RogerdeLluria
Staff Sergeant
- 1,325
- Jul 5, 2015
According to Ukrainian sources a MiG-29 shot down a Russian Su-35 in the Kherson region. It's surprising that Russia has not managed to suppress the UAF after 3 months of war.
"All of Vlad's forces and all of Vlad's men, are out to put Humpty together again." (9 Viewers)
- Thread starter XBe02Drvr
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Thumpalumpacus
Major
It's an interesting article, but I'm struggling to see how foreign powers might get Russians to enforce their own Constitution. I also think that the concerns of the time about nuclear proliferation, extending to the dissemination of nuclear materials to terrorists, made the American policy of non-intervention more sensible than the article's author apparently thinks.
Decolonization is a laudable goal, but at what price?
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GrauGeist
Generalfeldmarschall zur Luftschiff Abteilung
That Su-35 is a textbook example of maintaining situational awareness.
"Hunting for ground attack aircraft" meant it was not at optimum altitude and I have not seen any statement so far, that would indicate they were operating with a wingman - total recipe for disaster.
Thumpalumpacus
Major
I still believe that a major Russian mistake was not seizing air supremacy at the onset of their invasion. Yes, it would have been expensive (and perhaps they were/are husbanding their best aircraft to counter NATO intervention), but I think it would have been much cheaper than what we're currently seeing.
But being former Air Force, I may well be bringing my biases to the table.
This has got nothing to do with Communism!!
GrauGeist
Generalfeldmarschall zur Luftschiff Abteilung
As a former KGB officer in the Soviet Union, how else would Putin base his motives on?
Especially considering he claims that the fall of the Soviet Union is the "greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the century".
Actually Putin is more of a Czarist wanting the return of Imperial Russia rather than Soviet Communism. Nor does he want the Russian Empire to expand to the Atlantic ocean.
Indeed
Re-read this analysis that I posted back in February:
www.abc.net.au
Here's why the West doesn't know how to fight Putin's Ukraine war
As globalisation rises in the West, Vladimir Putin is encouraging the return of the tribe. He sees the West's individualism as a weakness and his approach has set the world ablaze, writes Stan Grant.
www.abc.net.au
Thumpalumpacus
Major
Right. Putin is not a Communist, he's an ultranationalist kleptocrat.
Glider
Captain
I am afraid that the West are not giving Ukraine what they really need right now and that is effective armour in numbers, aircraft and effective ECM. This is a huge country and Russia has numbers on its side. Russia tried to fight 'the European way' and got hammered. Now its reverting back to the 'Traditional Russian way' using its numbers taking a piece at a time while tying down Ukraine Army by threats from the North and attacking using effective artillery fire.
Only airpower has the ability to strike quickly, with considerable strength hundreds of miles from its base. Only airpower can cover more than one front at a time, in this case strike in the east while cover the North from an attack from Belarus.
There is no doubt that the Russian Airforce doesn't have control of the air, but they don't need it. As long as they can stop the Ukraine Airforce from attacking their army and its artillery, they can pound their way to victory. That is the primary task of the Russian Airforce, and that is a task they seem to be able to do.
With suitable aircraft and ECM to give cover from the SAM shield that Russia is using, then the UAF will become the key to change the conflict, but without it, Russia will be able to wear Ukraine down and grind out a victory of sorts.
I do hope that I am wrong but this is my honest view of the current situation
Only airpower has the ability to strike quickly, with considerable strength hundreds of miles from its base. Only airpower can cover more than one front at a time, in this case strike in the east while cover the North from an attack from Belarus.
There is no doubt that the Russian Airforce doesn't have control of the air, but they don't need it. As long as they can stop the Ukraine Airforce from attacking their army and its artillery, they can pound their way to victory. That is the primary task of the Russian Airforce, and that is a task they seem to be able to do.
With suitable aircraft and ECM to give cover from the SAM shield that Russia is using, then the UAF will become the key to change the conflict, but without it, Russia will be able to wear Ukraine down and grind out a victory of sorts.
I do hope that I am wrong but this is my honest view of the current situation
swampyankee
Chief Master Sergeant
- 4,004
- Jun 25, 2013
It need not have anything to do with communism. Invading neighboring countries is a very old tradition, one that has been participated in by dictators, democracies, and everything else. It's sometimes cloaked in mottoes like Liebensraum or Manifest Destiny or spreading civilization.
Putin's ideology need only be Russian nationalism. Russia didn't play all that nice before the bosheviks; just ask Poland.
Just the Daily Fail. Might as well be an article in the National Enquirer.An interesting post.
MSN
www.msn.com
Jagdflieger
Senior Airman
- 580
- Mar 23, 2022
This whole issue simply reminds me towards the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. War and unrest for decades simply due to "it's mine, no it's ours".
And just as what USA is for Israel, China is/will be for Russia.
As long as whatever government in Moscow is regarded as neutral or even friendly - China will be their premium sponsor.
Thumpalumpacus
Major
I think EU and America both can and would support Ukraine -- albeit on a lower level than these emergency donations -- through a low-intensity conflict. Such a drawn-out timeline could also allow for training on Western weapons-systems such as Abrams, F-15, F-16, etc.
I think if the Russians want to actually win out here, they need to do it quickly, because quagmire is staring them in the face. That's why we're seeing this intense push into the Donbas, and why I wrote upthread that Ukrainian forces are essentially fighting for time. The longer this goes on, the worse are Russia's prospects, especially now that the sanctions are biting.
Jagdflieger
Senior Airman
- 580
- Mar 23, 2022
I am not just referring to military aid - but the money needed to rebuild Ukraine so as to keep peace and "happiness" amongst it's population - otherwise there is going to be a change in government very soon. (one of the main reasons why Putin is focusing on "as time goes by") As such we are talking about $trillions not millions or billions.
Just to keep former East-Germany's, 17 million population happy and content has cost the German government $ 2 trillion Euro till today (in 30 years, including a trillion within the first 5 years) - and their infrastructure wasn't destroyed and neither half the population displaced.
E.g. The USA spends in total around 40-50 billion a year on foreign aid.!!! (out of which 10-15 billion are military aid). we are realistically talking about more then 2 trillion for Ukraine in the next 10 years.
spendmenot.com
In 2009, China's total financial commitment to development aid reached a whopping $69.9 billion, two times that of the U.S. foreign aid in the same year.
China spent $354.3 billion over the 15-year period from 2000 to 2014 — a figure approaching the $394.6 billion spent by the U.S. over that same time frame. In fact, China now outspends the U.S. on an annual basis.
Just to keep former East-Germany's, 17 million population happy and content has cost the German government $ 2 trillion Euro till today (in 30 years, including a trillion within the first 5 years) - and their infrastructure wasn't destroyed and neither half the population displaced.
E.g. The USA spends in total around 40-50 billion a year on foreign aid.!!! (out of which 10-15 billion are military aid). we are realistically talking about more then 2 trillion for Ukraine in the next 10 years.
US Foreign Aid per Country: Who Gets the Most - Spendmenot
Looking for the most complete US foreign aid per country list on the web? You found it. ✅ We packed it together for you on a map!
spendmenot.com
In 2009, China's total financial commitment to development aid reached a whopping $69.9 billion, two times that of the U.S. foreign aid in the same year.
China spent $354.3 billion over the 15-year period from 2000 to 2014 — a figure approaching the $394.6 billion spent by the U.S. over that same time frame. In fact, China now outspends the U.S. on an annual basis.
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Thumpalumpacus
Major
I am not just referring to military aid - but the money needed to rebuild Ukraine so as to keep peace and "happiness" amongst it's population - otherwise there is going to be a change in government very soon. (one of the main reasons why Putin is focusing on "as time goes by") As such we are talking about $trillions not millions or billions.
Just to keep former East-Germany's, 17 million population happy and content has cost the German government $ 2 trillion Euro till today (in 30 years, including a trillion within the first 5 years) - and their infrastructure wasn't destroyed and neither half the population displaced.
E.g. The USA spends in total around 40-50 billion a year on foreign aid.!!! (out of which 10-15 billion are military aid). we are realistically talking about more then 2 trillion for Ukraine in the next 10 years.
US Foreign Aid per Country: Who Gets the Most - Spendmenot
Looking for the most complete US foreign aid per country list on the web? You found it. ✅ We packed it together for you on a map!
In 2009, China's total financial commitment to development aid reached a whopping $69.9 billion, two times that of the U.S. foreign aid in the same year.
China spent $354.3 billion over the 15-year period from 2000 to 2014 — a figure approaching the $394.6 billion spent by the U.S. over that same time frame. In fact, China now outspends the U.S. on an annual basis.
I've long been of the opinion that we Americans should rationalize our foreign aid. But I also think that in the aftermath of this war, if Ukraine's defense is successful, I think you'll see a lot of public and private money coming in for the rebuild.
Russia may appreciate whatever aid China might throw its way immediately, and repent at leisure.
- Thread starter
- #7,060
They tried, launching missile barrages to "blind" air defense radars and SAM sites, failing to achieve a "critical mass" of hits due to Ukrainian mobility and poor Russian intelligence. Their wild weasel tactics and kit were not up to snuff, making prosecuting emitters with air launched anti radiation missiles problematical. Their fire and forget type ARMS just couldn't seem to reliably find their targets.
And then their shortcomings in precision guided stand off munitions sentenced them to dumb bombing, leaving them susceptible to MANPADS and other low altitude weapons.
