"All of Vlad's forces and all of Vlad's men, are out to put Humpty together again." (10 Viewers)

[Jagdflieger]

Even the overly restrictive Cambridge definition of "aeroplane" fails to specify that the "wings" have to be fixed and stationary, hence rotary wings meet the definition.
We can argue til the cows come home what constitutes an "aircraft", but why bother? And any submarine larger than a midget is a ship, regardless of how much you'd like to think otherwise. The contention that the term "ship" includes the understood adjective "surface" is faulty, regardless of some people's cultural assumptions.

We "bother" about this since an amphibious assault ship carrying attack and ASW helicopters - might according to some weasel like lawyers not constitute a carrier carrying aeroplanes
as stated in the Montreaux Convention.

 

[Jagdflieger]

Did I miss something on this thread, or has the western media confirmed that Colonel Ihor Bedzai, Deputy Commander of the Navy for Aviation, died in the Ukrainian sky. He is better known as the former commander of the 10th Naval Aviation Brigade from Novofedorivka, near Saky, Crimea. Shot down in his aircraft Mi-14 by a Russian missile.

 

[buffnut453]

We "bother" about this since an amphibious assault ship carrying attack and ASW helicopters - might according to some weasel like lawyers not constitute a carrier carrying aeroplanes
as stated in the Montreaux Convention.

We keep going round and round on this...helicopters are aircraft but they are not aeroplanes. If the amphibious vessel belongs to a belligerent then it won't be allowed into the Black Sea. If it's a non-belligerent then it probably could be allowed through but, as we've noted, that's a lawyer-ese issue. We can bash our heads against that wall for days but lawyers ALWAYS interpret things differently.

Would a helicopter-carrying amphib assault ship be allowed into the Black Sea? The answer is probably maybe.

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

 

[RogerdeLluria]

re Russian claims

Russian forces destroy 793 drones, 2,979 armored vehicles in Ukraine operation - top brass

Russiaâs missile troops, artillery eliminate up to 380 Ukrainian nationalists

tass.com

"Overall, the following targets have been destroyed since the beginning of the special military operation: 163 aircraft, 124 helicopters, 793 unmanned aerial vehicles, 300 surface-to-air missile systems, 2,979 tanks and other combat armored vehicles, 351 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,440 field artillery guns and mortars and 2,789 special military motor vehicles,"

But I've seen other (Russian/Pro-Russian) sources earlier in the war claiming more planes. Maybe RT or sputnik claim more, but I can't access them.

 

[Admiral Beez]

...2,979 tanks and other combat armored vehicles, 351 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,440 field artillery guns and mortars and 2,789 special military motor vehicles,"

Do the Ukrainians have 3,000 AFVs and 1,500 artillery guns to lose?

 

[Jagdflieger]

Do the Ukrainians have 3,000 AFVs and 1,500 artillery guns to lose?

Theoretically yes, and the claim 1500 artillery guns includes mortars

 

[RogerdeLluria]

Theoretically yes, and the claim 1500 artillery guns includes mortars

And probably the 793 unmanned aerial vehicles includes antitank missiles. As we all know , Russian tanks are doing a great work destroying Ukrainian antitank missiles.

 

[GrauGeist]

Regarding the Turkish Straights:
NO military ship or ship carrying military hardware is currently allowed passage, regardless of nation or allegiance.

Doesn't matter if it's a landing craft with "aircrafts", a freighter with armored cars or anything in between.

I posted a clear (and somewhat lengthy but concise) artical upthread that outlines Turkey's current position and why they're doing it.

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

HELSINKI/KHARKIV, Ukraine, May 12 (Reuters) - Finland said on Thursday it would apply to join NATO "without delay", with Sweden expected to follow, as Russia's invasion of Ukraine looked set to bring about the very expansion of the Western military alliance that Vladimir Putin aimed to prevent.

The decision by the two Nordic countries to abandon the neutrality they maintained throughout the Cold War would be one of the biggest shifts in European security in decades. Moscow called Finland's announcement a direct threat to Russia, and threatened retaliation, including unspecified "military-technical" measures.

Moscow warns Finland over NATO bid as Ukraine says Russian ship damaged

Moscow warned Finland on Thursday it would face consequences as it seeks to apply for NATO membership "without delay" and Ukraine said it had damaged a Russian navy logistics ship in the Black Sea, where there has been renewed fighting in recent days.

www.reuters.com

I'll go back to quoting Soundgarden on this:


Whatsoever I've feared has come to life
And whatsoever I've fought off became my life
Just when everyday seemed to greet me with a smile
Sunspots have faded, now I'm doing time
Now I'm doing time

I'd love to be a fly on the wall in the Kremlin just to watch the hissy-fit that is going on as we speak. I hope the bastard is chewing the rug but good.

 

[RogerdeLluria]

Seems somebody spent a lot of time counting russian equipment lost while trying to cross Siverskyi Donets

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

Seems somebody spent a lot of time counting russian equipment lost while trying to cross Siverskyi Donets

Someone got their ass handed to them by a time-on-target shoot.

 

[SaparotRob]

With Ukraine saving Kharkiv and pushing the Russians back to within kms of the Ukraine border it must have dawned on both sides that the UAF may have the growing strength and momentum to retake all of Ukraine, including the Donbas. Russia needs to up its game. My guess, a new offensive on Kiyv by the Belorussians. I'd say Crimea is forever lost though.

Battle of Kharkiv (2022) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Did Russia "replace " Ukrainians with more compliant Russians in Crimea? If so, then Ukraine will have big problems trying to reclaim its territory.
With the morale problem Russian troops have, are the Separatists in the same boat?

 

[RogerdeLluria]

Those Ukrainian are really inventive and resourceful. Video of tiny drones harassing Russian troops with tiny bombs.

 

[Jagdflieger]

Regarding the Turkish Straights:
NO military ship or ship carrying military hardware is currently allowed passage, regardless of nation or allegiance.

Doesn't matter if it's a landing craft with "aircrafts", a freighter with armored cars or anything in between.

I posted a clear (and somewhat lengthy but concise) artical upthread that outlines Turkey's current position and why they're doing it.

More issues for lawyers to get rich, since the Montreux Convention is the only paper with an international approval. - what Turkey independently decides is not really of international significance. Since Bulgaria and Rumania border the Black Sea and are NATO members as well already invalidates such a law enactment. That Erdogan is "unofficially" supporting another dictator is no secret and he's got his own war-crimes to justify.

 

[Jagdflieger]

Did Russia "replace " Ukrainians with more compliant Russians in Crimea? If so, then Ukraine will have big problems trying to reclaim its territory.
With the morale problem Russian troops have, are the Separatists in the same boat?

As I had stated before, those doing most of the fighting and taking the brunt of the losses are the DNLR troops - not the Russian army in regards to manpower losses.

 

[Greg Boeser]

Do the citizens of the existing NATO countries have a say? As a Canadian and Brit I fully support welcoming both Finland and Sweden into NATO. But we should consider that the wider NATO spreads the more likely the West's sons and daughters will be sent into the grinder. I'm alright with that, but are America's parents willing to sacrifice their sons for the seemingly distant places like Finland, or even existing members like Bulgaria? This POTUS? No question, but the last POTUS and maybe the next POTUSes (is that POTI?) I'm not so sure. While my southern neighbour doesn't shirk from bombing Muslim despots and intervening where they perceive interest, they also have a strong isolationist streak.

It's now history rather than contemporary politics so I think it's safe (from Moderator sanction) to wonder here how POTUS45 would have reacted to Putin's invasion of Ukraine and how he would have dealt with Europe, NATO and its expansion.

POTUS45 was very direct when dealing with NATO. Insisting that European countries increase their military budgets to meet the 2% treaty requirement and pointing out that being dependent on Russian oil and gas was "inappropriate". He was especially critical of Germany's overdependence on Russian energy, and the Nordstream II pipeline. He was the first US president to authorize and deliver lethal aid to Ukraine in their continuing fight against Russian expansionism.

 

[Crimea_River]

Now the Russians are selling purloined Ukrainian grain to Syria and other "friendly" countries. The Ukrainians should have poisoned it just to kill the thieves off like Tribbles.

If you are joking it's far from funny. If you are serious it's very disturbing.

 

[Wildcat]

I agree. We're going to have to do a first strike on Coney Island (aka "Little Odesa ").

I hereby volunteer my services to inspect interrogate all captured Russian mail order brides.

 

[Dimlee]

Estonia, Latvia donated 1/3 of their military budget to Ukraine.