Русский корабль - иди нахуй

[InkaUtexas 25486]

2 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

How disastrous a Le Pen victory in France could be cannot be overstated.

There is a war between hard-right authoritarianism and the rest of the world being waged, and it has been for some time.   Some countries have pulled back from the brink (some by a good bit, some barely), others remain there (Hungary and Orban), and others remain vulnerable.

Putin's asymmetric war against the West is far from over.  Shit was set in motion that can't all be stopped overnight.

And for those of you wondering and using those terms, yes, WWIII has been going on for 10-15 years now, and most of the wins (e.g., Brexit) have been Russia's.  This war is the first real setback they've experienced....and they could still pull out something that can be characterized as a win.

oh I realize how much of a Aw Shit moment it would be. My question was about military support. 

One thing we are tracking is the push to control the information in Latin America and Africa. Vladicito knows this game very well. 

One thing about the threats to Bosnia. Orban could easily get involved. He is NATO's weak link. 

[MillerEP 30339]

Cemetery of destroyed equipment of the occupiers.
 Chernihiv region.

Chernobyl nuclear power plant. The racists set up checkpoints right next to the sarcophagus above the fourth power unit of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. Interestingly, after the station staff explained to the racists that the sand from the Red Forest was radioactive, they left their checkpoints. It was necessary not to say.

Even the headlights were stolen from an old VAZ on a pedestal

 In the Chornobyl zone, orcs desecrated a memorial to police officers. They also shot the car.

[MillerEP 30339]

This is all that is left of the regional power car, which set off to repair the networks in Dergachi. The car exploded on an enemy mine. People are alive, but in hospital with injuries.

Specialists of electronic warfare 24 OMBr was planted UAV Orlan-30.

[CooterBrown 17901]

You shouldn't read anything into that for a couple reasons:
1) Just as with POTUS, the Russian nuclear football is always readily accessible.  The reasons for that are obviously.  So it shouldn't be a surprise to see the guy carrying it closely at hand.
2) The Russians use the nuclear football as something of a symbol of state authority vested in the president.  It's like with the lictors who would accompany a Roman magistrate carrying the fasces.  It's just an ostentatious display of brute force--very Russian.  But it's always there; there's no significance to it being there right now.

With what we’ve seen so far, I wouldn’t be surprised if Russia’s nuclear football is still on analog cellular technology while all the towers are now digital.

[Pescado_Rojo 19330]

1 minute ago, CooterBrown said:

With what we’ve seen so far, I wouldn’t be surprised if Russia’s nuclear football is still on analog cellular technology while all the towers are now digital.

[MillerEP 30339]

The Russian-captured rescue ship Sapphire has returned to Ukrainian control.

 Today he was taken to the Romanian port of Sulina.

👇🏼 Russian infantry also won and rested for life on one of the streets of the Ukrainian city.

Chernihiv region.

[MillerEP 30339]

And about the good.

 A lot of destroyed Russian equipment, scattered here and there.

 But all the attention is attracted by one interesting object made of ferrous metal - ZRPK Pantsir-S1.

 One more to the treasury of humiliated and confirmed 👍

The level of training of Russian tankers, could not move across the bridge ...

[TexasEd 8064]

3 hours ago, Rimbo said:

Finland's hackers are better than Russia's hackers

 

2 hours ago, utee94 said:

 

A year after this I was setting up Silicon Graphics multi processor workstations to create visuals for training programs to convey spatial relationships of a very complex nature.

 

[atomheartbevo 89395]

Putin trying to drag reservists into active duty.  Meanwhile

 

[MillerEP 30339]

❗️ Andriyivka, Kyiv region
 Terrible consequences of the occupation by Russian assassins 1/3

 

[MillerEP 30339]

How to argue about the invasion of Ukraine with Russian TV viewers (English subs)

[Celery Man 20881]

3 hours ago, Superhero said:

If the current reserves are carrying Mosin Nagant rifles, are the new ones going to be carrying sticks?

[cactusflinthead 27594]

 

[MillerEP 30339]

This has never happened before, and here it is again - on state television they “refute fakes” from Bucha, passing off the shooting of a film in Russia as an open exposure

 

[MillerEP 30339]

^Man, I hope that's true.

[atomheartbevo 89395]

From one of the Russian memorial pages, shitty translation

Alexander Viktorovich Bespalov was the commander of the 59th Guards Tank Regiment, according to acquaintances and friends of the officer. The memorial service was held at the Energetik Palace of Culture.

"I did not know and did not meet a more worthy person who had the right to call himself an officer than my first commander Alexander Bespalov, who became a friend to me, whose family I was closely acquainted, - a comrade of the officer joined VK with condolences. - He was for me who really has the right to call himself an officer of the Russian army, whom I respected and respect on an equal basis with my father. A man of honor and military valor, who cares with all his heart and soul for his military work and for his Fatherland. Have an easy way, Commander. Peace and prosperity to your family and your family for all time."

Dear readers, we are forced to close the comments regarding materials related to the topic of the special operation in Ukraine and its consequences. This measure is forced, but we hope it is temporary. Thank you for your understanding!

[atomheartbevo 89395]

From one of the rogue Russian websites

"The program of Russian President Vladimir Putin to dispose of the highest command staff of the armed forces of the Russian Federation on the territory of Ukraine does not slow down.

Thus, Colonel Alexander Viktorovich Bespalov, commander of the 59th Guards Lublin twice Red Banner Regiment, Order of Suvorov and Kutuzov Regiment, was killed by Ukrainian fighters.

Where exactly the colonel entered the state of "cargo 200" is not reported.

Buried on April 8"

[InkaUtexas 25486]

11 minutes ago, atomheartbevo said:

From one of the Russian memorial pages, shitty translation

Alexander Viktorovich Bespalov was the commander of the 59th Guards Tank Regiment, according to acquaintances and friends of the officer. The memorial service was held at the Energetik Palace of Culture.

"I did not know and did not meet a more worthy person who had the right to call himself an officer than my first commander Alexander Bespalov, who became a friend to me, whose family I was closely acquainted, - a comrade of the officer joined VK with condolences. - He was for me who really has the right to call himself an officer of the Russian army, whom I respected and respect on an equal basis with my father. A man of honor and military valor, who cares with all his heart and soul for his military work and for his Fatherland. Have an easy way, Commander. Peace and prosperity to your family and your family for all time."

Dear readers, we are forced to close the comments regarding materials related to the topic of the special operation in Ukraine and its consequences. This measure is forced, but we hope it is temporary. Thank you for your understanding!

Pudgy ass looking officer corp. Here is our last 4 Star to run Afghanistan. Bad ass dude. 

[Schulz2.0 28761]

1 hour ago, MillerEP said:

^Man, I hope that's true.

I'm skeptical based off some of the readings that were shown on social media. Radiation exposure? Yes, but not dangerous levels. Maybe there were levels higher than what has been shown. Radioactive particles in the lungs would be my main concern.

[atomheartbevo 89395]

13 minutes ago, Schulz2.0 said:

I'm skeptical based off some of the readings that were shown on social media. Radiation exposure? Yes, but not dangerous levels. Maybe there were levels higher than what has been shown. Radioactive particles in the lungs would be my main concern.

I am skeptical too, but if they were digging trenches/etc. in the grounds around Chernobyl, I could easily see it - I doubt the Soviets did all of that great of a job in cleaning up, especially the farther out you get from the power plants.  They could have easily brought in dirt/etc. and just covered up some of those areas.

But even if there wasn't much contamination, if they dug into even mildly contaminated areas, and then lived there for weeks on end, breathing in the stuff they stirred up, yeah, they are fucked.

Would be ironic if it made some of them sterile, given Russia's population woes.

Edited April 9, 2022 by atomheartbevo

[Macanudo 12925]

As I understand the concern about Le Pen winning, she appears to have a Trumpian view of NATO with the possibility of leaving it.   Maybe it's just a Gaullist desire for more French control of French forces.  Who knows.

[NeverMarryAStripper 21781]

Harder to surrender if you’re in a coalition 

[atomheartbevo 89395]

17 minutes ago, Macanudo said:

As I understand the concern about Le Pen winning, she appears to have a Trumpian view of NATO with the possibility of leaving it.   Maybe it's just a Gaullist desire for more French control of French forces.  Who knows.

I can kind of understand why somebody like her would pull out, but on the other hand, she/France would be on the outside looking in, in terms of the most significant European event since WWII.  If she fucks around and gets France out of things, it will diminish France's power/standing in the world, and some of the French sure do love to talk about how important they are (granted, they were extremely important in Africa in recent years until they started pulling out).

And if she pulls France out, she won't get a seat at the table when the dust settles.

Edited April 9, 2022 by atomheartbevo

[Schulz2.0 28761]

21 minutes ago, atomheartbevo said:

I am skeptical too, but if they were digging trenches/etc. in the grounds around Chernobyl, I could easily see it - I doubt the Soviets did all of that great of a job in cleaning up, especially the farther out you get from the power plants.  They could have easily brought in dirt/etc. and just covered up some of those areas.

But even if there wasn't much contamination, if they dug into even mildly contaminated areas, and then lived there for weeks on end, breathing in the stuff they stirred up, yeah, they are fucked.

Would be ironic if it made some of them sterile, given Russia's population woes.

Yep. I'm just saying a dude holding up a radiac or dosimeter showing 10-11 microsieverts/hr isn't a good example of dangerous levels.

[atomheartbevo 89395]

4 minutes ago, NeverMarryAStripper said:

Harder to surrender if you’re in a coalition 

I know we joke about the surrender stuff, but the French stuck with us in Afghanistan for like 14 years or so (longer than a lot of others), and they went it alone in Africa in recent years in trying to stabilize certain countries/former colonies, and fighting ISIS-affiliated groups.

They've been pretty damned loyal to us, even when we don't see eye-to-eye.  

[atomheartbevo 89395]

1 minute ago, Schulz2.0 said:

Yep. I'm just saying a dude holding up a radiac or dosimeter showing 10-11 microsieverts/hr isn't a good example of dangerous levels.

If Putin is still in power a year or two or three from now, we'll never heard about any radiation poisoning, or if we do, it'll be about how the Ukrainians did it on purpose.

[Macanudo 12925]

2 minutes ago, atomheartbevo said:

I can kind of understand why somebody like her would pull out, but on the other hand, she/France would be on the outside looking in, in terms of the most significant European event since WWII.  If she fucks around and gets France out of things, it will diminish France's power/standing in the world, and some of the French sure do love to talk about how important they are (granted, they were extremely important in Africa in recent years until they started pulling out).

And if she pulls France out, she won't get a seat at the table when the dust settles.

Not so sure about that.   You mention France's work in Africa.   They have considerable sway over a lot of that continent and we'd need them to help there down the road.   And remember,  we gave those fuckers an equal seat at the table at the end of WWII.   Some of that was out of political necessity but also because Churchill aways had a hard on for France.

[atomheartbevo 89395]

 

[atomheartbevo 89395]

1 minute ago, Macanudo said:

Not so sure about that.   You mention France's work in Africa.   They have considerable sway over a lot of that continent and we'd need them to help there down the road.   And remember,  we gave those fuckers an equal seat at the table at the end of WWII.   Some of that was out of political necessity but also because Churchill aways had a hard on for France.

To their credit, France certainly conducted itself after WWII as a major power, both in terms of its colonial operations/actions (Vietnam, Africa, Middle East, etc.), but also the whole nuclear thing.

[MillerEP 30339]

 

[atomheartbevo 89395]

Today's background briefing

https://www.defense.gov/News/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/2994883/senior-defense-official-holds-a-background-briefing/

It's been said that a lot of the forces now operating in the NE part of Ukraine are territorial/reserve units doing clean-up, while the regular units move to the South/East.

If Russia can't consolidate the areas around Mariupol before Ukraine gets regular troops into that area, they really are in a world of shit, because they'll have to supply everything through Crimea which will be time- and fuel-intensive.   They needed Kharkiv as well, and it looks like Ukraine will be able to keep it.

 

[Bateshorn 9897]

9 minutes ago, Macanudo said:

Not so sure about that.   You mention France's work in Africa.   They have considerable sway over a lot of that continent and we'd need them to help there down the road.   And remember,  we gave those fuckers an equal seat at the table at the end of WWII.   Some of that was out of political necessity but also because Churchill aways had a hard on for France.

Part of the theory on bringing France into the security council was they would act as the back up nuclear shield for Europe if the British ever backed out, which has always been a concern for continental Europeans, and ultimately proved true.  The danger in Le Pen is she does withdraw from NATO/side with the Russians….forcing the Germans to go nuclear. 

[tokamak 6350]

Le Pen taking a big dump on EU unity, NATO unity, and sitting on the Security Council would be Putin’s biggest win yet in this thing. 

[Bateshorn 9897]

7 minutes ago, tokamak said:

Le Pen taking a big dump on EU unity, NATO unity, and sitting on the Security Council would be Putin’s biggest win yet in this thing. 

Which is probably where the Russian hackers/propaganda are focusing all their energy right now. China was always going to fuck with us. That’s to be expected. The French going soft is a real problem. 

Edited April 9, 2022 by Bateshorn

[atomheartbevo 89395]

5 minutes ago, tokamak said:

Le Pen taking a big dump on EU unity, NATO unity, and sitting on the Security Council would be Putin’s biggest win yet in this thing. 

It's not going to slow down all of the weapons and aid flowing to Ukraine, it's not going to lift his sanctions, and it's not going to replace the 20% or more of his conventional combat power that he's lost.

It'll be a pyrrhic win of sorts, but if France sides with Putin, I don't think the EU/NATO will be in the mood for that kind of shit.  

[bolverk 29394]

This might be a little bit CR-ish, but with Zemmour running to Le Pen's right and saying all the hardcore stuff, she hasn't had to and has therefore moderated her rhetoric on the culture war issues to attract wider support, sticking only to an economically populist message aimed at older, less educated and more disaffected blue collar / rural types who feel like they've been left behind by the modern economy and technology even as their unemployment rate is currently at its lowest in a decade.

Macron has done a lot to attract foreign investment, promote entrepreneurship, and restructure the labor market over the last five years making him look arrogant to many and as if he favors the urban elite, which has royally pissed off plenty in France who still have strong socialist beliefs in the égalité and fraternité parts of their national motto. He's also proposed raising the retirement age from 62 to 65. Plus, his overconfident ass has barely even campaigned in this election, preferring to waste time trying to talk Putin down from the ledge.

As the resident Surly Francophile, I'm not yet ready to surrender and wave the famed white flag as I think they'll come around on the obligatory second round of voting no matter the results of the first (top two go to a second round automatically). One of my avowed socialist friends over there, who fucking hates Macron's domestic policies, was in absolute shock when she saw Le Pen get a third of the vote in the second round last time, saying something to the effect of "I can't believe there are that many who'd vote for a fascist...in France!" Despite her strong anti-Macron beliefs, she came around and voted for Macron in the end.

On the plus side, she's posted her support for Ukraine along with anti-Putin shit. None of my other French friends have posted anything political recently. I suspect many of the hard left might sit out the first round of voting but will come out during the second one when it comes down to only two candidates.

Maybe I'm stupidly naïve, but I've got to trust the French will pull through in the end.

Edit: This is what the electoral map looked like after the first round in 2017. Le Pen ended up getting 33.9% in the second round of voting.

And the second round:

Edited April 9, 2022 by bolverk

[atomheartbevo 89395]

 

[atomheartbevo 89395]

Given the reactions to Bucha, the rail station, etc., I don’t think Putin will use chemical or nuclear weapons (his troops  are too incompetent to use biological weapons and I think they also fall into a NATO-triggering event like nukes).  So there will be a lot more conventional attacks on large civilian gathering places.  

[staboner 4956]

i guess some pages back russia was gonna tac nuke itself. either via drunken stupidity or with purpose. i'd vote on the former still. dumb fucks 

Edited April 9, 2022 by staboner

[South Austin 52105]

8 hours ago, tokamak said:

Le Pen taking a big dump on EU unity, NATO unity, and sitting on the Security Council would be Putin’s biggest win yet in this thing. 

And then it’s back to calling them “Freedom Fries”!

[Schulz2.0 28761]

 

[immamac 42513]

Fuck everything about Russia. 

[Bevo 13516]

9 hours ago, bolverk said:

This might be a little bit CR-ish, but with Zemmour running to Le Pen's right and saying all the hardcore stuff, she hasn't had to and has therefore moderated her rhetoric on the culture war issues to attract wider support, sticking only to an economically populist message aimed at older, less educated and more disaffected blue collar / rural types who feel like they've been left behind by the modern economy and technology even as their unemployment rate is currently at its lowest in a decade.

Macron has done a lot to attract foreign investment, promote entrepreneurship, and restructure the labor market over the last five years making him look arrogant to many and as if he favors the urban elite, which has royally pissed off plenty in France who still have strong socialist beliefs in the égalité and fraternité parts of their national motto. He's also proposed raising the retirement age from 62 to 65. Plus, his overconfident ass has barely even campaigned in this election, preferring to waste time trying to talk Putin down from the ledge.

As the resident Surly Francophile, I'm not yet ready to surrender and wave the famed white flag as I think they'll come around on the obligatory second round of voting no matter the results of the first (top two go to a second round automatically). One of my avowed socialist friends over there, who fucking hates Macron's domestic policies, was in absolute shock when she saw Le Pen get a third of the vote in the second round last time, saying something to the effect of "I can't believe there are that many who'd vote for a fascist...in France!" Despite her strong anti-Macron beliefs, she came around and voted for Macron in the end.

On the plus side, she's posted her support for Ukraine along with anti-Putin shit. None of my other French friends have posted anything political recently. I suspect many of the hard left might sit out the first round of voting but will come out during the second one when it comes down to only two candidates.

Maybe I'm stupidly naïve, but I've got to trust the French will pull through in the end.

Edit: This is what the electoral map looked like after the first round in 2017. Le Pen ended up getting 33.9% in the second round of voting.

 

 

In France what is the difference between hard left (socialist) and hard right (communist)? In the US, as foreign policy goes the right has traditionally been more supportive of the military's needs and has been stronger against communist aggression than the left.  Is there indication in France that the right wing candidate in France would capitulate to Russia and break away from NATO support of Ukraine? Because, I don't see much NATO gains from Macron's negotiations with Putin.

[Eastwood 4394]

And that's a real issue.  Using "genocide" as a threshold for intervention is going to raise Chinese hackles, since the State Department officially declared that China was committing genocide against the Uighars.  The implication would be that we could use China's ongoing genocide as a basis for military action against that country.  Obviously, China is going to strongly oppose that.
I mean, we can calmly explain to China that the genocide-is-a-causus-belli theory only holds for white European Christians, and will not be apply when it is non-white, non-European, non-Christians that are being genocided.  In that case, we'll just send a strongly worded letter.  
But do you think China would really be mollified by that explanation (no matter how accurate it actually is)?

It’s a matter of internal versus external. The Chinese are doing it to its own citizens, so it is difficult to make the case that the world should step into what is, in reality, an internal Chinese affair (obvious disclaimer that it is horrific and inexcusable for any country to do that to their citizens).

Russia is an external force, their propaganda saying otherwise be damned, that is committing genocide against the citizens of another sovereign nation. I think if the case is made in that fashion, it sends the appropriate message to China.

[Ghost of LL 15469]

1 minute ago, Eastwood said:

It’s a matter of internal versus external. The Chinese are doing it to its own citizens, so it is difficult to make the case that the world should step into what is, in reality, an internal Chinese affair (obvious disclaimer that it is horrific and inexcusable for any country to do that to their citizens).

Russia is an external force, their propaganda saying otherwise be damned, that is committing genocide against the citizens of another sovereign nation. I think if the case is made in that fashion, it sends the appropriate message to China.

You think the Chinese will appreciate that distinction?

[Schulz2.0 28761]

26 minutes ago, immamac said:

Fuck everything about Russia. 

Especially the women, right?

[immamac 42513]

Not to get into whataboutism with China and it's own human rights issues, but they are not the same. They aren't Holocausting the people, but there is definitely a bad humanitarian situation going on there that we should pressure them to stop. 

Ukraine is straight up genocide being committed by a rational bad separate state actor. As someone else pointed out, China is also happening within China so even if it was exactly the same that's "their business" and invading a country is invading a country, regime change is the only option to stop the genocide there (although I don't think it meets the UN definition of genocide, like Ukraine does) Ukraine is actively ASKING for help as a sovereign nation who is getting genocided. The solution is just to expel said rational bad actor from their lands, much much different of a situation.

It's just too different to compare them just because innocent people are affected in both places. 

[Eastwood 4394]

You think the Chinese will appreciate that distinction?

The Chinese don’t appreciate anything involving discussions about their business, internal or external. But if we make the distinction that we will step in if it involves invasions (Taiwan) but not internal struggles, that sends the appropriate message. That has been our policy towards the numerous genocides in Africa since the Somalia experiment failed.

And in the end, China has no say because they are not an ally to any party involved. They are hostile, culturally and economically, to almost every country on the planet.

[immamac 42513]

3 minutes ago, Eastwood said:

The Chinese don’t appreciate anything involving discussions about their business, internal or external. But if we make the distinction that we will step in if it involves invasions (Taiwan) but not internal struggles, that sends the appropriate message. That has been our policy towards the numerous genocides in Africa since the Somalia experiment failed.

And in the end, China has no say because they are not an ally to any party involved. They are hostile, culturally and economically, to almost every country on the planet.

I'm not saying it wouldn't be appropriate to stop genocide in China, I'm just saying that mission is far more unclear and far higher in risk of full scale war between super powers (real ones).

[Eastwood 4394]

I'm not saying it wouldn't be appropriate to stop genocide in China, I'm just saying that mission is far more unclear and far higher in risk of full scale war between super powers (real ones).

I totally agree and never want to make a statement where genocide or other human rights abuses are “okay” because they happen to people within their own borders.

The China problem is a whole other ball of wax that merits its own thread. But when it comes to Ukraine, China’s opinion on the matter is the second to last opinion I would listen to, with the last being Russia.