Русский корабль - иди нахуй

[BabaYaga 15211]

1 hour ago, The Dog said:

Finland and Sweden have agreed to apply to join NATO and will send their applications at the same time:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/apr/25/sweden-and-finland-agree-to-submit-nato-applications?CMP=share_btn_tw

Their essays and test scores better be good....

[ShaggyBevo RIP 3868]

56 minutes ago, Ghost of LL said:

I have to disagree with your parenthetical, while agreeing with your overall point.

The materiel supplied by the United States under Lend-Lease wasn't most importantly the trucks.  Those were critical.  Don't get me wrong.  But there's kind of this historical idea in the United States that what we sent them was primarily GMCs and Studebakers, and that's just not right.

When Germany attacked in 1941, it quickly captured the vast majority of Russia's tanks.  It also captured most of Russia's air force.  And, most importantly, it captured the areas that manufactured the tanks and airplanes and the areas that produced the raw materials necessary to build them.  So in 1941 and 1941. we were supplying massive numbers of fighter aircraft (P-39s) and tanks (primarily M3s in 1941, later M4s).  But it wasn't just that.  It was also massive amounts of ammunition, fuel, food, and even uniforms and boots.  Rationing in the United States wasn't needed to supply the American war effort; it was needed entirely to support the Soviet war effort.

And even after they got new factories up and running, they were using American raw materials and American intellectual property.  The T34 was built with American steel on an American chassis.  It was fueled with American diesel brought on American trucks.  It was crewed by men who ate Spam and wore M-42 Service Shoes.

The Soviet Union downplayed the role of Lend-Lease, even during the war.  And inside Russia, virtually nobody has any knowledge of the American contribution to the Soviet war effort.  The end result is that you have three generations of Soviet/Russian commanders who don't understand logistics, they actively deny its importance.  But even in the West, the Soviet effort was successful in downplaying Lend-Lease as nothing more than a bunch of Studebakers.  And that's very, very wrong.

So it now appears that there's something going on, and that these aren't isolated accidents.  And there are a handful of possibilities, none of which are mutually exclusive:

1) Ukrainian SOF--this makes some sense that the Ukrainians would be able to infiltrate special forces into Russia to blow shit up.  It'd actually be surprising if they weren't able to do so.  The Ukrainians speak the language, they wouldn't be recognizable physically or culturally.  They should be able to move about Russia relatively freely.

2) Russian opposition--I don't know how much opposition there is in Russia, but this was certainly an issue in Belarus (as detailed in the New York Times story yesterday).  To the extent there is Russian opposition that is willing to sabotage the war effort, they could be coordinating with Ukrainian SOF.

3) Western SOF--This strikes me as less likely.  But at the same time, I also wonder what assets we have in Russia pre-positioned for partisan/sabotage activity (i.e., sleepers).  And as kind of discussed by Secretary Austin yesterday, we're really leaving it out on the field right now.  So if we have those covert assets available, this might be the time when we've decided to use them.

4) Cyberattacks--a lot of these fires/explosions look like something that could have been caused by a cyberattack.  Close the wrong valve and open another, and shit in a chemical plant can go "boom" in a real hurry.  Those could be coordinated by Western countries on a covert basis.  But the Ukrainians are themselves very capable of doing it.

Bayraktar is the rumored weapon. If true RU air defense is complete shit.

Edited April 25, 2022 by ShaggyBevo RIP

[ShaggyBevo RIP 3868]

40 minutes ago, InkaUtexas said:

Another fire. Moscow mall. 

 

On civilians? That is the RU false flag playbook; not resources nor military assets.

Edited April 25, 2022 by ShaggyBevo RIP

[BehoId, The Underminer! 11668]

7 minutes ago, BabaYaga said:

Their essays and test scores better be good....

i heard they got some tips from lori loughlin

[NeverMarryAStripper 21781]

I think Finland's extracurricular activities will tip the scales in their favor

[InkaUtexas 25511]

6 minutes ago, ShaggyBevo RIP said:

On civilians? That is the RU false flag playbook; not resources nor military assets.

Yep, or their infrastructure is as good as their tanks. 

[The Dog 43802]

This guy claims to cover Turkish defense news. 

Of course this could still be a "false flag" by Russia, but it would be a stupid one. Blowing up your own critical infrastructure as an excuse to attack a country you're already invading makes no sense.

But Russia gonna Russia.

Adding this for context others mentioned about this possibly being a false flag:

 

Edited April 25, 2022 by The Dog

[BabaYaga 15211]

11 minutes ago, InkaUtexas said:

Yep, or their infrastructure is as good as their tanks. 

So what you're saying is

[Kel Varnsen 8430]

Russia would false flag to convince their own citizens there needs to be mobilization and move it beyond an "operation".

[Orange&White 5516]

So the russians were called out for their readily apparent and obvious false flag operation 36 hours in advance of it occurring, yet still attempted it and did so in a completely shoddy, obvious manner?

It's as if they have no concept of the new warfare/technology/information dissemination and are flat out refusing to adjust to it no matter how many times it slaps in the face.

It's like they want to lose

[DefinitelyNotHollywoodColt 12301]

1 minute ago, Orange&White said:

So the russians were called out for their readily apparent and obvious false flag operation 36 hours in advance of it occurring, yet still attempted it and did so in a completely shoddy, obvious manner?

It's as if they have no concept of the new warfare/technology/information dissemination and are flat out refusing to adjust to it no matter how many times it slaps in the face.

It's like they want to lose

think of a magician that has one magic trick in their bag: the ole' pulled a quarter out of your ear trick, and they've only ever performed it to children smaller than 5.

then that magician is asked to perform in front of an audience of adults.

[BabaYaga 15211]

11 minutes ago, Kel Varnsen said:

Russia would false flag to convince their own citizens there needs to be mobilization and move it beyond an "operation".

Alex, I'll take "Things we do when we are desperate and losing a war we started for $500", please

[SaucyJack 3487]

14 hours ago, clapclapclap said:

 

We've got a midnight oil fire in Bryansk,

He's clearly saying beds are burning.

[Brisketexan 104598]

Update from Berlin: the boy and his friends delivered their food to the refugees at the Hbf today (they made the tacos last Friday, but because there’s a heavy volunteer presence on the weekend, thought that they’d wait to deliver food today when it was needed more.  So, they kept the tacos in the fridge and heated them up today to take down there).  There’s still a lot of refugees passing through there, day-in, day-out.
They had about 100 tacos.  He said they were all gone in less than 10 minutes.  They walked in the door of the staging area, and were immediately approached by several families.  He had written some Ukrainian on his arm so he could say “food,” “you’re welcome,” and to tell them whether the tacos were meat or vegetarian.  He said the crowd was very excited to get something with meat.  The German volunteer effort has picked up speed, and is now providing hot food, but it’s a simple vegetable soup, so folks wanting something more portable, or something with meat, and were excited to get the option.

Here's his arm with the vocabulary he had handy:
 

He told me about the crowd, said it was a lot of families.  He kind of choked up a bit when he said “dad….it was a LOT of kids.”

When they got there, they were so mobbed just distributing the food that he didn’t have time to capture what the scene was like.  He did snap a picture of the reception area they have set up (one of the less crowded parts):
 

 
And you can see some of the system behind his friends, carrying the now-empty trays and napkins they handed out:

 

 
 His friends came with him to the Hbf this time (he needed the extra hands to carry all the trays of food).  He said they got a bit wide-eyed about how much it was appreciated, and on the way back they all concluded they want to do this some more, and scale up operations.  Also, they’ll go heavy on tacos with meat, because those were a hot commodity.  They all agreed that it’s fun to hang out in the kitchen together for a few hours cooking, and then it takes no time at all to give the food away.  He’s only going to be in Berlin a few more weeks, but they expect to do this a few more times now.  He asked, and I told him I’d set up some sort of fundraising mechanism so they can turn cash into tacos.  At first he suggested a cap, and then said “you know what…..however much people give us, we can turn into hot meals, so we’ll take whatever we can get.”  I’ll figure something out and share with anyone interested, probably tonight after I chat with the wife.

Just to remind us about some “good stories about human beings,” there are a LOT of folks over there doing a lot of good.  From World Central Kitchen, to the ad hoc German volunteers who have set up a whole system to greet and assist arriving refugees, the swell of good people doing good things is big, and real.  So, as discouraging as shit is in this literal time of plagues, war, and famine, there’s some twinkling lights shining.

Edited April 25, 2022 by Brisketexan

[BehoId, The Underminer! 11668]

43 minutes ago, Kel Varnsen said:

Russia would false flag to convince their own citizens there needs to be mobilization and move it beyond an "operation".

 a false flag where putin was killed would really go a long way to convincing them though.  commit to the bit.

[atomheartbevo 89416]

1 hour ago, Neonmoon said:

whoopsie

 

 

"Lack of safety precautions"

[MillerEP 30339]

Sweden has received concrete promises from the United Kingdom and the United States about protection during an application process to NATO, several sources state with insight into the Government Offices' work.

 

[atomheartbevo 89416]

15 hours ago, atomheartbevo said:

Wow.  Interesting time stamps.  
 

 

 

1 hour ago, The Dog said:

Of course this could still be a "false flag" by Russia, but it would be a stupid one. Blowing up your own critical infrastructure as an excuse to attack a country you're already invading makes no sense.

But Russia gonna Russia.

Adding this for context others mentioned about this possibly being a false flag:

 

Look at the ones I posted above your false flag mention - the Russkis have been planning this for a few days.

And they are dumb enough to do it.

[MillerEP 30339]

 

[MillerEP 30339]

^I mean if even some of this is true, it's incredible how terrible and widespread morale amongst their forces must be. In the Marines, we always jokingly said stuff like "If a Marine isn't complaining then he's dead," but all in all we were always proud to be doing what we were doing, even when shit sucked a little. Widespread desertion etc. is absolutely unthinkable. 

[The Dog 43802]

 

44 minutes ago, MillerEP said:

Sweden has received concrete promises from the United Kingdom and the United States about protection during an application process to NATO, several sources state with insight into the Government Offices' work.

 

Sounds like they get Article 5 protection from the moment they apply. 

[MillerEP 30339]

^All the way near China? For real something big is going on, too bad there isn't a free or independent press there to see what's really going on

 

[Bevo 13527]

 

Motherfucker

[SimonBolivar 10916]

11 minutes ago, MillerEP said:

^I mean if even some of this is true, it's incredible how terrible and widespread morale amongst their forces must be. In the Marines, we always jokingly said stuff like "If a Marine isn't complaining then he's dead," but all in all we were always proud to be doing what we were doing, even when shit sucked a little. Widespread desertion etc. is absolutely unthinkable. 

They have 33% of US killed in Vietnam in 2 months of fighting in Ukraine. It'd be impossible to have high morale.

[MillerEP 30339]

The calculation of PTRK "Stugna-P" in three minutes destroyed 4 units of racist equipment, Izyum direction. 1/2

Popasna, the remnants of the Russian occupiers.

Edited April 25, 2022 by MillerEP

[Bevo 13527]

3 minutes ago, MillerEP said:

The calculation of PTRK "Stugna-P" in three minutes destroyed 4 units of racist equipment, Izyum direction. 1/2

Popasna, the remnants of the Russian occupiers.

Countdown initiated - 14 days till the big parade.

[MillerEP 30339]

 

Explosions are heard in the village of Parkany in Transnistria 🤔

 

[Deej 76561]

1 hour ago, Brisketexan said:

they made the tacos last Friday, but because there’s a heavy volunteer presence on the weekend, thought that they’d wait to deliver food today when it was needed more.

Three day old tacos? That's a war crime. 

[MillerEP 30339]

^laughable. It's like they did a whiteboard exercise where everyone threw out "What a Nazi would carry" and then went out and bought one of everything. 

[MillerEP 30339]

Journalist Dmitry Kozelev

@kolezev

noted that the video also shows a book signed “Signature is illegible”. Looks like someone took the instructions too literally.

^haha, they even signed their name "signature is illegible." Oh man, it doesn't get better than that. Keystone cops over here!

I'm also convinced that instead of buying the Sims 3 game, their orders were to buy 3 SIMS (meaning cards) and they didn't ask any follow-up questions.

Edited April 25, 2022 by MillerEP

[Brisketexan 104598]

4 minutes ago, Deej said:

Three day old tacos? That's a war crime. 

Meh, used to do that for family road trips all the time.  Make em, put em in the fridge wrapped in foil, then the morning of, put them in the oven to warm.  Quite tasty and good.   And, I mean, I'm guessing Ukrainian taco gastronomy isn't as picky as yours or mine anyway.

[Steel Shank 9414]

10 minutes ago, MillerEP said:

^laughable. It's like they did a whiteboard exercise where everyone threw out "What a Nazi would carry" and then went out and bought one of everything. 

"Hey, what about dope?"

As I always say, don't forget the dope.

[atomheartbevo 89416]

43 minutes ago, MillerEP said:

^I mean if even some of this is true, it's incredible how terrible and widespread morale amongst their forces must be. In the Marines, we always jokingly said stuff like "If a Marine isn't complaining then he's dead," but all in all we were always proud to be doing what we were doing, even when shit sucked a little. Widespread desertion etc. is absolutely unthinkable. 

30 minutes ago, SimonBolivar said:

They have 33% of US killed in Vietnam in 2 months of fighting in Ukraine. It'd be impossible to have high morale.

The fact that the Russian government/military does not give a shit about dead Russians tells me everything I need to know about how they view these troops. 

The fact that individual Russian units have traded hostages for the bodies of their fallen comrades while their leadership gives no fucks also says a lot.

And toss in that Russian troops were told that they were "liberating" Ukraine, and are instead hated and attacked by people who look like their families. 

[atomheartbevo 89416]

4 hours ago, Captainant said:

SIAP, but gun jesus put out a pretty interesting compare/contrast between russia's winter war with Finland and the current Ukrainian war

TL:DR - russia is making many of the same strategic mistakes that led to Finland being able to (just barely) hold them off. Current event-wise, Ukraine is significantly better equipped and supported. If you've got a spare half hour, its a really interesting military history analysis

Those of you who are into guns or history should be subscribed to his YouTube channel. I've celebrated his entire catalog for many years.  One of my top 5 favorite YouTube channels.

[atomheartbevo 89416]

Finland was rushing their application and then Sweden came around, so Finland slowed their application down a bit so that they are now doing them in sync, both to make it easier/faster for NATO, and also as a show of unity to Russia and a bit of a security pact on their own.

 

[atomheartbevo 89416]

These "advisors" are Ukrainian instructors who will go and train Ukrainian troops on how to use that equipment.

[atomheartbevo 89416]

This is a big part of why the US is slow-rolling the move back to Kyiv.  People don't realize that the way our embassies are structured, there will be US Marines there.  @MillerEP could probably explain more on the Marine angle.

 

[atomheartbevo 89416]

More info on the upcoming US summit in Germany that also has 14 non-NATO countries.

 

[atomheartbevo 89416]

UK leaders in the House of Commons told that Russia has lost around 15,000 troops (killed), and over 2,000 armored vehicles (525+ tanks in that number) as well as 60+ helicopters and jets.  Those numbers track with Oryx, etc.

[atomheartbevo 89416]

This was before the sanctions/export bans which would make manufacture of replacements tough.

Ukraine knocking out two years' worth of tank production, LOL

 

[atomheartbevo 89416]

Wanna see an SU-34 in a flat spin

 

[atomheartbevo 89416]

If you want to delve into Russian arms production and their margins, and how much the sanctions are doing

 

https://www.wsj.com/articles/russian-militarys-next-front-line-replacing-battlefield-equipment-destroyed-in-ukraine-11650879002

 

Edited April 25, 2022 by atomheartbevo

[atomheartbevo 89416]

The other thing to note about the WSJ article and tweets above, modern Russian equipment has looked like utter shit on a modern battlefield, while Western weapons are doing fantastic, as are older Russian/Soviet equipment in the hands of capable troops.

Cannot do anything but help out China's arms industry (as well as Western manufacturers if you have the money).

[cactusflinthead 27594]

 

[ShaggyBevo RIP 3868]

48 minutes ago, MillerEP said:

^laughable. It's like they did a whiteboard exercise where everyone threw out "What a Nazi would carry" and then went out and bought one of everything. 

The fucking shipping packaging from it is visible on the floor. 

[atomheartbevo 89416]

3 minutes ago, ShaggyBevo RIP said:

The fucking shipping packaging from it is visible on the floor. 

Aggy?

[atomheartbevo 89416]

This is why Putin has no off ramp.  The propaganda machine was ramped up way too high, and Russians feel Ukrainians must be punished.

And the Ukrainian people will not accept giving up territory

 

Edited April 25, 2022 by atomheartbevo

[atomheartbevo 89416]

 

[atomheartbevo 89416]

Putin's girlfriend/mother of some of his kids that we aren't sanctioning yet?

She's rocking a wedding ring, and people are making Eva Braun jokes.

 

[atomheartbevo 89416]