja0AAPbMfkP32nX_lRimo3ZXL_EjTGE0cJjXHdgkw8Fu0VNV1UQlxyBH85SuR2rTwZa-TdoilRV1f2nlA-1QsSTyMXdZcrgP161V7ptzgMJF-CWuBdVC05vzLoqmz9wRhIX-Q6h6RmS90mqaNZznopaLmAyThjO_ySHZIc0FN

Also, I'm seeing in the comments across social media platforms I frequent, including blogs and so forth, a bunch of folks saying they work in the Defense Department on air force bases, and they've already been seeing Ukrainian pilots training for months. 

Maybe my retired colonel "friend" knew what he was talking about after all. 

I want to believe. 

[NAVY 6738]

2 hours ago, KYHorn said:

 

It’s been 5 minutes and I’m still laughing 

[Serak The Preparer 3424]

21 hours ago, 956 Worldwide said:

I think it’s clear that Putin was after a fairly high-end version of the moderate scenario and that’s still his desired end state. Two things prevented this from potentially working and that’s the defeat of Russian airborne forces at the Battle of Hostomel Airport and the Russian failure to integrate strategic aviation and precision strikes into the initial invasion push. 

I think this was a real turning point in American support for Ukraine. It reminds us so much of when the Continental Army took over airports during the Revolutionary War.

Edited January 29, 2023 by Serak The Preparer

[atomheartbevo 89434]

31 minutes ago, Serak The Preparer said:

I think this was a real turning point in American support for Ukraine. It reminds us so much of when the Continental Army took over airports during the Revolutionary War.

That's funny, but yeah, seeing the CNN reporter trying to interview Russian airborne, and the Russians couldn't hold it, that was a huge defeat.

In terms of what @SL Xpress is talking about, F-16.net says we have a thousand in storage (https://www.f-16.net/aircraft-database/F-16/stored-aircraft/airforce/USAF/), but even it's just a few hundred, hell yeah, they aren't going anywhere - we have a much smaller AF than we did when they were manufactured, plus we've added the F-22s and F-35s.

[RPM 26228]

It would take less than a week to ramp up F-16 production in Ft. Worth.

[956 Worldwide 34443]

1 hour ago, RPM said:

It would take less than a week to ramp up F-16 production in Ft. Worth.

F-16 line moved to Greenville, the Ft. Worth plant is all F-35 now. 

[RPM 26228]

12 minutes ago, 956 Worldwide said:

F-16 line moved to Greenville, the Ft. Worth plant is all F-35 now. 

Damn you and your factual smackdown to my warhawk hyperbole!

[KYHorn 16864]

10 hours ago, KYHorn said:

Interesting development:

 

Conflicting reports:

 

Interview in the Kyiv Post with former Israeli ambassador to Russia about the attack. Probably raises more questions than provides answers.

https://www.kyivpost.com/post/11620

Spoiler

 

 

Suspected Israeli Strikes on Iran: Former Israeli Ambassador on Ramifications

 

Could the attack on Jan, 28 lead to World War III? Might it speed up a Ukrainian victory? Former diplomat and national security expert Arkadi Mil-Man speaks to Kyiv Post.

 

by Jason Jay Smart | January 29, 2023, 1:47 pm | Comments (0)

This image grab taken from a UGC video posted on January 29, 2023, reportedly shows an explosion in Iran's Isfahan province. Iran repelled a drone attack on a military site in central Isfahan province, the defence ministry said early Sunday acording to the IRNA news agency. UGC / AFP

• Born in Lviv, Ukraine, Arkadi Mil-Man served as Israeli ambassador to Russia between 2003 and 2006. He is currently a senior researcher and head of the Russia Program at the Institute for National Security Studies. As a top expert on national security and foreign policy, he speaks exclusively to Kyiv Post on what Israel’s drone attack last night on Russian ally Iran might mean for Russia’s war in Ukraine.

First off – Why did Israel decide to strike Iran last night, on Jan. 28? Early news reports indicate that weapons stockpiles, drone manufacturing sites and oil depots were hit. What do you make of this?

We do not know if it was in fact Israel behind the explosions. Importantly, Israel never takes responsibility for such actions. Maybe it is – maybe it isn’t.

Actions like this are good for the free world – for the U.S., for Israel, for everyone. Frankly, that is why I think this explosion came from Western countries, not Israel. Perhaps even domestic Iranian opposition groups.

Russia has been highly reliant on Iranian drones and other technologies. Do you believe that the decision to attack was related to this?

We do not know for sure if a drone factory was destroyed. We know that it held shells for artillery. But it’s possible that it held drones, hence being a target for attack.

How will this strike affect Russia’s ability to wage war against Ukraine?

MORE ON THIS TOPIC

US Says Iran Now Russia’s ‘Top Military Backer’

Iran and Russia’s deepening relationship risks threatening global security.

I do not believe it will directly affect Russia’s ability to wage war. Iran has lots of weapons and drones and I do not see that these explosions will significantly change Iranian supplies to Russia.

Over the past week, there was an Israeli anti-terrorist raid in the Palestinian city of Jenin, and a terrorist attack in Jerusalem. How do you see things playing out?

This is a [fresh] wave of Arab terror against Israelis… The situation is complicated and it’s a real crisis. The government must take certain measures and we will see what happens in the next two or three weeks as the situation is critical and problematic.

Will there be more violence because of these strikes on Iran? 

Yes, of course! The Iranians are always planning violent attacks on Western countries and against Israel. In their world view, there is no other option. We can expect the violence to continue.

This is the logic of their regime: violence against Israel and violence against their own citizens.

Many of the countries on the scene (i.e. Iran, Israel, Syria, Russia, Ukraine, NATO states, etc.) have conflicting or divergent interests. How will this all turn out? World War III? Or Russia’s quicker demise?

I do not think that we are on the eve of World War III, although the situation is a real crisis. NATO countries are seeking to avoid being directly involved in the Russo-Ukrainian War.

However, if Russia were to use a tactical nuclear weapon in Ukraine, I am confident there would be World War III.

Why?

Because it is a "game changer" – because NATO and the U.S. would be forced to react. They would not allow the situation to continue to get out of control.

And then what would happen?

It would be a total disaster for Russia. 

 

Edited January 29, 2023 by KYHorn

[Nivek 16859]

Just put the same sanctions on Iran.

[KYHorn 16864]

Signs still pointing to Israel

[BehoId, The Underminer! 11668]

Lol.  Can’t tell if that interview is even real. 

[BehoId, The Underminer! 11668]

Actions like this are good for the free world – for the U.S., for Israel, for everyone. Frankly, that is why I think this explosion came from Western countries, not Israel.
 

This is good for Israel, which is why I don’t think it was Israel. 

[KYHorn 16864]

Helpful thread explains limits of providing F-16s:

 

He also addresses the A-10 question:

 

 

[Parliament 14135]

If we're talking rough airfields and the ability to avoid Russian SAM's, let's give them the F35C shitbird.  

[BehoId, The Underminer! 11668]

I’m anxious about fighters over there.  I think we will see a lot of downed planes and that is going to be a pretty big deal for a lot of reasons. 

[RPM 26228]

People wanting to ship A-10s don't understand the battlefield. Drones are 50x more effective with zero friendly pilots at risk.

[Bevo 13527]

5 minutes ago, BehoId, The Underminer! said:

I’m anxious about fighters over there.  I think we will see a lot of downed planes and that is going to be a pretty big deal for a lot of reasons. 

I don't think they will be used much in offensive operations. Moreover, I think the idea among military leaders is that the war is about to change. Russia is going to mount an offensive to mark the one yer anniversary of the war. It is assumed that Ukraine will be able to stop this offensive and launch a massive counteroffensive. Then the situation gets dicey as Russia weighs its options.