nivek
As Above So Below
And threaten they have, I wonder how NATO would react if Russia actually detonated a nuke in Ukrainian territory...Hope we never see that scenario take place...
...
And threaten they have, I wonder how NATO would react if Russia actually detonated a nuke in Ukrainian territory...Hope we never see that scenario take place...
...
nivek
As Above So Below
Tis true, Jackie Chan wouldn't stack up against some of the really skilled kung fu fighters like Jet Li or Donnie Yen...
Donnie Yen fought Mike Tyson in a 3 minute round in the movie IP Man 3, here's that fight in this clip, it's a good one, even if partially acted out...
...
nivek
As Above So Below
Sweden says it received US security assurances if it submits NATO application
Sweden’s foreign minister says her country has received security assurances from the U.S. if it decides to forge ahead with the process of joining NATO – a move that has been met with nuclear threats from Russia.
Ann Linde made the announcement after meeting U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, according to Reuters.
Linde, speaking to Swedish media, said the assurances "would mean that Russia can be clear that if they direct any kind of negative activities against Sweden, which they have threatened, it would not be something that the U.S. would just allow to happen... without a response."
"Naturally, I’m not going to go into any details, but I feel very sure that now we have an American assurance," she reportedly added. "However, not concrete security guarantees, those you can only get if you are a full member of NATO."
Sweden and its neighbor Finland have been looking to join NATO following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
"It’s their decision," NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said last week. "But if they decide to apply, Finland and Sweden will be warmly welcomed, and I expect that process to go quickly."
However, Russia warned in mid-April that it will bolster its defenses in the Baltic Sea -- including a potential nuclear escalation -- if Sweden and Finland join NATO.
.
Sweden’s foreign minister says her country has received security assurances from the U.S. if it decides to forge ahead with the process of joining NATO – a move that has been met with nuclear threats from Russia.
Ann Linde made the announcement after meeting U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, according to Reuters.
Linde, speaking to Swedish media, said the assurances "would mean that Russia can be clear that if they direct any kind of negative activities against Sweden, which they have threatened, it would not be something that the U.S. would just allow to happen... without a response."
"Naturally, I’m not going to go into any details, but I feel very sure that now we have an American assurance," she reportedly added. "However, not concrete security guarantees, those you can only get if you are a full member of NATO."
Sweden and its neighbor Finland have been looking to join NATO following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
"It’s their decision," NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said last week. "But if they decide to apply, Finland and Sweden will be warmly welcomed, and I expect that process to go quickly."
However, Russia warned in mid-April that it will bolster its defenses in the Baltic Sea -- including a potential nuclear escalation -- if Sweden and Finland join NATO.
.
pigfarmer
tall, thin, irritable
.... my standard response to these sorts of things
I don't know **** about fighting but I'm awfully familiar with a .45
pigfarmer
tall, thin, irritable
And have a history of handing them their asses when they get pushy. I'd think your country has a perspective on Ukraine that most don't.
Spaceman spiff
Noble
True. But our defense forces are also like 10 times smaller than Ukraines. So I don't personally like the idea of Russia coming here presently.
AD1184
Celestial
There has been a massive western media misinformation campaign over the past six weeks or so which claimed that a change in Russian military policy would accompany its Victory Day celebrations on the ninth of May, so important was this date said to be. Putin was supposed to either call double or quits on the campaign. However, there was no significant change in military policy announced after Putin addressed crowds today.
Where did this whacky theory come from? And why was it being promulgated so fervently by the media? They admittedly do things differently in Russia, and have proven that they are not particularly capable at waging offensive military campaigns, but I don't think even the Russian state is so stupid as to let its policy be decided by a date on the calendar, rather than what is happening in reality. Would the US or another country allow its military interventions to be governed in such a way? No they wouldn't so why would Russia?
Where did this whacky theory come from? And why was it being promulgated so fervently by the media? They admittedly do things differently in Russia, and have proven that they are not particularly capable at waging offensive military campaigns, but I don't think even the Russian state is so stupid as to let its policy be decided by a date on the calendar, rather than what is happening in reality. Would the US or another country allow its military interventions to be governed in such a way? No they wouldn't so why would Russia?
Dejan Corovic
As above, so bellow
As far as I can see Russia does things in waves, which take about 2-3 weeks from bottom to the top ( half a wave ). Probably it has to do with logistics and resupply.
But one can see that the intensity of their actions is static, its not growing. They managed to close front line gaps above Mariuopol and Lukhansk, but Donetsk is still exposed to shelling from Ukraine. They lost 1,000 tanks, which is realistic estimate, because there are so many photos of whole Russian columns destroyed, its hard to doubt that figure. Its hard to imagine they'll make any advances if they don't find solution for Ukrainian modern anti-tank missile problem.
But its not just tanks, they lost lots of aircraft. Their air-force is having no impact on war, while it should actually be dominating it.
As well they have a limited supply of professional soldiers / special troupes, even generals. These men didn't have a rest nor they've been rotated. By now they would be both depleted in numbers and exhausted physically and mentally, but are very hard to replace. Obviously war is going to drag into the next year. It can easily happen that Ukrainians depletes Russian manpower so it becomes easy picking for NATO.
Ukrainians know this, NATO knows this, so long term things don't look good for Russia.
Last edited:
nivek
As Above So Below
Czech Republic allowing nationals to join Ukraine's army, fight Russia
The Czech Republic’s leader on Wednesday has approved requests from more than 100 of its citizens to join Ukraine’s army in the war against Russia.
Czech citizens are banned from service in foreign armies – a crime punishable by a prison term of up to five years. But Czech President Milos Zeman has approved requests from 103 Czech civilians wanting to help Ukraine in the fight, according to the Associated Press.
Those 103 are from a total of some 400 Czechs who have applied for an exemption from the ban, according to the Defense Ministry.
Authorities still have to process most of the requests.
It’s also not clear how many Czech nationals have already been fighting on the Ukrainian side against invading Russian troops.
The president’s approval has to be co-signed by Prime Minister Petr Fiala who said through his spokesman he would sign all requests that have been approved by the Czech authorities.
Russia’s war in Ukraine has now lasted 77 days.
.
The Czech Republic’s leader on Wednesday has approved requests from more than 100 of its citizens to join Ukraine’s army in the war against Russia.
Czech citizens are banned from service in foreign armies – a crime punishable by a prison term of up to five years. But Czech President Milos Zeman has approved requests from 103 Czech civilians wanting to help Ukraine in the fight, according to the Associated Press.
Those 103 are from a total of some 400 Czechs who have applied for an exemption from the ban, according to the Defense Ministry.
Authorities still have to process most of the requests.
It’s also not clear how many Czech nationals have already been fighting on the Ukrainian side against invading Russian troops.
The president’s approval has to be co-signed by Prime Minister Petr Fiala who said through his spokesman he would sign all requests that have been approved by the Czech authorities.
Russia’s war in Ukraine has now lasted 77 days.
.
nivek
As Above So Below
Russia has signaled intent to end 'current phase' of invasion, cut losses with Kherson referendum
Russia has potentially signaled intent to end the invasion of Ukraine and integrate the Kherson region, an intelligence expert told Fox News Digital.
Putin’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov told journalists that "residents of Kherson must decide for themselves" whether they will "appeal" for "integration of the region into the Russian territory," according to TASS.
Peskov refused to be drawn on the possibility of a referendum, saying he "stated what I wanted to state," but former DIA officer Rebekah Koffler argued that Moscow will proceed with a referendum to provide "legal justification" for Russia to integrate Kherson.
"This is standard Russian statecraft," Koffler explained. "In 2014, 95.5% of Crimean residents voted for joining Russia."
But Koffler, author of "Putin’s Playbook: Russia’s Secret Plan to Defeat America," further believes that integrating Kherson would be enough for Putin to say he achieved his goal for the current phase of the invasion, which Moscow has continued to call a "special operation" in Ukraine.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that completion of the "special operation" would stop the West’s attempts to "promote a unipolar world," which Lavrov defined as "attempts to undermine international law."
Lavrov repeated the same talking points Moscow has pushed since before the invasion started, claiming that Russia's intent behind the invasion was to protect "the inhabitants of the Donetsk and Luhansk people’s republics from the Kyiv neo-Nazi regime" and ensure "the West will not build a military threat to the security of the Russian Federation from the territory of Ukraine."
"This is the first time, since the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, that such a senior Russian official mentioned the idea of ending the ‘special operation,’" Koffler said.
The Kherson region would provide Russia its much-desired access to Southern Ukraine and establish a land bridge to Crimea. By securing this access, Russia would be able to control the mouth of the Dnieper River, which bisects Ukraine and provides access along the length of the country.
"Realizing he can’t win the war – as long as the U.S. and NATO are providing formidable weaponry and real-time intelligence to Ukraine – Putin is probably considering cutting his losses and ending the operation at this stage," Koffler said.
"If Putin absorbs Kherson into Russia or at least establishes another breakaway ‘People’s Republic’ — like Donetsk and Luhansk — he will have achieved the goals of this current phase of war," she added.
.
Russia has potentially signaled intent to end the invasion of Ukraine and integrate the Kherson region, an intelligence expert told Fox News Digital.
Putin’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov told journalists that "residents of Kherson must decide for themselves" whether they will "appeal" for "integration of the region into the Russian territory," according to TASS.
Peskov refused to be drawn on the possibility of a referendum, saying he "stated what I wanted to state," but former DIA officer Rebekah Koffler argued that Moscow will proceed with a referendum to provide "legal justification" for Russia to integrate Kherson.
"This is standard Russian statecraft," Koffler explained. "In 2014, 95.5% of Crimean residents voted for joining Russia."
But Koffler, author of "Putin’s Playbook: Russia’s Secret Plan to Defeat America," further believes that integrating Kherson would be enough for Putin to say he achieved his goal for the current phase of the invasion, which Moscow has continued to call a "special operation" in Ukraine.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that completion of the "special operation" would stop the West’s attempts to "promote a unipolar world," which Lavrov defined as "attempts to undermine international law."
Lavrov repeated the same talking points Moscow has pushed since before the invasion started, claiming that Russia's intent behind the invasion was to protect "the inhabitants of the Donetsk and Luhansk people’s republics from the Kyiv neo-Nazi regime" and ensure "the West will not build a military threat to the security of the Russian Federation from the territory of Ukraine."
"This is the first time, since the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, that such a senior Russian official mentioned the idea of ending the ‘special operation,’" Koffler said.
The Kherson region would provide Russia its much-desired access to Southern Ukraine and establish a land bridge to Crimea. By securing this access, Russia would be able to control the mouth of the Dnieper River, which bisects Ukraine and provides access along the length of the country.
"Realizing he can’t win the war – as long as the U.S. and NATO are providing formidable weaponry and real-time intelligence to Ukraine – Putin is probably considering cutting his losses and ending the operation at this stage," Koffler said.
"If Putin absorbs Kherson into Russia or at least establishes another breakaway ‘People’s Republic’ — like Donetsk and Luhansk — he will have achieved the goals of this current phase of war," she added.
.
nivek
As Above So Below
Boris tells Sweden and Finland Britain has their backs if Putin attacks: Johnson signs 'border security deals' that could see UK troops sent in to defend the Scandinavian countries amid fears their bids to join Nato will provoke Moscow
The Prime Minister unveiled a major new military pact with the two countries, which have both been threatened by the Kremlin in recent weeks after expressing interest in joining Nato. The PM said the 'mutual security assurances' would see the countries involved come to each other's aid in the event of an attack. Asked whether British troops could be sent to Finland in the event of a Russian invasion, the PM said: 'Yes, we will come to each other's assistance including with military assistance.' He said the UK would be prepared to offer Sweden 'whatever Sweden requested', if Moscow followed through with threats of a military offensive. Swedish prime minister Magdalena Andersson said her country would be safer as a result of the mutual assistance agreement with the UK. 'Are we safer with this declaration? Yes we are. Of course this means something.' British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Sweden's Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson signed documents as they met at her summer residence in Harpsund, Sweden
.
The Prime Minister unveiled a major new military pact with the two countries, which have both been threatened by the Kremlin in recent weeks after expressing interest in joining Nato. The PM said the 'mutual security assurances' would see the countries involved come to each other's aid in the event of an attack. Asked whether British troops could be sent to Finland in the event of a Russian invasion, the PM said: 'Yes, we will come to each other's assistance including with military assistance.' He said the UK would be prepared to offer Sweden 'whatever Sweden requested', if Moscow followed through with threats of a military offensive. Swedish prime minister Magdalena Andersson said her country would be safer as a result of the mutual assistance agreement with the UK. 'Are we safer with this declaration? Yes we are. Of course this means something.' British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Sweden's Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson signed documents as they met at her summer residence in Harpsund, Sweden
.
pigfarmer
tall, thin, irritable
Britain and France once said something like that to Poland.
AD1184
Celestial
What ability does Britain have to intercede on behalf of Finland should Russia invade? Its military is the smallest it has been in centuries. Throughout the 20th century, until the 1990s, Britain maintained at least 300,000 active military personnel. Now there are only half that number across all branches, despite the population of the country being larger than ever. Many of its Navy's ships cannot leave port, and of those that can, many are not up to full combat readiness, with equipment missing or unserviceable. Not that the Royal Navy would be impressive even if all of its ships were usable. And not that the conventional military threat posed by Russia is particularly formidable, either. However, it is not clear how a conventional conflict between nuclear powers could be ensured to stay conventional, and is thus unwise to provoke in any circumstance.
The Finland-Sweden-Russia situation is one that is being inflamed out of nothing. Russia was not making moves on either country. Finland and Sweden's moves to join NATO are punitive measures against Russia, and an exploitation of growing Russian weakness due to its military disaster in Ukraine. If anything, they likely increase the risk of conflict with Russia for those two countries, rather than reduce it. Or at least, they further inflame tensions and do nothing to reduce them. Nevertheless, Finland, Sweden, and the NATO countries do not like what Russia is doing in Ukraine, and are only too eager to inflict punishment for it on Russia, even at some risk to themselves.
The Finland-Sweden-Russia situation is one that is being inflamed out of nothing. Russia was not making moves on either country. Finland and Sweden's moves to join NATO are punitive measures against Russia, and an exploitation of growing Russian weakness due to its military disaster in Ukraine. If anything, they likely increase the risk of conflict with Russia for those two countries, rather than reduce it. Or at least, they further inflame tensions and do nothing to reduce them. Nevertheless, Finland, Sweden, and the NATO countries do not like what Russia is doing in Ukraine, and are only too eager to inflict punishment for it on Russia, even at some risk to themselves.
Last edited:
nivek
As Above So Below
I've just read one of the major mainstream sites that war in Ukraine will last for years.
US and allies have a priority to bleed Russia dry, all the way to the bone, through combination of sanctions and war expense, and now they have once in a lifetime opportunity. If they miss it they will regret. If they don't miss opportunity they can break up Russia into pieces and get all these Russia's commodities at a prices they can control. Its no brainier.
Russia will bleed quite fast, with its antiquated weaponry and zero chance to stop inflow of super high-tech NATO weaponry through Ukrainian western borders that will forever be out of Russia's reach. NATO effectively has Russia cornered in an unsustainable condition. I guess guys from Rand Corporation are drinking champagne every day.
Only additional expense for the West is cost of welfare for those 4 million Ukrainian women and children who are now in EU. But that's not covered by US tax payer's money, but with EU taxpayer's money, so it should be OK
It sure does fit what we see happening, Russia is looking bad, the Russian military are a mess as the failures compound...Really, it's only nuclear weapons that keeps Russia a powerful threat, without nukes Russia wouldn't exist as it does now, it would have been much different a country once the USSR crashed if nukes were non-existent...So the West weakened Russia the only way it could, by laying a big bear trap called Ukraine and the bear fell for the bait...
...
pigfarmer
tall, thin, irritable
One hydrogen bomb makes for a bad day. But I do wonder about the state of readiness of Russian nuclear forces. Probably overamped by the media like the redt of their second rate military. I imagine with the threats already made we’ve quietly taken pains to use our ‘national technical assets’ as well as other intelligence means and allies to pinpoint what they have.
AD1184
Celestial
I suspect that Russia's nuclear arsenal is in a similar state of disrepair to its conventional military. However, Russia is still able to field tanks, and ships and cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles in Ukraine, and they do blow things up and kill people. If even a small fraction of its nuclear arsenal were deployed, it would be a global calamity.
nivek
As Above So Below
Some speculate that Russia may explode nukes in the Ukraine before all said and done, but I don't think Russia would, not in Ukrainian country, the land is far too valuable a resource to ruin with radiation, however I would be more concerned with the territories a little further north and west...
...
Dejan Corovic
As above, so bellow
Ruskies are not going to burn America that much, they'll mostly burn EU. In that game EU is scrapegoat.
But I wrote it before in another thread, Pentagon did extensive studies back in 60's or 70's, just few nukes exploded in ionosfere to cause EM pulse that would wipe out 80-90% of all things that run on electricity in civilian economy. Pentagon predicted ( if I remember correctly ) that 80% of people in US would die not from radiation or boiling alive, but from disruption of supply chain as a result of loss of electricity. Its definitelly not something to look forward for.
... or in the great Baroness Margaret Tatcher's own words: "One can not uninvent atomic bomb"
Last edited:
