dan/california

Maybe the bigger crime wasn't that they were taking bribes but rather that they weren't giving Putin his share.
In a mafia state, bad things happen if you don't pay the vig.

Unsure if posted.
 

It's interesting that there's such an in-flight performance delta that seems to be based on the launch platform. I'd have thought that once they got to the glide portion their performance would be identical.

Not a lot of talk other than the constant argument in government to support Ukraine for the last 2+ years.  Even Speaker Johnson saw the light after receiving an intelligence briefing. The only exception has been a very small but vocal minority. 
 
Thats been THE argument for support. 

So your theory is that if Kyiv falls Poland, the Baltics, Finland and Sweden are going to do what?  Switch sides?  If we lose in Ukraine it is definitely a western defeat a la Vietnam (but no where near as personal) but we can live with it.  There hasn’t been a single signal out of any NATO nation that the alliance is in doubt if Ukraine falls.  In fact I suspect it will be quite the opposite, we will likely double down on the one mechanism that keeps Russia in check.  In fact the entire theory of an Eastern Europe schism in light of a Russian victory doesn’t make any sense but you keep rolling it out like Armageddon.  Further, you seem to imply that it is an outcome so bad that we should be willing to start playing fast and lose with the nuclear equation.  
You do realize that you are promoting reckless courses of action that if they slide are going to hurt Ukrainians first?  If Russia either loses control, has a misunderstanding or simply says “nope” Ukraine is very likely going to the demonstration venue.
As usual you are going off without a shred of proof behind your own opinion.  Show me one declaration from any of the states you mention that they are willing to start taking the risks you are advocating or that Ukraine is the central issue in their continued partnership.  FFS we are putting a Bde in Latvia, I am sure of Ukraine falls the first thing then Latvians are going to do is tell us to leave.
You are over inflating a Ukrainian loss to the point that WW3 makes perfect sense. This is not good analysis, it is hyperbolic propaganda.  Of course we do not want Ukraine to lose.  We have spent billions trying to stop that from happening.  But we also do not want an uncontrolled escalation…and my proof is self-evident by the lack of western air or land power direct involvement in this war.  Ukraine is simply not worth this whole thing expanding or escalating into a broader regional or global conflict - we already did that sort of thing in 1914 and do not need a repeat.

This is getting to be really interesting.  Stalin-level purges, not just firing them but putting them on trial.  What the heck is going on?  And what will it mean for the war I wonder??

Russia moved two newest pr.22800 Karakurt-class missile corvettes from Black Sea to Caspian Sea. These two corvettes both under final stage of constructiojn and up to the end of 2024 should be adopt to service. Two Karakurts already destroyed/badly damaged. Only one also under construction remained in Black Sea
 

FPVs hunting T-90M and destroy it near Avdiivka
 

Interesting if true, another sign of troop shortage issue?
Russia's pulling combat forces from another continent to fuel its latest offensive push in Ukraine, Western intel says (msn.com)
Russia has pulled combat forces from Africa to support its new offensive in the Kharkiv region.
Africa Corps units recently deployed to fight with other Russian forces, Western intelligence said.
The Russian Africa Corps was created last year and consists of former Wagner Group mercenaries. 

Russia has moved some combat forces from Africa to help support its latest offensive efforts in northeastern Ukraine, according to a new Western intelligence assessment.
Over the past week, Moscow has deployed units from its Africa Corps to fight around Vovchansk, a small city in Ukraine's Kharkiv region that has been at the center of intense fighting in recent days, the UK defense ministry wrote in a Friday intelligence update.
The Russian defense ministry created the Africa Corps last year as a way to expand its footprint on the continent and also in the Middle East. The military formation, which has the same name as a World War II Nazi unit, consists of more than 2,000 regular soldiers, officers, and mercenaries — including many who once served in the notorious Wagner Group.
In Ukraine, Africa Corps units have been deployed alongside regular Russian military forces and Storm-Z penal units made up of convicts and troops with disciplinary charges to support the ongoing Kharkiv offensive, Britain's defense ministry noted.

Why would you need to deliver a PGM with another expensive PGM to target?
Remember those wooden planes they had? (...some googling...)
Ok, just did the math here. ATACMs is just under $1,5M a pop. This cardboard plane costs $3k a piece.
https://www.sypaq.com.au/news/sypaq-awarded-logistics-drone-contract-by-army/
and could carry 2 drones. For the price of one ATACMs missile, you get 500 of these drones carrying 1000 drones.
The planes have some obvious pros & cons, but the redundancy & scalability are likely the biggest pros.

Ukraine's been systematically going after long range radar for awhile. My opinion is they're 'shaping the battlefield' in anticipation of the imminent arrival of F16. In Ukraine's eyes if it can peer deep into Ukrainian airspace its a legitimate target.

Which brigs me back to at least the possibility the Russians did this themselves in the attempt to create diplomatic leverage. And whether or not the U.S. three letter agencies know better may not matter. The whole thing might be an information op aimed at places like Brazil and Indonesia to help ensure they stay on the sidelines, or undermine Ukraine at the U.N.. 
Something we are not very good at is keeping up with the state of the propaganda  war outside of European, and English speaking, media and diplomatic environments. 

good lord, what are the chances one of these guys is found not guilty?  That would be really funny, like monty python funny.  I can picture a skit where that famous crazy screaming nazi judge who would berate, belittle and threaten defendants would, right at the end, scream 'NOT GUILTY!' every time, leaving the court shocked and speechless.

Which brigs me back to at least the possibility the Russians did this themselves in the attempt to create diplomatic leverage. And whether or not the U.S. three letter agencies know better may not matter. The whole thing might be an information op aimed at places like Brazil and Indonesia to help ensure they stay on the sidelines, or undermine Ukraine at the U.N.. 
Something we are not very good at is keeping up with the state of the propaganda  war outside of European, and English speaking, media and diplomatic environments. 

Not at all sure I agree with this. The Putin regime wants to survive this war. It seems to have recently, MAYBE, decided that getting some sort of ceasefire/armistice is its best chance. Stating that they wouldn't mess with a radar whose primary purpose is to never be used, and to announce the end of the world if it is, does not accord with anything Putin has done since February 2022. He has an enormous tolerance for risk, and things like blowing the Khahovka dam, and the endless threats to cause a nuclear melt down prove it. Putin would sacrifice strategic assets in heartbeat to get out of the bind he has stuck himself into. 
It will be very revealing to see if there is a big increase in U.S. finger wagging about Ukrainian strikes in Russia. I am assuming we have pretty good information one way or the other on what happened here. Among other things the posted photos were taken at ground level at what is presumably a very secure facility. and it happens at the exact moment Russia starts to push for a cease fire. All sorts of things are just to convenient for the Kremlin here.

There is no evidence Ukraine has ever violated an agreement with the U.S. about the utilization of a particular weapon system. Indeed their is at least a a rumor that the U.S. sees an actual target list beforehand for the longer range stuff. The Ukrainian very long range drone program is first and foremost a response to the six month stoppage in U.S. aid. We can't possibly blame them for that. I am absolutely certain the Ukrainians would give the U.S. the same target pre approval with that system in return for being able to drop a couple of dozen ATACMS on Tagnerog, and other air bases just over the Russian border from Ukraine. It even sounds like that deal might be underway.
We also shouldn't overlook the fact that the Russian air defense system is so broken that top tier strategic assets can hit by what amount to autonomous kamikaze Cessnas.
Last but not least, their is a none zero chance the Russians blew up their own radar just to apply diplomatic pressure on the Ukrainians over the strike program. Said program is by all appearances having an effect.
If we want the Ukrainians to quit fighting, and accept a ceasefire/armistice on the current lines, all we have to do is accept them into (Edit: NATO) and the EU at the same table, at the same time. If we can't get ourselves organized to do that the choices are allowing Ukraine to be defeated, or supporting it until Russia collapses. Seems like it is time for some diplomats to have a frank discussion or five.

Not when it suites Russia's purposes to play up a strike on their Nuclear Deterrence Capabilities - When thats the case I would not believe a word any Russian  source  said on the subject .

Not at all sure I agree with this. The Putin regime wants to survive this war. It seems to have recently, MAYBE, decided that getting some sort of ceasefire/armistice is its best chance. Stating that they wouldn't mess with a radar whose primary purpose is to never be used, and to announce the end of the world if it is, does not accord with anything Putin has done since February 2022. He has an enormous tolerance for risk, and things like blowing the Khahovka dam, and the endless threats to cause a nuclear melt down prove it. Putin would sacrifice strategic assets in heartbeat to get out of the bind he has stuck himself into. 
It will be very revealing to see if there is a big increase in U.S. finger wagging about Ukrainian strikes in Russia. I am assuming we have pretty good information one way or the other on what happened here. Among other things the posted photos were taken at ground level at what is presumably a very secure facility. and it happens at the exact moment Russia starts to push for a cease fire. All sorts of things are just to convenient for the Kremlin here.

Not at all sure I agree with this. The Putin regime wants to survive this war. It seems to have recently, MAYBE, decided that getting some sort of ceasefire/armistice is its best chance. Stating that they wouldn't mess with a radar whose primary purpose is to never be used, and to announce the end of the world if it is, does not accord with anything Putin has done since February 2022. He has an enormous tolerance for risk, and things like blowing the Khahovka dam, and the endless threats to cause a nuclear melt down prove it. Putin would sacrifice strategic assets in heartbeat to get out of the bind he has stuck himself into. 
It will be very revealing to see if there is a big increase in U.S. finger wagging about Ukrainian strikes in Russia. I am assuming we have pretty good information one way or the other on what happened here. Among other things the posted photos were taken at ground level at what is presumably a very secure facility. and it happens at the exact moment Russia starts to push for a cease fire. All sorts of things are just to convenient for the Kremlin here.

Fightbomber apparently states that this occurred on April 21 and he himself noted the attack when it occurred. We can safely assume no red line crossed if Blinken's visit resulted in him being okay with western weapons being used in Russia.
 

There is no evidence Ukraine has ever violated an agreement with the U.S. about the utilization of a particular weapon system. Indeed their is at least a a rumor that the U.S. sees an actual target list beforehand for the longer range stuff. The Ukrainian very long range drone program is first and foremost a response to the six month stoppage in U.S. aid. We can't possibly blame them for that. I am absolutely certain the Ukrainians would give the U.S. the same target pre approval with that system in return for being able to drop a couple of dozen ATACMS on Tagnerog, and other air bases just over the Russian border from Ukraine. It even sounds like that deal might be underway.
We also shouldn't overlook the fact that the Russian air defense system is so broken that top tier strategic assets can hit by what amount to autonomous kamikaze Cessnas.
Last but not least, their is a none zero chance the Russians blew up their own radar just to apply diplomatic pressure on the Ukrainians over the strike program. Said program is by all appearances having an effect.
If we want the Ukrainians to quit fighting, and accept a ceasefire/armistice on the current lines, all we have to do is accept them into (Edit: NATO) and the EU at the same table, at the same time. If we can't get ourselves organized to do that the choices are allowing Ukraine to be defeated, or supporting it until Russia collapses. Seems like it is time for some diplomats to have a frank discussion or five.