War Invasion of Ukraine News Megathread - Thread is only for articles and discussion of articles, general discussion thread is still in Happenings.

President Joe Biden on Tuesday said that the United States will impose sanctions “far beyond” the ones that the United States imposed in 2014 following the annexation of the Crimean peninsula.

“This is the beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine,” Biden said in a White House speech, signaling a shift in his administration’s position. “We will continue to escalate sanctions if Russia escalates,” he added.

Russian elites and their family members will also soon face sanctions, Biden said, adding that “Russia will pay an even steeper price” if Moscow decides to push forward into Ukraine. Two Russian banks and Russian sovereign debt will also be sanctioned, he said.

Also in his speech, Biden said he would send more U.S. troops to the Baltic states as a defensive measure to strengthen NATO’s position in the area.

Russia shares a border with Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.

A day earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered troops to go into the separatist Donetsk and Lugansk regions in eastern Ukraine after a lengthy speech in which he recognized the two regions’ independence.

Western powers decried the move and began to slap sanctions on certain Russian individuals, while Germany announced it would halt plans to go ahead with the Russia-to-Germany Nord Stream 2 pipeline.

At home, Biden is facing bipartisan pressure to take more extensive actions against Russia following Putin’s decision. However, a recent poll showed that a majority of Americans believe that sending troops to Ukraine is a “bad idea,” and a slim minority believes it’s a good one.

All 27 European Union countries unanimously agreed on an initial list of sanctions targeting Russian authorities, said French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, and EU foreign affairs head Josep Borell claimed the package “will hurt Russia … a lot.”

Earlier Tuesday, Borell asserted that Russian troops have already entered the Donbas region, which comprises Donetsk and Lugansk, which are under the control of pro-Russia groups since 2014.

And on Tuesday, the Russian Parliament approved a Putin-back plan to use military force outside of Russia’s borders as Putin further said that Russia confirmed it would recognize the expanded borders of Lugansk and Donetsk.

“We recognized the states,” the Russian president said. “That means we recognized all of their fundamental documents, including the constitution, where it is written that their [borders] are the territories at the time the two regions were part of Ukraine.”

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Putin said that Ukraine is “not interested in peaceful solutions” and that “every day, they are amassing troops in the Donbas.”

Meanwhile, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday morning again downplayed the prospect of a Russian invasion and proclaimed: “There will be no war.”

“There will not be an all-out war against Ukraine, and there will not be a broad escalation from Russia. If there is, then we will put Ukraine on a war footing,” he said in a televised address.

The White House began to signal that they would shift their own position on whether it’s the start of an invasion.

“We think this is, yes, the beginning of an invasion, Russia’s latest invasion into Ukraine,” said Jon Finer, the White House deputy national security adviser in public remarks. “An invasion is an invasion and that is what is underway.”

For weeks, Western governments have been claiming Moscow would invade its neighbor after Russia gathered some 150,000 troops along the countries’ borders. They alleged that the Kremlin would attempt to come up with a pretext to attack, while some officials on Monday said Putin’s speech recognizing the two regions was just that.

But Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters Tuesday that Russia’s “latest invasion” of Ukraine is threatening stability in the region, but he asserted that Putin can “still avoid a full blown, tragic war of choice.”

Article

 

[Rezza]

The Russian tank numbers have definitely dropped significantly since the mid 2010s. Most of the T-80s and T-90s were parked up and chucked into storage as the Russians chose to focus on the larger (and thus more able to be cannibalised) T-72 fleet. This also saw the Aratas production cut back several times before being cancelled totally. T-72 types in active service were estimated at around 2,000 with a further 8,000 in storage.

Trying to get more accurate numbers on things like the T-80 and T-90 is actually more difficult as claimed numbers are all over the place and we've not really seen that many in the Russo-Ukranian War, with most being in the 4th Guards Division, which suggests their claimed "on paper" 3,000+ T-80s and 5,800+ T-90s is likely a bit of beaucratic chicancery.

The fact the Russians focused a lot on their T-72 fleet, and used it heavily in this invasion rather suggests they've either handed most of those tanks over to their own Internal Troops, if not stuffed and mounted them somewhere. Otherwise, why not use your better and heavier tanks that have been seen to withstand a few smacks from Javelins in Syria?

Well, in the case of the T-90 there's some flaws, according to a mate of mine in the British Army. The directional microphones and automated threat system on the T-90 results in the gun auto-turning and firing on a target. Its speculated its difficult to cancel, or turns too quickly as Blue-on-Blue incidents were noticed in Syria, where T-90s heard their fellow company tank firing nearby, assumed it was a threat, turned and fired.

So probably not the best to deploy en masse in Ukraine, then.



They already have been, can't find the article but a while back I read about how the Chinese were basically settling in chunks of Siberia and conducting unauthorized logging operations on a massive scale to feed the beast back home.



The French have already sent off 100 million euros worth of stuff, they won't say what they've sent but have hinted it's “means of protection, optronic equipment, arms and ammunition, and weapons systems that meet the needs expressed by Ukraine.”




It folds like tissue paper against Stingers, ATGMs and Starstreaks. So obviously not as good a design as first thought.



With Ukraine being a key exporter of wheat and cooking oil ingredients it makes sense to begin targetting stuff they could use to raise further funds or Feed the West. It more than likely is the thought process in the Russians heads now that we're "stealing their traditional breadbasket" as Ukraine was always used as its main agricultural zone.



Look at how said vicious military dog nuzzles up to its new owner. Very odd.

Attacking grain silos would also mean hastening and worsening the impending food crisis, which the Russian could use to force other countries to push for Ukraine to accept a quick peace that includes letting Donbass and Crimea go

 

[Mr E. Grifter]

The Russian tank numbers have definitely dropped significantly since the mid 2010s. Most of the T-80s and T-90s were parked up and chucked into storage as the Russians chose to focus on the larger (and thus more able to be cannibalised) T-72 fleet. This also saw the Aratas production cut back several times before being cancelled totally. T-72 types in active service were estimated at around 2,000 with a further 8,000 in storage.

Trying to get more accurate numbers on things like the T-80 and T-90 is actually more difficult as claimed numbers are all over the place and we've not really seen that many in the Russo-Ukranian War, with most being in the 4th Guards Division, which suggests their claimed "on paper" 3,000+ T-80s and 5,800+ T-90s is likely a bit of beaucratic chicancery.

The fact the Russians focused a lot on their T-72 fleet, and used it heavily in this invasion rather suggests they've either handed most of those tanks over to their own Internal Troops, if not stuffed and mounted them somewhere. Otherwise, why not use your better and heavier tanks that have been seen to withstand a few smacks from Javelins in Syria?

Well, in the case of the T-90 there's some flaws, according to a mate of mine in the British Army. The directional microphones and automated threat system on the T-90 results in the gun auto-turning and firing on a target. Its speculated its difficult to cancel, or turns too quickly as Blue-on-Blue incidents were noticed in Syria, where T-90s heard their fellow company tank firing nearby, assumed it was a threat, turned and fired.

So probably not the best to deploy en masse in Ukraine, then.

That being the case, we could already have visual confirmation that Russia has lost between 10-25% of its tanks, even including those that would be found in deep storage.

That's just battlefield losses, you've got to wonder what sort of losses they have suffered through wear and tear. I just don't think Russia is going to be able to win if they go long, so they have to win this in the next few months or the balance of power in Ukraine will likely shift irreversibly away from them.

 

[Ponderous Pillock]

That being the case, we could already have visual confirmation that Russia has lost between 10-25% of its tanks, even including those that would be found in deep storage.

That's just battlefield losses, you've got to wonder what sort of losses they have suffered through wear and tear. I just don't think Russia is going to be able to win if they go long, so they have to win this in the next few months or the balance of power in Ukraine will likely shift irreversibly away from them.

One can argue it already has shifted significantly away from them. Even the attempted progress of the new objectives seem to be stalling from observations seen so far. Several attempted breakthroughs have been tried in the last day or so and have all so far failed. This has included attacks both to the north and south with yet another Russian column attempting to sally from Kherson being destroyed.

Ukranian counter attacks do seem to be doing their job, and hopefully we'll see a change in the battlefield when the artillery ships in.

 

[Mr E. Grifter]

One can argue it already has shifted significantly away from them. Even the attempted progress of the new objectives seem to be stalling from observations seen so far. Several attempted breakthroughs have been tried in the last day or so and have all so far failed. This has included attacks both to the north and south with yet another Russian column attempting to sally from Kherson being destroyed.

Ukranian counter attacks do seem to be doing their job, and hopefully we'll see a change in the battlefield when the artillery ships in.

https://twitter.com/mdmitri91/status/1517796911616561153

Igor Girkin seems to think that unless the JFO is defeated in the next 1-2 months, that the third wave of Ukrianian mobilisation will make winning near impossible for Russia.

That he already thinks Russian chances of success in the Donbas are already pretty low, at only a 7 to 1 chance of their being encircled and destroyed. Further, any ground gained recently was due to Ukraine pulling back for tactical reasons.

 

[Ponderous Pillock]

https://www.forces.net/ukraine/uk-looking-sending-challenger-2-tanks-poland-part-move-support-ukraine

UK looking at sending Challenger 2 tanks to Poland as part of support package for Ukraine​

The vehicles would be sent to Poland so Warsaw could then release T-72 tanks - with which Ukrainian troops are familiar - to Kyiv.

The UK is considering sending tanks to Poland as part of a move that would then see Poland supply Ukraine with Soviet-era tanks.
Boris Johnson said tanks would be sent to "backfill" in Poland so Warsaw can release T-72 tanks - with which Ukrainian troops are familiar - to Kyiv.
A defence source said sending Challenger 2 battle tanks - the British Army's main battle tank - to Poland was being "looked at".

• Ukrainian troops in UK being trained on armoured vehicle use
• The Army vehicles being given new roles as Ukrainian ambulances
• UK sanctions for Putin's 'war leaders' with 'Ukrainian blood on their hands'

The Prime Minister also said Western allies are preparing to offer Ukraine a series of "security guarantees" which should make the country "impregnable" to a future Russian invasion.
Speaking in the Indian capital, New Delhi, Mr Johnson said it is essential to step up immediate military support to Kyiv, warning there is a "realistic possibility" the conflict could drag on for a "long period".
He also said a long-term vision for Ukraine's place in the future "security architecture" of Europe needs to be developed.

The Challenger 2 - pictured here on exercise in Estonia earlier this year - is the British Army's main battle tank (Picture: MOD).
While he said it will not be the same as the NATO Article 5 guarantee – in which an attack on one member state is considered an attack on all – he hoped it would offer "deterrence by denial".
"What the Ukrainians want – and I think are now going to get – is a collection of guarantees from like-minded countries about what we can do to back them up with weaponry, with training, and with intelligence-sharing," he said.
"It will, I hope, enable the Ukrainians to offer deterrence by denial and make sure their territory is so fortified as to be impregnable to further attack from Russia. That is what we need to do."
The Prime Minister said the improving security situation around Kyiv means that Britain will be able to reopen its embassy there next week.
However, he accepted a Western intelligence assessment that the conflict could continue for most of the rest of the year, potentially ending with a victory for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In its latest intelligence update, the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) said Mr Putin's decision to blockade Azovstal steel works in the besieged city of Mariupol was intended to release troops for the Russian offensive in the Donbas region.
An estimated 2,000 Ukrainian troops remain holed up in the vast plant, where they have been holding out against numerically-superior Russia for weeks.
Mr Johnson said the situation in the region remains "unpredictable", underlying the need to maintain support for Ukraine.
"We have got to look at what more we can do militarily. We have got to keep intensifying economic sanctions. We want to make sure there is wave upon wave of intensifying pressure on Putin," he said.

For some context, all bar about 100 or so of the UK's tanks are currently benched and sat in warehouses, while around half are slated to be upgraded/replaced to the Challenger 3 package. The UK itself is moving away from a fully dedicated armour force in favour of the "all rounder" Ajax platform in a tighter combined arms force. So sending a bunch of equivalent tanks out to Poland for them to train only and thus free up a couple of hundred T-72s would make a lot of sense.


As noted in one of the other articles hyperlinked above, Ukranians are currently being trained on the Mastiff, Wolfhound and Husky vehicles which were first brought in during the Afghan War.

 

[Super-Chevy454]

If and it's a big "if", the hidden skeletons goes out of Zelensky's closet. I wonder if that article will age well?

Zelensky: More than Something of a Hero

Where are the heroes of today? They were present in every region, time period, culture and creed. In the distant past, Achilles, Odysseus, Hercules. More recently, Mahatma Gandhi, Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalist, advocate of non-v...

www.americanthinker.com

April 23, 2022

Zelensky: More than Something of a Hero​

By Michael Curtis

Where are the heroes of today? They were present in every region, time period, culture and creed. In the distant past, Achilles, Odysseus, Hercules. More recently, Mahatma Gandhi, Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalist, advocate of non-violent resistance; Florence Nightingale, the Lady with the Lamp; Abraham Lincoln led the nation as President and preserved during the Civil War; Nelson Mandela, anti-apartheid revolutionary and political leader, first president of South Africa; Winston Churchill, successful leader and Prime Minister with inspiring rhetoric of Britain during World War II. Raoul Wallenberg, Swedish diplomat who saved thousands of Jews from the Nazis in Hungary; Vaclav Havel, playwright and president of Czechoslovakia, courageous fighter for freedom.
All exemplify some of the features that characterize heroes: courage, bravery, boldness, leader of a worthy cause, personification of nobility and civilized behavior, performing acts that involve personal risks or sacrifices, no expectation of reward, inspiration to others.

In our cancel culture era, heroes are not evident, and supposed past heroes have been toppled: Confederate generals, Christopher Columbus, Spanish Conquistadors. The implication for the topplers is that designation of heroes is the result of social and political constructions, linked to the norms and values of a particular time. Moreover, because of the impact of social media on opinion, the incessant stream of information and misinformation, misgivings about the actions of officials of government and organizations, avoidance of action on issues, and perhaps the declining quality of elected representatives in democratic societies, no one individual or few are likely to remain as a hero on a pedestal for long. Thomas Jefferson, we now know, was a slave owner, and Martin Luther King, Jr., courageous fighter against segregation, discrimination, and racism, had a weakness fort beautiful women.
Of course, in everyday life, heroic deeds tend to be underrated or unappreciated. This is often the case with the teacher who helps a handicapped student, or the police officer or fire fighter who risks life to protect others. These individuals, heroes in their own way, can serve as models for teaching, good citizenship, or desirable political involvement, though not heralded.

The surprise in the last two months is the emergence of an improbable person to be the outstanding heroic figure in the world. He is not the archetypal protagonist, a legendary warrior or king, or one resembling King Arthur searching for the Holy Grail, but a relatively obscure figure of modest background, inexperienced and imperfect. He may not be an angel because angels are so few, but until the day that one comes along Volodymyr Zelensky will do.
In the Jewish Passover story, the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt can be interpreted in two ways: the story of the liberation of a specific group of people from the rule of a brutal ruler in Egypt by their ability to defend itself and spiritual help; or as a symbol of an act of universal liberation from oppression. Zelensky is the modern hero exemplifying both themes: the defender of his country and people from the aim of the war criminal Vladimir Putin and his barbaric and inhuman forces for the total destruction of a people, a state, a culture; and also, more than something of a hero, the spokesperson for the cause for freedom in the whole free world, the moral conscience of the West .

Zelensky is a fighter for the truth and for civilization. He started as an actor and comedian. His actions as president of Ukraine echo the closing words of his satirical TV show “Servant of the People”, “finally Ukraine is united, this is our victory.” Zelensky is fighting for his country in real life because “our weapon is truth, and our truth is that Ukraine is our country, and we will defend it.” His courageous leadership has not only inspired his country, infusing Ukrainians with a valiant state of mind similar to that of Americans after Pearl Harbor and 9/11, and of the British during the blitz of the Nazis. He has also led the free world to understand and act against the dominant force of evil , to supply weapons to Ukraine and to limit Russian political and economic activities.

 

[дядя Боря]

View attachment 3208584

Ukrainians capture a Russian military working dog. Thankfully he was captured before some Russian soldier cooked or raped it. I wonder if Oryx will add it to the list.

Apparently an entire unit of Rossguards got wiped out and all their dogs run away. They are Belgian Shepherds, the one in the clip is 3 y.o. and excellent phys shape.

One villager says he put out food for another dog who kept hanging around, for several days, before the dog came to his yard and they became best friends.

I'm not a dog person, but those shepherds are truly magnificent and noble creatures and it looks like they all found better homes.




All 5million of stamps with Russian ship are sold out. I've seen some on eBay to go for obscene amounts of money, with one stamp going well over 100$. In Ukraine, you could buy them at face value, but from what I heard, you literally had to stay in line an entire day. (I believe W marking is international postage as oppose to domestic circulation)

Now a new round of updated design:

 

[MG-34]

Apparently an entire unit of Rossguards got wiped out and all their dogs run away. They are Belgian Shepherds, the one in the clip is 3 y.o. and excellent phys shape.

View attachment 3208970


One villager says he put out food for another dog who kept hanging around, for several days, before the dog came to his yard and they became best friends.

I'm not a dog person, but those shepherds are truly magnificent and noble creatures and it looks like they all found better homes.

There's something really touching about those dogs having a better life with the Ukrainians than with their former owners. In the US military MWDs aren't treated as well as people would think so I'd imagine the Russians treat their military dogs worse. Seeing how they were owned by the yokels in rossgardia, they probably weren't even bomb detection dogs and were just used as attack dogs. Pets make great morale boosters when you're allowed to bond with them and treat them as pets.


An interesting video I found was an alleged arson attack on a military recruiting office in Russia. I recognize those depressing window guards as Russian but can't tell if it's actually some kind of military office or recruiting center.

 

[дядя Боря]

Finn parliament has voted to join NATO

https://www.silkway.news/parliament-of-finland-voted-for-joining-68480/

On Saturday, April 23, the absolute majority of Finnish parliamentarians spoke in favor of the immediate entry of Finland in NATO, transferring Finnish media.

According to the results of the vote, it was decided that the Parliament of Finland will send an application for accession to NATO: 113 deputies spoke for joining the Alliance, 12 – against. It is expected that the application will take place this summer.

Previously, NATO Jens Stoleberg Secretary General announced that Finland and Sweden could join his military unit at an accelerated procedure if necessary documents.

... and just like that Finns because Russia hating Nazis ... ; )

Also, WTF is up with working on Saturday?

 

[Techpriest]

If and it's a big "if", the hidden skeletons goes out of Zelensky's closet. I wonder if that article will age well?

Zelensky: More than Something of a Hero

Where are the heroes of today? They were present in every region, time period, culture and creed. In the distant past, Achilles, Odysseus, Hercules. More recently, Mahatma Gandhi, Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalist, advocate of non-v...

www.americanthinker.com

Doesn’t matter. He’s a national hero of Ukraine now and nothing will change that. It’s like Churchill, all the flaws and skeletons will be ignored or brushed over because what he did when it mattered is the most important thing.

 

[Foltest]

Finn parliament has voted to join NATO

https://www.silkway.news/parliament-of-finland-voted-for-joining-68480/

View attachment 3209010


... and just like that Finns because Russia hating Nazis ... ; )

Also, WTF is up with working on Saturday?

The genie is out of the bottle.
Sweden will join soon as well now.

 

[Mr E. Grifter]

If and it's a big "if", the hidden skeletons goes out of Zelensky's closet. I wonder if that article will age well?

Zelensky: More than Something of a Hero

Where are the heroes of today? They were present in every region, time period, culture and creed. In the distant past, Achilles, Odysseus, Hercules. More recently, Mahatma Gandhi, Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalist, advocate of non-v...

www.americanthinker.com

Whatever bit part Zelensky has played in the corruption within US politics pales in comparison to what he has achieved in the last few months.

 

[Gender: Xenomorph]

Thankfully he was captured before some Russian soldier cooked or raped it. I wonder if Oryx will add it to the list.

Would have been a better fate than contributing to globoholo.

Ask any American they will tell you the same.

 

[CharlesBarkley]

The genie is out of the bottle.
Sweden will join soon as well now.

Russia long-game. Amazing retardation for absolutely nothing.

Putins whole “We are doing this against NATO expansion” is so fucking laughable now.

 

[thx1138]

Russia long-game. Amazing retardation for absolutely nothing.

Putins whole “We are doing this against NATO expansion” is so fucking laughable now.

Putin rn: "Well well well if it isn't the consequences of my actions."

 

[Snekposter]

https://twitter.com/mdmitri91/status/1517796911616561153

Igor Girkin seems to think that unless the JFO is defeated in the next 1-2 months, that the third wave of Ukrianian mobilisation will make winning near impossible for Russia.

That he already thinks Russian chances of success in the Donbas are already pretty low, at only a 7 to 1 chance of their being encircled and destroyed. Further, any ground gained recently was due to Ukraine pulling back for tactical reasons.

Glad to know my estimations about it being over at the 4 month mark were pretty on the mark if even a coping Russaboo will admit it. 120-150 days is enough time to turn civilians into soldiers, and reservists have already been finishing up their refresher courses.

 

[LORD IMPERATOR]

Whatever bit part Zelensky has played in the corruption within US politics pales in comparison to what he has achieved in the last few months.

It will be remembered in the same vein as Churchill agreeing with the use of poison gas against hostile tribes; forgotten except as a footnote to history.

 

[Hoplixe]

It will be remembered in the same vein as Churchill agreeing with the use of poison gas against hostile tribes; forgotten except as a footnote to history.

That was tear gas, and he was of mind it was a safer, more humane method than the traditional riot-breaking methods of the Indian Raj; which was a police baton charge.

 

[Mr E. Grifter]

It will be remembered in the same vein as Churchill agreeing with the use of poison gas against hostile tribes; forgotten except as a footnote to history.

Bit off topic, but Churchill was specifically talking about using tear gas in that instance - his use of the term poison gas was a catch-all term that does not really make sense in that context - and that this would be a useful way of repressing rebellions with less bloodshed. Notably, tear gas is used in riot control to this day!

 

[Mr E. Grifter]

Glad to know my estimations about it being over at the 4 month mark were pretty on the mark if even a coping Russaboo will admit it. 120-150 days is enough time to turn civilians into soldiers, and reservists have already been finishing up their refresher courses.

All those 18 year old TDF volunteers in Kyiv who probably did not get to see combat are prime recruits too.