They were pretty obviously pure morale boosting BS. The ability of Javelin missiles to shatter Russian tanks is becoming a meme at this point. The Russians had to at least pretend to be doing something to get guys to drive the bleeping things in the general direction of the enemy. Where the BS didn't work, and they died, or abandoned them and ran like hell after they drove past a few examples
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The Poles have done their part, and far more than their part. I suspect they have done quite a few parts that won't be public until this is all over. I don't blame them at all for handing the Migs over in a way that if Putin wants to wave his magical nuclear stick around. He is waving it at someone who has one of their own.
The Ukrainians don't have to attack, just make the Russians bleed more than they can stand. And we have given them a blank check so far. If the war went static they could get trained up on better, and more sophisticate, western gear.
Neither the Vietnamese, or the Afghans had very large quantities of missiles that could shoot the wings off of a fly at ranges up to tens of miles. I don't think we have even tried to hold ground in either place if they did.
The_Capt, when you get the time, which I din't expect to be any time soon, can you go over what this implies for Taiwan. Assuming they had tactical missiles on hand in the same general proportion.
it is an interesting oddity of this war that the Russians don't say anything about Ukrainian casualties because they don't want to admit they are in a real fight, to their own people.
Even if the numbers are half that, how long can the Russians remain combat effective? Even the half number is more than 20,000 casualties out of a force of less than 200,000. Anybody got any info on the Russians moving up fresh forces.
Zelensky does not seem to be in any way reckless with Ukrainian lives, But he is also trying to manage a vengeful fury that appears to be powered by it own nuclear plant, his and his people's.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/putins-forces-in-ukraine-war-are-decimated-says-uk-defence-chief-x7khnbfzq?utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=ukraine&utm_medium=branded_social
UK MoD is on team Steve.
It isn't just after the ballon went up. It A LOT of things started coming in between Feb 1, and the invasion. Pretty clear intel was 100% at that point that provocation wasn't an issue any more. Chinese holding the Russians back until after the olymics looms ever larger.