mosuri

Here's a CNN report from today detailing extensive Russian torture and sexual violence in occupied Ukrainian territories. It's not an easy read. This is what Ukrainians have to look forward to if they give up. This is what other Eastern Europeans have to look forward to if we do not stand strong with NATO.
Survivors say Russia is waging a war of sexual violence in occupied areas of Ukraine. Men are often the victims | CNN

https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-ministers-outrageous-hungary-blocks-military-aid-arms-ukraine/
How about a Huxit, both from EU and NATO? What do we need these bothersome kremlinites for anyway?

https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-ministers-outrageous-hungary-blocks-military-aid-arms-ukraine/
How about a Huxit, both from EU and NATO? What do we need these bothersome kremlinites for anyway?

On the upside, I think our little forum has made just enough waves to get its own Russian IO op.  Ham fisted and about as elegant as one could expect, but we made the target list!

https://www.foreignaffairs.com/ukraine/why-ukraine-should-keep-striking-russian-oil-refineries
article on the strikes to Russian refineries, i would pull paragraphs out but frankly, the entire article is essential,  basically lays out why these attacks are having a big effect on Russia but not to the global economy.

https://defence-blog.com/ukraine-russian-launched-north-korean-missiles-explode-mid-air/
 

Freedom ain’t free.  Someone has to stop Russia from doing what it is doing which is definitely not “perfectly fine”.  In reality the kid did not run away, his family did when he was 16.  Now that he is 18 and of age; he is “staying away”.  I think every citizen has a duty to protect their nation in times of crisis.  A duty to protect each other when threatened.  If they cannot or will not do that then they really are no longer a nation.  This is one thing I think we have lost, and it will come back and bite us.  There is a solemn duty in being a citizen, and even a greater one in a free nation.  It is one that takes sacrifice for the greater good.  Now this kid could be from a pacifist ideology or religion, ok there are a lot of ways to fulfill this duty to serve.
What I disagree with is that is all fine for a young man like this to selfishly protect himself while his own people are suffering.  Running away to “embrace life” when Ukrainian children are dying back in Ukraine does not wash with me.  Personally I have been in two wars that really had not much to do with Canada.  We were really doing it for some greater global good (really did not turn out well in the end) but we all believed in it and honoured kids maybe a year older than this one who died in crappy places no one will remember in 50 years. The idea that one could “sit out” an atrocity like this invasion of Ukraine and still claim citizenship or ethnicity does not sit well with me at all.  It is shirking duty and letting others pay the price.   As we have discussed this kid does not even have to fight.  He can be in a support trade or work in industry or even humanitarian.  But his people and his country need him right now which is more important than how he gets to spend his twenties.  It is more important than him as an individual.  
Mark my words on this, we have more of this coming.  The future is likely going to demand more sacrifice for the greater good not less.  We will have to stand or kneel in the end.  And right now to my eyes, that young man is kneeling.

Court politics -- everyone is corrupt, but it's only made an issue for those that are to be removed.
Someone wants to be rid of him, and he doesn't have a protector.

Court politics -- everyone is corrupt, but it's only made an issue for those that are to be removed.
Someone wants to be rid of him, and he doesn't have a protector.

Whoa. A very bold claim that Ukraine struct a russian ship in Kaliningrad:
https://www.kyivpost.com/post/30778
That would be something if true.

Whoa. A very bold claim that Ukraine struct a russian ship in Kaliningrad:
https://www.kyivpost.com/post/30778
That would be something if true.

NYT editorial page having an attack of sense.

The twitter post above also claims "several strategic aviation pilots among the dead" which is an excellent addition.
I do not know which resource is more under pressure, the bears or their pilots, but whittling down both of those hard to replace assets is great news.
Waiting for Peskov to start claiming that attacks on russian strategic aviation are a nuclear strike red line in 3, 2, 1...

The twitter post above also claims "several strategic aviation pilots among the dead" which is an excellent addition.
I do not know which resource is more under pressure, the bears or their pilots, but whittling down both of those hard to replace assets is great news.
Waiting for Peskov to start claiming that attacks on russian strategic aviation are a nuclear strike red line in 3, 2, 1...

The twitter post above also claims "several strategic aviation pilots among the dead" which is an excellent addition.
I do not know which resource is more under pressure, the bears or their pilots, but whittling down both of those hard to replace assets is great news.
Waiting for Peskov to start claiming that attacks on russian strategic aviation are a nuclear strike red line in 3, 2, 1...

The twitter post above also claims "several strategic aviation pilots among the dead" which is an excellent addition.
I do not know which resource is more under pressure, the bears or their pilots, but whittling down both of those hard to replace assets is great news.
Waiting for Peskov to start claiming that attacks on russian strategic aviation are a nuclear strike red line in 3, 2, 1...

Good. 
 

Burn baby burn! Is there a good source for Russias daily/weekly production of refined petroleum products? I vaguely remember something about a commodities firm that tried to track the level of more or less every large storage tank on earth by satellite? 
If Ukraine can really dent Russian refining capacity it will be as big a success as they have had in this war.

Well, I can't tell whether those are part of infrastructure that's wholly internal to russia, or whether they are part of international pipelines, but in this strange war russian natural gas still flows through pipelines over Ukraine to countries like Hungary and Austria, even today.
Agreement continues until end of this year, at least: https://carnegieendowment.org/politika/91649
It probably isn't in the best interests of Ukraine to rock that particular boat and cause worsening relations with EU members, even if they are led by characters like the toad orban (although to be fair, toads have a spine, and a heart) or Slovakia's fu.., I mean, fico. 

I admit I couldn't believe russians would be so cavalier as to park numerous strategically important aircraft on an airstrip so close to front and thought it must be just a collection of scrap aluminum. Factory would be harder to relocate, but surely anything flyable that was worth protecting would have already flown out.
But happy to be wrong about that.
 

I admit I couldn't believe russians would be so cavalier as to park numerous strategically important aircraft on an airstrip so close to front and thought it must be just a collection of scrap aluminum. Factory would be harder to relocate, but surely anything flyable that was worth protecting would have already flown out.
But happy to be wrong about that.
 

https://twitter.com/Archer83Able/status/1766256716214100061?t=3Q7rTwMgjJ4ITNUn1qIT9g&s=19

These are some funny (as in strange) vids. Well, it's true that people act in funny ways when in an unexpected situations, if they act at all, but still -- they clearly see the drone close by, they see and hear traces flying relatively close, and think nothing of it. And it seems more sloth and stupidity than sang froid. No seeking of cover until sparks really start flying, no alarming anyone on the boat they are on that there are explosives swimming in the waters around them, not to even mention doing something active like finding a spotlight to illuminate the drone with... well, good for Ukraine. As is the absolutely pathetic defense the target put up.

It's torpedo boats and quick firing guns all over again... more dakka seems like the solution. Still, the Tarantul that was sunk before (Ivanovets) did have turreted 30mm gatling guns for close in defence and it didn't help -- that system is maybe suited for aerial targets only in automatic mode but per Wikipedia it has manual operation mode as well, but again, didn't help. Either the targeting system doesn't work with sea targets, guns don't depress enough, gunners were drunk, or somefink. Heck, maybe someone sold the ammo in port for vodka money.
 

The BSF is no joke in terms of firepower and is still a considerable force, but having destroyed the UKR Navy it lacks the organic units to perform the second of its two missions. First is control the open sea (nominally done, and but not really - in UKR grain exports are at/past pre war levels), second is control the littoral zone. (third would be support inland ground forces with ranged strikes). 
This course of the war, as with several other aspects, again reminds me of the Russo-Japanese War, specifically Port Arthur. Not a perfect analogy (nothing is) but similar pressures and operational/strategic pinch points. 
The BSF eradicated the UKR Navy as a fighting force but has failed to control the shores. Its ships are too vulnerable, its training and operational performance are abysmal but where it truly seems to fail is leadership. 
Operationally, the lack of basic fleeting/convoying and Air support around VIP units (cough Moskva cough Ropucha class cough) is just incredible. I mean, did these guys not read naval history at all ? Are they utterly bereft of any clue in how to deal with their enemy outside simplistic text books? 
These are old tactics, fully described in any naval warfare text. Old but effective. Even if they are not a full solution (because drones) they still increase the friction against any attack. Stack up the layers and attacks start to fail, or at the least the damage inflicted is lessened. I mean, do something . 
Are they not looking at current events and past losses? After so, SO many drone strikes why are their ships not bristling with HMGs and search lights? The Ukies do it on land, so it's absolutely possible. Why, when attacks begin are their ships not going full speed, maneuvering like mad and making work for the USVs? Why are helos not in the air, on call, strafing the USVs? Why don't they have their own drone ops onboard, striking back at USVs with FPVs? 
None of the above is hard or requires integrating new tech (drone ops are self contained). 
Seriously, wtf? 
Its impossible to control a hostile shore if you can't even protect your own units in harbour. 
But hey, if you need a family murdered in their home at night then these useless ****s are just who you want.