Cederic

This is where logic overrides emotion. Nukes are scary. Nobody wants to be nuked. Letting someone use the threat of nuking you to let them take away your country and torture/rape/murder your citizens logically leads to them picking up the next bit of your country, then the next.. you lose your country, its citizens suffer, and all you've achieved is not getting nuked. I'd rather risk the serious escalation. If I'm going to die to Russians it'll be fighting them, not kneeling with my hands tied behind me screaming in agony from a crushed testicle. Dying to nuclear weapons or an artillery shell is a risk I'd rather take.

That analysis is inherently flawed. You're using logic and rationality, and the decision on Crimea must include emotion. Even using logic, the continued genocide of Crimean natives can not be rewarded by going, "Oh, well, only Russians left there anyway, you can have it." That leads to more genocide. Zelenskyy's already said any peace agreement must go to a national vote. If I was Ukrainian any peace deal must include the return to pre-2014 borders or I'd vote no. I'd see it as existential, for my country and, as a result, for me as an individual.

No, it is not. Do not go there.

No, aircraft - if anything aircraft are a bigger threat. Admittedly in the middle of an ocean the aircraft are probably based on a floating platform of some kind - we could call it a ship that carries aircraft? But look up 'dipping sonar' and 'sonar buoys' and airdropped torpedoes. They're quite nasty if your entire defense plan consists of 'hide under water'. (None of which means that the redeployment is linked to Ukrainian aerial threats; certainly Sevastopol doesn't feel a safe berth for a high value target)

Russia finding out that nation state sponsored cyber warfare is no match for motivated teenagers.

Multiple reports (including in the Independent, so not just Ukrainian press) that 200 Russians were killed in an explosion in Svatove. https://euromaidanpress.com/2022/09/18/ukrainian-forces-destroyed-russian-base-in-luhansk-oblast-governor/ doesn't give the 200 figure itself but gives more info than the sources that do.

This thread has taught me an awful lot about why Tank Top Trumps is entirely pointless. In related news, I've suddenly got rather better at playing CM.

I look forward to the next CM manual describing squads as low density cargo.

Russians appear to be dropping their balls. http://www.hisutton.com/Mystery-Objects-Found-On-Black-Sea-Beaches.html

Without knowing its precise historical basis, it does feel reminiscent of the Naval Jack of Russia, which itself looks to be based on variations of individual imperial standards - e.g. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsesarevich#Tsesarevich_of_Russia (which predates America)

Something something morale etc

I think the British army would expect a 7-8 man crew for the gun, so they're maintaining a good rate of fire with just five. As long as the barrel doesn't get obstructed :(

We have an answer!

He's the guy on the hook for assuring Germany can defend itself against military aggression. You'd hardly expect him to be going, "Ja, hier ist alle ihr Panzer." After years of under-investment in the Germany army he's probably deeply concerned whether his forces will be able to meet their own commitments. Sure, the UK and US are emptying their stockpiles but they've got greater reserves and more time to respond to military aggression. Yes, Poland are demonstrating a different risk appetite and policy, but that's Poland, not Germany. Since it would be entirely wrong to actually support Germany, I'll close with: Why on earth would he give 500 Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine when he can hang on a few months and sell them instead.

Another reason to welcome the Finns to NATO.

Note the name of the user posting the video (on Twitter). More of a piss-take than a mistake.

Sometimes you maybe can't trust the subtitles.

War. Ouch.

I live too close to the 617 Squadron memorial at Woodhall Spa to agree.

In a fight I'd rather have the Poles on my side than the French, the Germans, the.. well, the rest of Europe. Nonetheless. Ukraine doesn't need to mirror anybody's approach. Their way of fighting a war may not be optimal in a NATO style aerial dominance theatre but NATO absolutely needs to learn from and supplement how Ukraine has successfully mocked a near-peer adversary.

While the instruction to 'Russian warship' caught the hearts and emotions of the world, I do think "I need ammunition, not a ride" may be the defining statement of this entire war. It hit the heart, it hit the head, it showed self-sacrifice, it demonstrated belief and it made it very very clear that Ukraine weren't going to roll over and surrender.

Oh well, we can rule that out then. The Russians would never..

So.. Tea leaves plus https://euroweeklynews.com/2022/09/12/putin-believed-to-have-cancelled-meetings-and-fled-moscow-for-his-sochi-mansion/ plus https://www.reuters.com/world/china/xi-leaves-china-first-time-since-covid-pandemic-began-meet-putin-2022-09-11/ plus equals.. No. Too early to draw conclusions. Doesn't stop me hoping.

Oh hell. Someone get Steve some sedatives. They're crossing.. here?