"All of Vlad's forces and all of Vlad's men, are out to put Humpty together again." (11 Viewers)

[Escuadrilla Azul]

All the border nations have mounted patrols.
Bulgaria is the only nation so far, that does not have NATO forces bolstering their own patrols, but they (like the other eastern European nations) have ramped up their alert status.
Bulgaria was having a bit of a political issue, as their minister of defense was a member of a socialist party and heavily downplayed the invasion and actively blocked NATO support. I understand that Yanev was hastily removed by PM Petkov and they're reevaluating the situation.

In february 2022 Spain sent 4 Eurofighters to bolster Bulgaria air defenses.

Spain will send four fighter jets and 130 troops to Bulgaria

SOFIA - Spain will send four

www.euronews.com

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

 

[SaparotRob]

That's some low flying.

 

[Admiral Beez]

Good analysis here:



Harely a military matter, but it's good to see my industry (pet and animal products) speaking out from Russia. It takes bravery to speak up in an absolute dictatorship.

Open letter to international pet industry - ZOOINFORM

Dear friends, colleagues and followers of Zooinform, In the recent days we’ve talked to major pet industry companies in Russia and on behalf of the whole industry of our country we address to our colleagues and business partners. Likewise the whole world we are deeply concerned about the current...

zooinform.global

 

[buffnut453]

And another Russian general has been killed:

Another Russian general, Lt Gen Yakov Rezantsev, has been killed in a strike near the southern city of Kherson, Ukraine's defence ministry says.

Rezantsev was the commander of Russia's 49th combined army.

A Western official says he's the seventh general to die in Ukraine, and the second lieutenant general - the highest rank officer reported to have been killed.

It's thought low morale among Russian troops has forced senior officers closer to the front line.

Ukrainian media reports the general was killed at the Chornobaivka airbase, which Russia is using as a command post and has been attacked by Ukraine's military several times.

 

[Glider]

NATO isn't going to sanction war with Russia over Ukraine. The implications of such a thing will be enormous and could result in non-strategic nuclear weapons being used in theatre, which no one wants. Not only that but since Putin has stated that any third party operating over Ukraine will result in military action, it could lead to action against NATO countries that share a border with Russia, specifically the Baltic States, who have been housing NATO military aircraft for EW and observation tasks. I just can't see that happening.

The use of chemical weapons will certainly be crossing a line, but I doubt full-scale war between NATO and Russia is worth it, to be frank.



Indeed we do.

You make some good points, that cannot be denied. However if the Russians firmly believe that the threat of a nuclear war would stop any retaliatory action from NATO, then they have carte blanche to use chemical weapons without any consequences. Sanctions are probably almost as tight as they can be, so there is little room for adjustment. so some form of action will be needed.

A one day hard action from the air followed by a firm cessation would hurt them but wouldn't pose a distinct threat to the existence of Russia which was one of the rules they have for the use of nuclear weapons.

Its a fine point I agree but, some form of action will need to be in place to stop chemicals weapons being used.

 

[Greg Boeser]

View attachment 662600

Where did you dig up that old shot?

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

It's from Aug 2020. Here's slo-mo video of it

 

[vikingBerserker]

Major General Aleksandr "Cuddle Bug" Aminov

Due to recent Generals taking a "vacation", Russia just announced the newest General in charge of the Russian operation.

Major General Aleksandr, his most recent assignment was Mrs. Anfisa 5th grade class where he studied lunch.

 

[buffnut453]

Interesting evaluation of "nazism" and the Azov battalion in Ukraine:




Interesting highlights for me were the decline in extreme right-wing election results such that those parties garner less of the vote than, for example, Marine Le Pen's party in France. The study of Azov Battalion social media accounts is also quite telling. People spout a lot of crap on social media and I can't imagine any strident nazi/anti-semitic views not emerging in those narratives.

 

[GrauGeist]

In february 2022 Spain sent 4 Eurofighters to bolster Bulgaria air defenses.

Spain will send four fighter jets and 130 troops to Bulgaria

SOFIA - Spain will send four

www.euronews.com

As I mentioned, there was political turmoil in the government, and this is currently being addressed (hopefully not too late). Before and during the start of the Russian invasion, this was the ministry's stance:
"take urgent measures to ensure the Bulgarian skies are protected only by Bulgarian pilots with Bulgarian planes."

But there have been some changes and better heads are now prevailing.

This might give an idea of what's going on:

Experts urge Bulgaria to ask NATO for help

www.euractiv.com

 

[buffnut453]

Yet another indiscriminate murder of a civilian:

 

[buffnut453]

Biden's speech in Warsaw...really like the foot-stomp that the West does not view the Russian people as the enemy:

Next, Joe Biden addresses the Russian people, saying he's worked with Russian leaders for decades, since the height of the Cold War.

"I've always spoken directly and honestly to you the Russian people," he says.

"Let me say this, if you're able to listen. You the Russian people are not our enemy.

"I refuse to believe you welcome the killing of innocent children and grandparents.

"Or that you accept hospitals, schools, maternity wards for God's sake, being pummelled with Russian missiles and bombs.

"Or cities being surrounded so that civilians cannot flee, supplies cut off and attempting to starve Ukrainians into submission.

"Millions of families are being driven from their homes, including half of all Ukraine's children.

"These are not the actions of a great nation."

He closes his speech with a reference to Vladimir Putin - "For God's sake, this man cannot remain in power."

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

NATO Deputy-General Secretary Mircea Geoana said in an interview with The Associated Press that the group would respond if Russia used chemical or nuclear weapons in its war against Ukraine.

"NATO is a defensive alliance, but also it's a nuclear alliance," said Geoana, who is also the former Romanian foreign minister and ambassador to the United States. "If they will be using chemical weapons or other kinds of higher-end systems against Ukraine, this will be changing fundamentally the nature of the war that Mr. Putin has waged against Ukraine."

"I can guarantee that NATO is ready to respond proportionately," Geoana added.

Geoana would not detail to the AP what those actions could be, but his comments come as Russian officials have refused to say that Russia won't use chemical or nuclear weapons in its invasion.

NATO official says alliance would be forced to take action if Russia uses chemical, nuclear weapons

NATO Deputy-General Secretary Mircea Geoana said in an interview

thehill.com

Strategic ambiguity can be very dangerous.

 

[GTX]

Meanwhile:

Russia starts military drill on disputed islands off Japan

The Russian military starts a military exercise involving more than 3,000 troops on a chain of islands including those disputed with Japan, Russian news agency Interfax reports.

english.kyodonews.net

 

[Admiral Beez]

Meanwhile:

Russia starts military drill on disputed islands off Japan

The Russian military starts a military exercise involving more than 3,000 troops on a chain of islands including those disputed with Japan, Russian news agency Interfax reports.

english.kyodonews.net

Who knew Russia had 3,000 spare troops? These chaps are likely needed to fill gaps in Ukraine.

 

[Escuadrilla Azul]

Who knew Russia had 3,000 spare troops?

Perhaps they don't know that they don't have those spare troops.

When Uncle Vlad knows about them, he would send straight west.

Or maybe the troops know that Uncle Vlad needs them and just go on exercise and desertion BTW!

 

[JDCAVE]

So…apparently the MIA General in the Russian MOD had a heart attack after Putin tore him off a strip for not winning the war. Maybe….just maybe this will be a clue to the other cronies that maybe, just maybe, Putin isn't a very nice man:

Anton Gerashchenko, an adviser to Ukraine's interior minister, has claimed that Russia's defence minister suffered a heart attack.

Sergei Shoigu had not been seen publicly since 11 March, until he appeared briefly in a video released by Putin on Thursday 24 March.

"Shoigu's heart attack happened after a tough accusation by Putin for a complete failure of the invasion of Ukraine," Gerashchenko wrote on Facebook, adding that he is currently "undergoing rehabilitation" in hospital.

There has been no confirmation from Russia of Shoigu's alleged health problems.

Was it a "heart attack"? Or was his "heart attacked"?

 

[Dimlee]

 

[SaparotRob]

Was it a "heart attack"? Or was his "heart attacked"?

Perhaps Kaputin is sending a message. Just what that message is?????