LongLeftFlank

By the second winter, the boots had worn out...

Even Comrade Lenin underestimated both the anguish of that 900 mile long front, and our cursed capacity for suffering.

By the second winter, the boots had worn out...

Even Comrade Lenin underestimated both the anguish of that 900 mile long front, and our cursed capacity for suffering.

A good combat leader, leading from the front and doing what needs doing. That's a heavy loss for the Russians.
P.S. News YOU can use!
 

A good combat leader, leading from the front and doing what needs doing. That's a heavy loss for the Russians.
P.S. News YOU can use!
 

See my post above about Krynky assault. This is BMD-4M more likely. 104th air-assault division is on that direction, having some new BMD-4M and older BMD-2

By the second winter, the boots had worn out...

Even Comrade Lenin underestimated both the anguish of that 900 mile long front, and our cursed capacity for suffering.

By the second winter, the boots had worn out...

Even Comrade Lenin underestimated both the anguish of that 900 mile long front, and our cursed capacity for suffering.

By the second winter, the boots had worn out...

Even Comrade Lenin underestimated both the anguish of that 900 mile long front, and our cursed capacity for suffering.

Thanks to you and the other commenters here.
While an admirer of Chinese civilisation (and food and women) since uni, I have been a China skeptic since the mid-2000s, for many of the same reasons you guys cite here.
But like Jim Chanos, I finally have to capitulate and admit that, whatever the flaws, wastage and corruption associated with CPC rule, the cult of Great Helmsman Xi, Han supremacist repression at home, harsh mercantilism and sharp dealing abroad, real estate binging, countless infra white elephants, manufacturing overcapacity and all that...
... China is now a behemoth at making and pushing out stuff on demand, the likes of which the world hasn't seen since Colt's weapons wowed the smug Europeans at the 1851 Crystal Palace.
And that sheer capacity, while it isn't all-powerful, is a macro reality we need to factor into everything now, especially since we cannot at present collectively summon the will to match it.
Hence my raising it on this thread.  I truly hope that the Russians boll%x it up again (whatever It turns out to be), and that the Ukrainian heroes don't end up as the martyred canaries in our coal mine. They have earned better from us.

Thanks to you and the other commenters here.
While an admirer of Chinese civilisation (and food and women) since uni, I have been a China skeptic since the mid-2000s, for many of the same reasons you guys cite here.
But like Jim Chanos, I finally have to capitulate and admit that, whatever the flaws, wastage and corruption associated with CPC rule, the cult of Great Helmsman Xi, Han supremacist repression at home, harsh mercantilism and sharp dealing abroad, real estate binging, countless infra white elephants, manufacturing overcapacity and all that...
... China is now a behemoth at making and pushing out stuff on demand, the likes of which the world hasn't seen since Colt's weapons wowed the smug Europeans at the 1851 Crystal Palace.
And that sheer capacity, while it isn't all-powerful, is a macro reality we need to factor into everything now, especially since we cannot at present collectively summon the will to match it.
Hence my raising it on this thread.  I truly hope that the Russians boll%x it up again (whatever It turns out to be), and that the Ukrainian heroes don't end up as the martyred canaries in our coal mine. They have earned better from us.

Tank explosion grogs /rolleyes
(Tank explosion connoisseurs?)
You remind me of this
https://xkcd.com/2535

By giving Russia a greater edge?
Russian generalship is currently one of Ukraine's greatest ally, because all reformers pushing for quality improvement in the Russian Army are grassroots. Nationalist volunteers and such. The more these people get ignored, the better for Ukraine, and the current Russian high officer corps is ignoring them very handily.

Thanks to you and the other commenters here.
While an admirer of Chinese civilisation (and food and women) since uni, I have been a China skeptic since the mid-2000s, for many of the same reasons you guys cite here.
But like Jim Chanos, I finally have to capitulate and admit that, whatever the flaws, wastage and corruption associated with CPC rule, the cult of Great Helmsman Xi, Han supremacist repression at home, harsh mercantilism and sharp dealing abroad, real estate binging, countless infra white elephants, manufacturing overcapacity and all that...
... China is now a behemoth at making and pushing out stuff on demand, the likes of which the world hasn't seen since Colt's weapons wowed the smug Europeans at the 1851 Crystal Palace.
And that sheer capacity, while it isn't all-powerful, is a macro reality we need to factor into everything now, especially since we cannot at present collectively summon the will to match it.
Hence my raising it on this thread.  I truly hope that the Russians boll%x it up again (whatever It turns out to be), and that the Ukrainian heroes don't end up as the martyred canaries in our coal mine. They have earned better from us.

Farewell to all that Arsenal of Democracy chest-pounding, I'm afraid, gents. Western military power has always been  'firstest with the mostest' since at latest Lepanto. But we now stand on the threshold of profound change, and we have nobody to blame but ourselves.
...While the West retains a large edge in innovating tech cuz "our Freedomz", it's the Chinese manufacturing behemoth that can flood the planet with cut-price fit-for-purpose knockoffs of anything you can hit with a stick, long before our 'shareholder value' guys can even roll out the first generation.
Their capacity -- including sophisticated supply chains -- is now an order of magnitude beyond  the West's remaining heavy manufacturing centres in Korea, Germany and US-Mexico. The ramp rates are mind boggling now. And as with cars, batteries and wind turbines, so with miltech.

The Chinese state also can, and will, keep surplus heavy industrial capacity on the shelf for decades. Short of buying off China Inc. to supply our team instead, I just don't see how this changes.
Rebuttal?
@Butschi, @poesel, anyone?

 

Farewell to all that Arsenal of Democracy chest-pounding, I'm afraid, gents. Western military power has always been  'firstest with the mostest' since at latest Lepanto. But we now stand on the threshold of profound change, and we have nobody to blame but ourselves.
...While the West retains a large edge in innovating tech cuz "our Freedomz", it's the Chinese manufacturing behemoth that can flood the planet with cut-price fit-for-purpose knockoffs of anything you can hit with a stick, long before our 'shareholder value' guys can even roll out the first generation.
Their capacity -- including sophisticated supply chains -- is now an order of magnitude beyond  the West's remaining heavy manufacturing centres in Korea, Germany and US-Mexico. The ramp rates are mind boggling now. And as with cars, batteries and wind turbines, so with miltech.

The Chinese state also can, and will, keep surplus heavy industrial capacity on the shelf for decades. Short of buying off China Inc. to supply our team instead, I just don't see how this changes.
Rebuttal?
@Butschi, @poesel, anyone?

 

That's a bit harsh.
In WWII at least, those "effete slow liberal democracies" had to resort to some authoritarian measures. Mandatory conscription, rationing, curfews, Nisei concentration camps, something called the War Powers Act in the US (I presume UK/ANZAC had something similar), to name a few.
Not sure I would call Korea a win, not sure I would call the Cold War a war, and the Gulf War adversary was in a whole different league.
Not that I disagree with the point, slow and steady wins the race, as the saying  goes. It's just unfortunate that bureaucracy is a necessary evil for an open, rule-of-law democracy.

Article in English about preliminary researching of ballistic missile parts (tail part of one of missiles remained in quite large fragments), which has struck Kharkiv several days ago. It is similar to Iskander-M, but has some differences. Diameter is on 10 mm more, assembling quality is much worse, erased factory mrks on many parts, no EW system, etc. But to make final conclusion that this is N.Korean missile need to conduct additioanal researhes
  https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2024/01/6/7436148/

But I agree with Zeliban. 
Evil Axis Russia - N.Korea - Iran with proxies backed by China is growing own strength month by month, arming each other and igniting conflicts, threating to West sensitive areas (Gaza, Red Sea)
Russia expanded own "Shadow Axis" - BRICS, several days ago Egypt, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Iran, Ethiopia joined to this organisation, so BRICS countries now control 45 % of world oil 
US claimed: N.Korea will regret if hands over ballistic missiles to Russia
N. Korea: handed over
US: we will put personal sanctions on persons, responsible for this and will call UNSC meeting to blame this
UK: This is a victory! We forced Russia to walk with outstrached hand! They beg missiles in N,Korea and Iran!
Ukraine: soooo, but how it help us? N.Korea gave missile to Russia "stretched hand". Can we get at last ATACAMS, BGM-109 and Taurus?
West: this may cause escalation.Maybe will be better if we help you to produce 155 mm shells? Through the year or two...
N.Korea: shelled S.Korea territory with artilelry
Evil Axis (chorus): Yes, we are fu...g nuts. And what will you do to us?
West: sinking in 1000 round tables and deep concernings  
Alas, in situations "tough times demand tough solutions" liberal democracy is too slow in comparison with authocraties and dictatorships
 
 

Just going to pull on this one because frankly this is becoming a waste of time - we sent one dooms day cultist on vaycay and we get another right behind him.
But let’s unpack your expertise on reconstruction business for just as second.  Hmm, now I wonder just how scared US and western businesses were in Iraq and Afghanistan.  We poured hundreds of billions into those two countries and western companies lined up to get in on it…saw em with my own eyes.
But for “reasons” cruise missiles are somehow scarier than getting one’s head sliced off by insurgents or IED’d.  
Let me as blunt as I can be - you do not know what you are talking about.  Nothing in what the US just said points to abandonment of Ukraine.  Nor would a shift toward self-sustainment somehow chase off all support.  Why?  Because money talks. It actually makes a lot of sense and has been the long term playbook for partners globally since the 90’s.
But clearly you are in the Zeleban camp where everything is falling apart and the end is inevitable.  I strongly support what we are doing in this war.  I support a free independent and secure Ukraine.  Ukrainian resistance and then defence will go down in history as one of the great military actions.  
But every time someone from your end of things comes in here and plays this same old song - I do not want to call my MP and demand greater support for Ukraine.  I want to call them and say we should “cut and run” because if this is what Ukrainian steadfast resolve looks like we are likely backing another bad partner.
Now, I know that you, nor Zeleban represent your people.  For some reason we are collecting these types but I see Ukraine fighting and defending itself under extreme duress everyday.  I see people make sacrifices and staring into that abyss with resolve and determination.  Pull yourself together and honour what they are doing.  You do them no service coming here and pushing this sort of outright disinformation.  
I honestly miss kraze at this point.

The generous response to this would be 'you are reading too much into the article - that's not what it says'.  In the UK we have a less generous, single-word response that I think is probably more appropriate, though.
 
Fixed that for you.
 
You do seem to spend a lot of your time intentionally 'interpreting' what people write in order to fit your 'all is lost' narrative.
The point of the response you laughed off here was, I think, to ask what Ukraine's plan is?  For the first year or so, Ukraine were in panicky, dear-god-they're-invading-help-please-send-whatever-you-can mode.  Where is Ukraine now?  Two years in, what is Ukraine's strategy for winning this war?  Surely it's not to rely on free equipment sent in by foreign nations?  I mean, I think Ukraine can rely on US/EU providing as much support as they can (given the various other factors at play) but it would be idiotic to rely on that and make no other plans to defend your country, right?  Perhaps if we knew more from Ukraine about what they are trying to do then we could all offer more insightful opinions as to how the US/EU could help.
 
Your apparent understanding of how Western European people think is frankly stunningly inaccurate.
To be blunt, people in Western Europe don't give a solitary, flying **** about Russia.  They don't.  No-one talks about Russia, worries about Russia or even less considers Russia's strength when they go to the ballot box.  Ask people in the UK about Russia and they will talk about Salisbury, the World Cup and the ongoing war with Ukraine.  Some of them might remember 2014.  A few more will remember the Kursk tragedy because the Russians turned down British help to rescue the crew.  Beyond that it's probably all Yeltsin and pre-90s stuff.
What you think seems to be a reflection of Russia's own internal propaganda line -  that the West spends all its time envying and plotting against the mighty Russian people.  It's just bollocks (oh, there we are - the one-word response made it into print after all).

I am not sure the distinction between Chinese and US focus on AI development is correct.
LLMs are hip and trendy (for very good reasons) and so everyone who does anything AI looks for ways to leverage LLMs for whatever products they have. One main driver of AI development is autonomous driving where Waymo (Google) and Cruise (GM) are top players and US based. Google smartphones use AI for a lot of stuff, too. On the other hand, China doesn't only do consumer electronics and hardware. They have huge social media platforms (that just aren't used widely outside of China), and of course they use AI for social scoring (in other words, spying on their people).
Btw, no idea if LLMs specifically are useful for drone operations. As the first L in LLM implies, those models have billions of parameters and are therefore quite resource hungry. So I guess you either use stripped down versions or edge computing (meaning that your computation heavy stuff runs in a computing center and only data collection is done on the device itself).

I've backed off posting a little cuz work, probably to the relief of some here.
But this piece, while not directly war related, is interesting, as China's ability to innovate, refine and mass-manufacture/export is a key megatrend to keep tracking soberly (i.e. without either exaggerating or dismissing):
https://tphuang.substack.com/p/ai-approach-differences-between-china
People often comment that China has turned to mature chip fabs as a result of October sanctions. I would say they always had plans to massively expand mature chip productions. The market for these “mature chips” in future AI controlled consumer electronics product and machines are enormous...
China is at the forefront of consumer electronics and robotics product, so its focus on LLMs are driven by how to make its consumer electronics and robotics product smarter. So, making hard tech better.
American tech companies are the leaders of search, e-commerce, social media and apps. So, its focus on LLMs are focused on how to make these soft tech products better...
As many have observed here, the Ukraine war already has the makings of a test-bed and laboratory for next generation miltech, much like the Spanish Civil War (albeit without the Condor Legion/Italian CTV).
PS: I'm not suggesting 'glorified autocomplete' (LLM) extrapolates directly to fully autonomous drones or slaughterdogs. But the general focus of Chinese industry on using AI programming to enhance the performance of physical devices was an interesting insight to me.

I've backed off posting a little cuz work, probably to the relief of some here.
But this piece, while not directly war related, is interesting, as China's ability to innovate, refine and mass-manufacture/export is a key megatrend to keep tracking soberly (i.e. without either exaggerating or dismissing):
https://tphuang.substack.com/p/ai-approach-differences-between-china
People often comment that China has turned to mature chip fabs as a result of October sanctions. I would say they always had plans to massively expand mature chip productions. The market for these “mature chips” in future AI controlled consumer electronics product and machines are enormous...
China is at the forefront of consumer electronics and robotics product, so its focus on LLMs are driven by how to make its consumer electronics and robotics product smarter. So, making hard tech better.
American tech companies are the leaders of search, e-commerce, social media and apps. So, its focus on LLMs are focused on how to make these soft tech products better...
As many have observed here, the Ukraine war already has the makings of a test-bed and laboratory for next generation miltech, much like the Spanish Civil War (albeit without the Condor Legion/Italian CTV).
PS: I'm not suggesting 'glorified autocomplete' (LLM) extrapolates directly to fully autonomous drones or slaughterdogs. But the general focus of Chinese industry on using AI programming to enhance the performance of physical devices was an interesting insight to me.

I've backed off posting a little cuz work, probably to the relief of some here.
But this piece, while not directly war related, is interesting, as China's ability to innovate, refine and mass-manufacture/export is a key megatrend to keep tracking soberly (i.e. without either exaggerating or dismissing):
https://tphuang.substack.com/p/ai-approach-differences-between-china
People often comment that China has turned to mature chip fabs as a result of October sanctions. I would say they always had plans to massively expand mature chip productions. The market for these “mature chips” in future AI controlled consumer electronics product and machines are enormous...
China is at the forefront of consumer electronics and robotics product, so its focus on LLMs are driven by how to make its consumer electronics and robotics product smarter. So, making hard tech better.
American tech companies are the leaders of search, e-commerce, social media and apps. So, its focus on LLMs are focused on how to make these soft tech products better...
As many have observed here, the Ukraine war already has the makings of a test-bed and laboratory for next generation miltech, much like the Spanish Civil War (albeit without the Condor Legion/Italian CTV).
PS: I'm not suggesting 'glorified autocomplete' (LLM) extrapolates directly to fully autonomous drones or slaughterdogs. But the general focus of Chinese industry on using AI programming to enhance the performance of physical devices was an interesting insight to me.