Lethaface

The missile attacks this afternoon seemed to be mostly neutralized from the news reports. Is that true? I didn't see any reports of more missile attacks going on after. Was this the opening of 'Gerasimov' offensive? Just curious what you think.

Of course it is different. Maybe I just don't like to say to someone from Ukraine that casualties might be very high and continue to be like that for some time. But that doesn't mean you're losing the war. At least for whatever my 0,02ct are worth

But not necessarily fair or just. While this is going on about 1000km (my guess) to the south of all the destruction in Ukraine now 25000 people died in an earthquake. We are still humans, such numbers of death are presented as statistics but nobody can imagine the loss of life of all these people individually in a mentally healthy way. Sometimes it can be good to step away a bit from studying all the death and destruction, if you are able at least. I sure need to.

Maybe for the best to not think about it too much . I don't know what is true but the truth might not be 'nice'.

Even if it would be a 1:1 ratio over all of Bakhmut the last 5 months (which I seriously doubt), that still doesn't mean Ukraine will be losing the war. Wars are hell and costly especially WW1 style. I'm not so pessimistic. Of course it is easy to talk from safe chair. FWIW there is quite some support going on, although obviously when you are in the 'hard place' it can never be (fast) enough

Sure looks like Stalingrad / Hiroshima 2023. I guess it is difficult to fathom the level of destruction going on.

Leo2 was in service though in the timeframe, so we should see that if there will be another module with Germany. Even NL saw first deliveries mid 1981.

I came across this as well. He also said "U cannot even imagine (even I) the amount of destroyed Russia armour from Krasnogorivka to Kamianka. Approximately like 3 brigades" If that's correct, there will be more (good) news I would guess.

Back to Ukraine

You were talking about rifts in the EU/NATO because of UA and how DE would probably go it's own way with FR and IT hiding behind it avec plaisir. And how DE supposedly 'pressuring' US into delivering tanks is a reason for PL to order 500 HIMARS. And that DE is not even a weak ally. I find that discussion worthy too. I'm not German either, although one of my great grandmothers came from Konigsberg. I have one memory of her when I was four years old and we got into the door of the place where she lived (I guess) and she started swearing. It made an impression, here is a grandmother who says words I can't say lol. She was already demented I understood later. I don't 'identify' as German though . Anyway I don't mind discussion at all, but the simple fact that Germany was against Ukraine entering NATO before this war erupted is hardly a reason to distrust Germany's loyalty in defense pacts. Perhaps it 'helps' that the armed forces of my country are literally integrated into the German armed forces.

I like the phrase, though I'm no part in the Morocco - Spain feud. But I do know those enclaves are really small, like 10-20 sq KM per enclave, mostly urban terrain. Not really tank brigade terrain.

All I know is that @BletchleyGeek is actually also Spanish. But I don't think stuffing a couple of hundred of Leo2s in those small enclaves is going to help stop Morocco from taking those area's if they really want to start a war about m, which I don't think they want.

The treaty doesn't differentiate for 'own soil' or not (AFAIK, I haven't fully read it), probably for the wise. It was also before the Ukraine war so they could hardly keep it into account ;-). Agreed to leave the subject though. good weekend

I don't think the main reason for the treaty is about the effect against combatants. The issue is that the main victims of anti personnel mines are non-combatants, years after the wars in which they were placed were over.

I think I'm onto something here.

Pray to the CM gods, or order reverse if this moment happens during the command phase (or if playing RT). Often the vehicles will reverse automatically to reload, I think tied to whether there are other enemies in view or not.

PS @Maciej Zwolinski it's not a western thing, your country seems to be infiltrated by Russian agents as well lol https://www.armscontrol.org/factsheets/ottawasigs

LoL not everything you fail to grasp is an achievement by Russian agents or a 'Western thing'. What's not to understand, because of these things and the horrible deaths people decided it would be better to not use them ever again and tried to get that into a treaty. Whether you or I agree with the sentiment is another question. Yes there are some groups who got money from Russia, knowingly or not. But not all 'humanitarian groups' are Russian proxies. Maybe give me some of the stuff you smoke There's 106 nuclear reactors in the EU. I for one think Nuclear energy should be part of the mix. But we are dwelling off.

https://www.icrc.org/en/doc/resources/documents/faq/mines-fac-cartagena-021109.htm#:~:text=What is an anti-personnel,civilian man%2C woman or child. I guess because no matter the intent, a mine will not make a difference between a child stepping on it vs an enemy combatant. AP mines are meant to maim and are rather good at their job. Angola, Cambodja, experiences like those have lead to the sentiment. Edit: for Angola in 1995 there were 70.000 civilians killed (and as much wounded) from mines after the war ended. 20 years after the war still 20 people died on a daily basis because of the mines.

FWIW Dutch think tanks about the new offensive: 'They think Bakhmut will fall in a couple of weeks, but that Ukraine is turning it into a sort of Mariupol. But they don't think the Russians can do much more than that, Donetsk is too large. Maybe some feint attacks around Zaporizja, while the main goals will be Slovjanks and Kramatorsk. Which would be a big loss for Ukraine. But they expect Russia's attack to culminate in an Ukrainian offensive, when the Russian attacking troops have lost most of their combat power. Just like in August.' https://nos.nl/artikel/2463156-nieuw-russisch-offensief-in-oekraine-lijkt-begonnen-ze-duwen-op-alle-fronten While in general these think tanks are of decent to good quality (depends on the subject/person), they were mostly wrong about the war in the beginning like the other think tanks. Although they have been getting informed better and better since mid 2022.

We all have similar problems. Not even that much % of votes would have mean the Le Pen, Wilders or other 'bright lights' would be in power now.

I hope so, cooperating towards the common goal seems key at least. If all the bickering would be maskirovka to have the Russians think we are still the same while silently setting up a vast support network / defense cooperation that would be a great ploy. I know some people here who have the opinion that's happening on a significant scale, but I'm not so sure about that.

I think it's a bit in the middle; I do know that if I was Ukrainian in a trench to be overran by Russians I'd have no qualms at all about AP mining the heck of it. If HQ worries about it they can order an artillery strike on it tomorrow and call it 'command detonation'. However how serious do we take ourselves if our policy makers go 'boooh evil' when side X does it, while keeping their mouth shut when side Y does it because we like them better? I don't know how effective mining large swaths of land are though. They probably get bypassed and may in the future well be an obstacle for your own troops or people.

Perhaps JasonC is who you are referring to?

Understood And indeed Orban is beyond a problem. He / his clique already have consolidated (in)direct ownership of virtually all Hungarian media. That's not unlike how Putin consolidated his power. Luckily there are plenty of Hungarians seeing the danger, but unfortunately they are too divided and Orban has mastered the bread & games to get enough votes to stay in power. Obviously helped by his control of the media. On the whole I'm more positive about EU compared to a year ago. Perhaps Ukraine and Ukrainians can also help the unity and show/remind us about the real/big issues and what are more side issues. My glass is usually half full though (instead of half empty), I prefer it that way.