How Hot is Ukraine Gonna Get?

[Monty's Mighty Moustache]

These Russians are hilarious, not like it's anything new as everything they say is just complete and utter BS. That interview with the Salisbury poisoners where they talk about how great its church steeple is is a personal highlight.

Who is this "concession" intended for? Is this communicated in Russia at all? Would they admit to "backing off" to their populace if they've been misled about how well it's been going in the first place? They must know that everyone in the west at least doesn't believe a word they utter so I do wonder who this utter drivel is meant for.

/rant

MMM

Edited March 29, 2022 by Monty's Mighty Moustache

[DesertFox]

Looks like another one bites the dust...

 

 

[billbindc]

28 minutes ago, Taranis said:

@Haiduk Thanks a lot, very instructive !

Ukrainian soldiers from the 103rd Separate Brigade of the Armed Forces Territorial Defense, during a training exercise, at an undisclosed location near Lviv, western Ukraine, Tuesday, March 29, 2022. NARIMAN EL-MOFTY / AP

 

 

 

Horowitz quite useful on this development. Personally, I think that this is about giving up territory for political gain now rather than lose it forcefully (with all of the political damage that would entail) later.

[DesertFox]

2 hours ago, Taranis said:

A other one is in the far background (T-72?)

I think it is this T-80BV:

 

 

[panzermartin]

So Russia is not losing after all, just stepping back for peace to come forward. A nation of chess players indeed

[LongLeftFlank]

From Galeev's latest, the banality of evil....

Just watch this video clip and study the body language. Putin comes across as neither sick nor insane, quite intelligent and self aware in fact.

What also comes across is an arrogant bully, accustomed to having yes-men around him. So, functionally indistinguishable from malice....

 

[akd]

“I left hell, but it is still inside me.”

Stories from Mariupol on BBC Russia:

https://www.bbc.com/russian/features-60904864

 

 

Edited March 29, 2022 by akd

[billbindc]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/28/the-drone-operators-who-halted-the-russian-armoured-vehicles-heading-for-kyiv

 

If even half of this is true...

[DesertFox]

4 minutes ago, billbindc said:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/28/the-drone-operators-who-halted-the-russian-armoured-vehicles-heading-for-kyiv

 

If even half of this is true...

Yep. If they could make the Ukrainians fully night fighting capable, they would be able to completely wipe out the russians on ukrains soil.

[akd]

@sburke

Don’t have time for full translation right now, but I think Deputy Commander of 35th Guards Motor Rifle Brigade’s rocket artillery battalion, Major Livoskiy:

 

[Kinophile]

4 hours ago, Taranis said:

Residents walk past a damaged Russian tank in the town of Trostianets, east of the capital kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, March 28, 2022. A World War II monument is seen in the background. EFREM LUKATSKY / AP

* "Tank" seems to be a 2S19 Msta-S. (I'm not talking of the T-34/85 ). A other one is in the far background (T-72?)

And "damaged" seems a little... generous...

[DesertFox]

 

 

[BornGinger]

Quote

TV shows a burned out, destroyed Mariupol, the site of thousands of deaths, and says: “The temple is standing, the cupolas are intact. God is with us.” pic.twitter.com/fRnXqZ4s7K

— Oliver Carroll (@olliecarroll) March 29, 2022

That's at least good pictures for DICE and Activision for their video games about this war that certainly will come in some time.

[akd]

@sburke

Major Sergei Panov, 21 Guard Motor Rifle Brigade (maybe in the reconnaissance battalion?):

 

[Erwin]

As expected, Russia has announced that it is cutting back its ops around Kviv (since they are not going well presumably).  However, that will allow Russia to focus on the east and securing its land corridor to Crimea.  

One has to assume that Russian PR is primarily aimed at its own population.  So, it's irrelevant if the the knee-capping video is real or not - the fact is that much of the Russian pop will be appalled and will provide enhanced support to Putin - that's all he cares about - what we in the west think is irrelevant to Putin.  

Looking at the larger picture, this is just one step in the disconnection from western (US-dominated) financial systems and a part of the attempt to switch to a different reserve currency (dominated by China): 

According to WSJ: "The domestic-payments system continued to work smoothly after Visa Inc. V 1.80% and Mastercard Inc. MA 3.42% pulled out earlier this month. While the card giants’ exit from Russia was viewed as a significant move by many in the West, the reality on the ground was anything but. Most Russian consumers never lost the ability to use their Mastercard- and Visa-branded cards to pay for things within the country.

The system was part of Moscow’s eight-year effort to insulate the Russian economy from Western financial pressure. The Kremlin also has aggressively promoted Russia’s own card company, called Mir, which is built on NSPK’s infrastructure. More than 100 million Mir cards have been issued since its launch in 2015, according to Mir’s website. The resilience of Russia’s payments system is a rare win for President Vladimir Putin in his financial war with the West."

The main winner in the Ukraine war will be China.

 

[BeondTheGrave]

 

[akd]

@sburke

Lt. Col. Igor Zharov, VDV (no unit given):

 

[Haiduk]

Russians spotted that UKR drone tracks them and hurried to get away so quicly, that two soldiers hadn't time to embark in KAMAZ and ran over the truck )

 

 

[The_MonkeyKing]

4 minutes ago, Haiduk said:

Russians spotted that UKR drone tracks them and hurried to get away so quicly, that two soldiers hadn't time to embark in KAMAZ and ran over the truck )

 

 

haha, never though that the known presence of a drone would have comparable effect good old terror armor could cause.

[Haiduk]

As if this Russian troops withdraw from Chernihiv oblast

 

Reportedly about one Russian BTG is in semi-encirclement in Peremoha village area on Brovary direction, Kyiv oblast. This is several kilometers west from recently libarated villages Lukyanivka and Rudnytske. Russian troops are almost out of fuel and food, every day they under fire. Many of personnel as if want to surrender, but commanders tried to force them to fight until supply and reinforcements will not arrive

[Battlefront.com]

11 minutes ago, Erwin said:

As expected, Russia has announced that it is cutting back its ops around Kviv (since they are not going well presumably).  However, that will allow Russia to focus on the east and securing its land corridor to Crimea.  

Yes, but it remains to be seen how much these shattered forces can do when used as reinforcements for shattered forces.  An analogy was that when Germany called off the Operation Wacht Am Rhein it freed up forces for the Frühlingserwachen counter attack around Budapest.  Did moving the remains of the 6th Panzer Army from Belgium to Hungary make an impact on the counter attack?  Yes.  Enough of an impact to change the overall strategic picture?  Absolutely not.

The fundamental problem for the Russians is it is too late to change the situation on the ground in any meaningful way.  They needed to have done this sort of thing starting Day 1 or within the first week.

11 minutes ago, Erwin said:

According to WSJ: "The domestic-payments system continued to work smoothly after Visa Inc. V 1.80% and Mastercard Inc. MA 3.42% pulled out earlier this month. While the card giants’ exit from Russia was viewed as a significant move by many in the West, the reality on the ground was anything but. Most Russian consumers never lost the ability to use their Mastercard- and Visa-branded cards to pay for things within the country.

Not surprised to hear this.  It was expected domestic disruption could be overcome.  Even if they had to resort to cash transactions.  Making international transactions, on the other hand, is (as expected) dead in the water.

Somewhere I stumbled upon a interview with a lesser known Russian oligarch detailing how thorough and sudden his access to financial resources is.  He even wondered if he could afford his house keeper and if his daughter would have to learn how to drive.  That's a big change for someone with theoretical billions in wealth.

Steve

[Battlefront.com]

5 minutes ago, Haiduk said:

Reportedly about one Russian BTG is in semi-encirclement in Peremoha village area on Brovary direction, Kyiv oblast. This is several kilometers west from recently libarated villages Lukyanivka and Rudnytske. Russian troops are almost out of fuel and food, every day they under fire. Many of personnel as if want to surrender, but commanders tried to force them to fight until supply and reinforcements will not arrive

Surrenders on this scale are bound to happen.  The most difficult military operation to perform is an orderly withdrawal while under active pressure from the opposing force.  Doesn't matter who it is or what timeframe we're talking about, it just is.  Since Russia has shown great incompetence for the easier forms of warfare, nobody should expect good performance trying to pull off the most difficult.

There's a reason why VDV was pulled out first.  The last forces remaining are the ones most likely to die or be captured.

Steve

[sburke]

25 minutes ago, akd said:

@sburke

Lt. Col. Igor Zharov, VDV (no unit given):

 

busy day!

[Lethaface]

6 minutes ago, Battlefront.com said:

Yes, but it remains to be seen how much these shattered forces can do when used as reinforcements for shattered forces.  An analogy was that when Germany called off the Operation Wacht Am Rhein it freed up forces for the Frühlingserwachen counter attack around Budapest.  Did moving the remains of the 6th Panzer Army from Belgium to Hungary make an impact on the counter attack?  Yes.  Enough of an impact to change the overall strategic picture?  Absolutely not.

Plus IF Russia moves away troops from Kiev axis, Ukraine can also move reserves and reinforce other area's. 

Also, I'd say that top German leadership of the 6th Panzer Army under Balck and others was rather superior compared to what's leading Russian CAA remains. 

[DesertFox]

Good if true: