"All of Vlad's forces and all of Vlad's men, are out to put Humpty together again." (1 Viewer)

[nuuumannn]

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.

Yes, Glider, rightly so. The problem we face is that the Russians don't have the same regard for NBC weapons and their impact as we do. It is within their doctrine that the use of nuclear weapons in particular can and will be used outside of the counter strike scenario - in 1993 the Russians dispensed with the no-first strike pledge the Soviet Union maintained - and the same is with chemical weapons.

They are looking for an excuse to use them already by making false claims about the US establishing factories in Ukraine - this is the Russians making bogus excuses to "justify" their actions, - the war itself is based on the premise that Nazis run Ukraine, again a bald lie designed to convince the Russian people of why they are doing what they are doing. These things are not for the rest of the world, but designed to convince the Russian people of why the government is ordering this destruction.

In the most recent link I posted, NATO Secretary Genera Jens Stoltenburg stated that NATO will supply counter-NBC equipment to Ukraine, which ominously means that NATO won't do much else beyond the intent to send peace keeping troops into the country, which the Russians have responded with a global nuclear war threat. This of course mean that NATO probably won't do anything more.

The Russians, sadly, regard human life with a much smaller value than we do.

 

[SaparotRob]

Yes, Glider, rightly so. The problem we face is that the Russians don't have the same regard for NBC weapons and their impact as we do. It is within their doctrine that the use of nuclear weapons in particular can and will be used outside of the counter strike scenario - in 1993 the Russians dispensed with the no-first strike pledge the Soviet Union maintained - and the same is with chemical weapons.

They are looking for an excuse to use them already by making false claims about the US establishing factories in Ukraine - this is the Russians making bogus excuses to "justify" their actions, - the war itself is based on the premise that Nazis run Ukraine, again a bald lie designed to convince the Russian people of why they are doing what they are doing. These things are not for the rest of the world, but designed to convince the Russian people of why the government is ordering this destruction.

In the most recent link I posted, NATO Secretary Genera Jens Stoltenburg stated that NATO will supply counter-NBC equipment to Ukraine, which ominously means that NATO won't do much else beyond the intent to send peace keeping troops into the country, which the Russians have responded with a global nuclear war threat. This of course mean that NATO probably won't do anything more.

The Russians, sadly, regard human life with a much smaller value than we do.

Frighteningly informative.

 

[Dimlee]

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.

Good video. One small correction is needed. Russia did not just "back" separatists in the East as said at 01:50 but actually installed those so-called separatist regimes after a series of small scale invasions and coups in several cities, all done either by mercenaries from Russian Federation or by FSB and GRU units.
As for Azov, they have media channels where information about them can be learned without intermediaries. Youtube, Telegram, etc.

 

[Dimlee]

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

They did send some units from the Far East earlier. More to come to Ukraine, definitely. Troop movements from the Far East and Siberia were reported during March.

 

[Dimlee]

If I read it right, at least one Patriot battery is in Slovakia already.

Heger: Systém Patriot na leteckej základni Sliač už chráni stredné Slovensko

Systém protivzdušnej obrany Patriot umiestnený na leteckej základni Sliač už chráni stredné Slovensko.

www.aktuality.sk

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Where did you dig up that old shot?

Saw it on social media. Not sure of age or authenticity.

 

[nuuumannn]

MSN

"The low morale among Russian forces reportedly saw Col Yuri Medvedev deliberately run over by his own men with a tank this week. The 37th Motor Rifle Brigade reportedly turned on him after casualties in their unit."

What the... !

 

[fubar57]

Fragging or tanking? Neither are a good way to go

 

[vikingBerserker]

Karma is a beautiful thing.

 

[buffnut453]

MSN

"The low morale among Russian forces reportedly saw Col Yuri Medvedev deliberately run over by his own men with a tank this week. The 37th Motor Rifle Brigade reportedly turned on him after casualties in their unit."

What the... !

That was posted at #3033. Please do try to keep up!

 

[nuuumannn]

That was posted at #3033. Please do try to keep up!

Ah, dangit, knew I should'a read through the thread...

The news article just popped into my feed. It's not about the tank guy, but that's the first I'd heard of him.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

US Army veteran who has volunteered to fight in Ukraine says he amps himself up for battle by thinking about 'punchable' Tucker Carlson

James Vasquez from Connecticut, fighting in Ukraine, tweeted that he amps himself up for battle by thinking of "punchable" Tucker Carlson.

www.yahoo.com

 

[GrauGeist]

US Army veteran who has volunteered to fight in Ukraine says he amps himself up for battle by thinking about 'punchable' Tucker Carlson

James Vasquez from Connecticut, fighting in Ukraine, tweeted that he amps himself up for battle by thinking of "punchable" Tucker Carlson.

www.yahoo.com

I keep seeing this douchebag called "Tucker".
Surely that's a typo, since the T is close to the F on the keyboard...

 

[GrauGeist]

Meanwhile, in the Ukraine:

 

[GTX]

An interesting read:

Is Vladimir Putin preparing for war?

Haunted by the fall of the Soviet Union, the Russian president is using the pandemic, the climate crisis, migration and looming conflict to turn chaos into power.

www.newstatesman.com

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

Zelensky, in remarks after President Biden met with senior Ukrainian officials in Poland the day before, denounced the West for its "ping-pong about who and how should hand over jets and other defensive weapons to us," The Associated Press reported.
"I've talked to the defenders of Mariupol today. I'm in constant contact with them. Their determination, heroism and firmness are astonishing," Zelensky said in a video address, according to the AP, mentioning the seized Ukrainian city.
"If only those who have been thinking for 31 days on how to hand over dozens of jets and tanks had 1 percent of their courage," he added.
Western allies have provided Ukraine with anti-tank missiles, anti-aircraft missiles, small arms and protective equipment, Reuters noted, but the military aid has not included fighter jets, which Kyiv has requested on a number of occasions. Earlier this month, the Pentagon said Poland's proposal to transfer MiG-29 fighter jets to a U.S. air base in Germany so they could be sent to Ukraine was not "tenable."

Zelensky calls for planes, tanks from NATO allies

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday called on NATO allies to provide planes and tanks to Kyiv as it defends itself from Russia’s invasion, while also asking if members of the military alliance are afrai

thehill.com

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday that his country would consider neutral status as part of a peace deal if the such an agreement was guaranteed by third parties and put to a referendum.

"Security guarantees and neutrality, non-nuclear status of our state. We are ready to go for it. This is the most important point," Zelensky said, according to Reuters.

Zelensky also said that his country was considering using Russian language in Ukraine as part of its talks with Russia, but the president refused to discuss Moscow's other demands.

His remarks came in a 90-minute video call with Russian journalists. Russian authorities had previously warned Russian media that they should not report on the call, Reuters noted.

Over one month into the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.S. Oksana Markarova said on Sunday that a failure to preserve Ukraine's sovereignty would mean that "brutality, oligarchy and war criminals prevail on our planet."

Zelensky opens door to making neutral status part of peace deal

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday that his country would consider neutral status as part of a peace deal if the such an agreement was guaranteed by third parties and put to a referendum.

thehill.com

I agree with Madame Ambassador -- the failure to stop Putin here will mean that the order and security of international relations will be overturned, just as Allied indecision in the mid-30s encouraged further depredations and further weakening of the LoN, which then eventually led to WWII.

 

[vikingBerserker]

Corruption hinders Russia's attempts to replace losses with old vehicles - Ukraine

Mothballed Russian military equipment is being taken out of long-term storage, but stolen and missing parts are preventing the replenishment of vehicles and the replacing losses.

www.jpost.com

Apparent corruption at its finest.

 

[wlewisiii]

Didn't see this here yet. The Ukrainian ingenuity is amazing.

 

[nuuumannn]

"Security guarantees and neutrality, non-nuclear status of our state. We are ready to go for it. This is the most important point," Zelensky said, according to Reuters.

Zelensky also said that his country was considering using Russian language in Ukraine as part of its talks with Russia, but the president refused to discuss Moscow's other demands.

This is good news and looks to be a light at the end of the tunnel. Russia will be pleased with the neutrality bit, but not with Ukraine remaining under Zelenskiy's government. Putin wants a Russian puppet governor like Yanukovich, but I do hope that doesn't happen.

Russian heavihandedness toward its own media in plain sight here.

Zelenskiy's criticisms of the West's approach to the conflict are understandable to a point. Unfortunately for Ukraine, the best the West/NATO can do it is already doing, short of provoking war with Russia, which for obvious (nuclear) reasons would be a bad thing.

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

This is good news and looks to be a light at the end of the tunnel. Russia will be pleased with the neutrality bit, but not with Ukraine remaining under Zelenskiy's government. Putin wants a Russian puppet governor like Yanukovich, but I do hope that doesn't happen.

Russian heavihandedness toward its own media in plain sight here.

Zelenskiy's criticisms of the West's approach to the conflict are understandable to a point. Unfortunately for Ukraine, the best the West/NATO can do it is already doing, short of provoking war with Russia, which for obvious (nuclear) reasons would be a bad thing.

I agree with everything you've written. Zelenskyy is trying to both mollify the Russians into leaving Ukraine alone while preserving his own position and making sure that Ukraine can stay on the road to self-determination via the democratic process. His criticisms of us in the West are very understandable, and he has got to say them if he wants to retain the trust and privilege of giving voice to the Ukrainian people -- because no doubt many Ukrainians are saying this much to themselves already and he'd be dishonest to ignore them.

As for the Russian control of their own media, it bespeaks fear on the part of Putin's government. If their cause was truly righteous, he would not be afraid of facts. Whenever we see media repression on this scale, we may rest assured that we are seeing a government that is terrified of the facts coming out and undermining its legitimacy (as if Putin's gov't has any left, lol).